Listen Here.

Track List Here.

Earth Wind & Fire are best known for their string of hits in the 70s. For me, they were still going strong in the 80s. “Side by Side” is a typically lush production from 1983. The guest vocalist is Wanda Vaughn, a member of The Emotions. They sang on Earth Wind & Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland” and had a huge hit in 1977 with “Best of My Love”, written and produced by Earth Wind & Fire’s leader Maurice White with other members of the EWF entourage.

Toro y Moi is the pseudonym of eclectic Northern California musician and producer Chaz Bear. He has made lots of electronic music, but “Ordinary Guy” is one of his guitar-based releases. It’s a cover of a song recorded by Joe Bataan in 1967. The “Afro-Filipino” description in the lyrics applies to both Joe and Chaz.

I’ve discovered many artists thanks to my friend Rumpel, most recently in his excellent mix Groovy Moments – 21st Century Cinematic Soul Beats. Magic In Threes are a group from Nashville, and although “Tip on Out” is from 2024, you might think it’s from a 1970s movie or TV show.

Tracks 11 and 13 are songs I’ve never played because I considered them to be obvious. Meaning, I figured everybody knows these, I’d rather play songs that will be surprising. But although they are smash hits in my personal hit parade, I realized they might not be obvious in the real world. I also realized that they have a very similar groove. So here they are, linked by a third track to extend the groove a little longer.

The first is “You Know How to Love Me” by Phyllis Hyman from 1979. It went to #12 on the US R&B chart, was popular in dance clubs, and was a minor pop hit in the UK. So, not exactly obvious, I hope. Every time I hear her and the band ease into the chorus, I think a sort of perfection has been achieved.

The link is provided by Canadian producer Jex Opolis. He has a gift for engaging melodies and electronics combined with sturdy grooves.

The second hopefully-not-obvious selection comes from 1983. At the end of that year I was reading a recap of the year’s pop music in a UK publication. Several music luminaries were asked to name their favorite song of the year. Only one song was mentioned twice. Superproducer Steve Lillywhite and superdrummer-turned-pop-star Phil Collins both loved “Tinseltown in the Rain” by Scottish trio The Blue Nile. As this was 1983, I couldn’t just go and stream it, but I absolutely needed to hear it. Somehow I did, maybe on an import LP. I felt like I was hearing music beamed in from another planet. It’s an unlikely mash-up of synthesizers, yearning vocals, strings, and a Chic-style funky breakdown (with handclaps!) that made me laugh out loud with delight.

Yuna is one of several female singers I heard in the late 2010s who were doing interesting things with electronic pop. Unfortunately some of them were committed to a breathy vocal style that I found annoying. Yuna’s voice is understated but clear and full. Her singing and arrangements are influenced by R&B, as heard in “Crush”, her 2016 hit duet with Usher. She started her career in her home country of Malaysia and now lives in Los Angeles.

I wanted to end with a big ballad, and they don’t come much bigger than this. “Sunshine” is from the O’Jays 1972 album Back Stabbers. At the time “Sunshine” probably didn’t get as much attention as the album’s uptempo smash hits, the title track and “Love Train”. It’s pure Philadelphia soul with the mighty strings of MFSB and the huge baritone of Eddie Levert.

1. Earth Wind & Fire with Wanda Vaughn – Side by Side
2. Thievery Corporation with Lou Lou – Omid
3. Tito Puente – Port-Au-Pleasure
4. Jessie Ware – Hello Love
5. Toro Y Moi with The Mattson 2 – Ordinary Guy
6. Solid Doctor – The Old Ever New Now
7. Dennis Brown – Things in Life
8. CFCF – An Impossible Condo
9. Ed Motta – Compromisso
10. Magic In Threes – Tip on Out
11. Phyllis Hyman – You Know How to Love Me
12. Jex Opolis – Botanico
13. The Blue Nile – Tinseltown in the Rain
14. Anita O’Day and Cal Tjader – Under a Blanket of Blue
15. Gabin – La Maison
16. Santana – Aqua Marine
17. Yuna with Masego – Amy
18. Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd – Samba de Uma Nota Só
19. Bertrand Burgalat – L’Observatoire
20. The O’Jays – Sunshine