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Album Reviews

Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez runs down a laundry list of classic and not-exactly-classic disco cuts for Disco Heat, a pleasing hourlong mix that shines a light on the dance music underground of the late '70s and early '80s. Apart from the occasional reminders that this is a Kenny Dope mix, it all but places you in another time and place -- specifically a New York club like the Paradise Garage or the Gallery on a hot night in the early '80s. Norman Harris-produced Gold Mind gems from Love Committee ("Just as Long as I Got You") and First Choice ("Double Cross") rub shoulders with Patrick Adams-produced blazers from Clyde Alexander ("Got to Have Your Love") and Musique ("In the Bush"). Altogether, the mix roams through 20 tracks, so Gonzalez keeps things moving, rarely allowing a track to stretch out for more than four minutes. Selection-wise, the included cuts could only be obvious or played-out to the most frequent clubgoer or DJ. The most customer-friendly aspect of this release is the fact that the label, Urban Theory, provides most of the tracks from the mix on two extra discs without jacking up the price. How many mix albums have sent you on a wild goose chase for the full versions of favorite moments? Since this retails for the price of a single disc, the second and third discs can be seen as the icing on the cake. Most importantly, Disco Heat is also another valuable point of proof that disco was so much more than what the pop charts and mainstream media advertised. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide