Pair-Shaped - 40 Thieves & Hot Chocolate

San Fran DJ qzen (above) supplies vocals for noddy disco outfit 40 Thieves' cover of Hot Chocolate's 'Don't Turn It Off', which first appeared back in 2008 on Permanent Vacation. The track resurfaced on Chinatown Records last year, remixed by label owner Brennan Green (as heard here on December's Balearic Death Mix), and has sprung to life again thanks to a re-edit included on Greg Wilson's Credit To The Edit Vol 2 (Tirk).

While many have written off UK soul band Hot Chocolate as cod disco, 'Don't Turn It Off' was the band at its super slinky best and appeared on the b-side of their 1979 flop single 'Mindless Boogie'. Commercially it it appeared during a slump period for the band who had enjoyed a string of global hits from '73 to '78 ('Brother Louie', 'Emma', 'So You Win Again', 'I'll Put You Together Again'). Hot Chocolate's mainstream comeback, that made them household names, didn't happen until '82 with 'Girl Crazy', damning them to the casino circuit for eternity. Yeah, they could be schmaltzy ('It Started With A Kiss') and sound like they were cranking out jingles ('Every1's A Winner') but it's hard to deny they could sex it up with the best of them when they set their crotches to it ('Heaven's In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac').

NY team Rub'N'Tug recognised the sultry nature of 'Don't Turn It Off' and included it on their seminal '05 mix set Campfire. An early morning seduction anthem was born. And the song fit 40 Thieves like a condom. Comprising qzen (ex-The Invisibles), Corey Black (Imperial Dub label manager), Jay Williams (Jaswho?) and Layne Fox (engineer on Woolfy's The Warehouse), 40 Thieves followed up their 'Life Is Special' 12" (Rong) with 'Don't Turn It Off' and there's just no getting tired of what could well be a modern disco classic. And the track was the perfect lead-in to last year's 'Beats In Space' 12" (Rong) of edits that shows they can do flamboyant disco too on 'Love To Shake It Baby'.

'Don't Turn It Off (Greg Wilson Edit)' - 40 Thieves feat qzen:

'Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac' - Hot Chocolate:

Buy: Credit To The Edit 2 - Various/Greg Wilson; 'Don't Turn It Off' - 40 Thieves.

2009 Favourites - Part 2

Ten more tracks we had a soft spot for in 2009.

'2009 Favs - Pt.2' mixed by Adam Askew (direct link)

TRACK LIST:
Peaches - 'Lose You' (XL Recordings)
Return To Sender - 'Dutch/Boyz/Dance Floor (Canyons rmx)' (On The Prowl)
Friendly Fires - 'Kiss Of Life' (XL Recordings)
The Delicate Genius - 'Suck It And See' (Hole In The Sky)
Ms Kitten & The Hacker - 'Party In My Head (TLU rmx)' (Nobody's Bizzness)
The BPA feat Iggy Pop - 'He's Frank' (Southern Fried)
Nacho Patrol - 'Hippo Aviation' (M-Division)
Coati Mundi - 'No More Blues' (Rong Music)
Peven Everett - 'Special (Timmy Regisford rmx)' (Trippin Records)
Jonathan Jeremiah - 'Happiness (Quiet Village Remix)' (Universal)

Woolfy & Clubby

NY disco baron Woolfy has finally released his official debut album (he released a Woolfy Vs Projections album last year - more on the dub disco tip). And it brings together cuts that have been floating around for nearly half-a-decade. The Woolfman's name has been linked to the likes of The Glimmers and, more importantly, DJ Harvey. He's remixed the likes of The Voices and The Tough Alliance and had his edits released on comps alongside Idjut Boys and Faze Action. He's been courted by hipster brands from Modular and Plant Music to Permanent Vacation and They Shoot Homos Don't They - and his name can be traced back to releases on Guidance at the start of the decade. The album, "If You Know What's Good For Ya!!" is part-strictly-disco, part-indie-dance... depending which period it's curated from. But it's the deeply disorienting disco that he does best and his 'Odyssey' single from '07 appears here in all its sinew-y stylised cosmic glory. The rest moves through shouty digifunk and the busy Heaven 17-grooves. There's everything from knees-go-elastic rhythms to a lump-in-your-throat ballad. Out on Rong, via DFA, and Stomp in Aus.

Watch the vinyl... it's an 'Odyssey':