Disco Fever

Between the multi-volume Disco Spectrum series and Kenny Dope's Disco Heat bonanza, just to call out a couple of examples, Barely Breaking Even has become the disco equivalent of Rhino, constantly providing the rare and the otherwise overlooked inside ornately packaged multi-disc compilations. Dimitri From Paris' Disco Forever is another labor of love from the U.K. label, including a mix of '70s and early-'80s disco and boogie from the DJ as well as two unmixed discs that include each song from the first disc in full plus two bonus tracks. Dimitri digs real deep for most of the selections and pulls out some rarities that only veteran jocks and club-goers knew about until now. Other inclusions, like the Universal Robot Band's "Barely Breaking Even" (the song from which the label takes its name) and Love Committee's "Just As Long As I Got You" (in excellent re-edit form from Dimitri) are bona fide boogie and disco classics. The mix disc is enjoyable but not stellar, running through 16 tracks in an hour, with somewhat abrupt (but not jarring) transitions prevailing over smooth blends. The real treat is the other two-thirds of the package. Some of the songs have remained scarce for a reason, while others are positively brilliant and make you consider the injustice behind what went platinum and what went tin. ~ Andy Kellman