Star Creature Universal Vibrations is a Chicago-based record label dedicated to “contemporary boogie” that’s been around since 2015. They first hit my radar a couple years after that, back when Salt Box Records had a brick-and-mortar in Chinatown and I picked up a new release from a Russian outfit called Venus Express II based almost solely on the cover art. As it turns out, the record was just as cool as the album sleeve, so now I consider Star Creature to be a mark of quality for funky, synth-heavy tunes.
Perhaps like a lot of other DJs, I’ve been playing Nuovo Testamento a lot in my sets since nightlife returned. The disco mix of “Vanity” was one of the most-played tracks in my sets last year, in fact, I think I only played “Machina” from Boy Harsher more often.
I have one DJ gig this week and it’s going to be a good one. On Thursday, March 16, Disco Heat, my weekly residency at Songbird in Chinatown, is happy to welcome special guest DJ Marcus from Tune in Tokyo. If you’re a city pop fan, this is the night to attend.
The summer before the pandemic, my husband and I went to go see The Space Lady at Zebulon. It was a strange night. An earthquake hit while we were eating dinner and watching Skyfall in Spanish at an Armenian restaurant not far from the venue. That might have also been the night at Zebulon that ended with a parking ticket as well, but my memory of pre-pandemic times fails me. Regardless, what I do remember is that we got to Zebulon early enough to catch opener Maraschino, who I had never heard before that night. Her sound, a synth pop-disco hybrid, caught my attention immediately and I’ve been following her work since then.
The moral of the story is always try to catch the opening act, even on those very strange nights.
Between the launch of Disco Heat’s weekly residency at Songbird and the afterparty celebrating the release of Taleen Kali’s fantastic new album, Flower of Life, last week was a blast. Let’s keep the party going. Here’s where you can find me this week.
Taleen Kali has a new album out today called Flower of Life and you need to hear it.
Last August, I got to DJ for Taleen Kali’s tour kickoff show at Rubycon Records in Los Angeles. One of the joys of that night was getting to hear Taleen and the band play music from Flower of Life, an album that was, at that point, still months away from release. I remember them ripping through “Trash Talk” most vividly. There’s an immediacy to the song. I had never heard it before that night— it wasn’t released as a single until that November— but, by the song’s end, I felt like I knew it. To me, that’s the sign of a killer pop song.
Want to catch me in the DJ booth this week? Here’s where you can do just that.
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Disco Heat @ Songbird
900 N. Broadway, #1050, Chinatown 90012
10 p.m., No Cover, 21+
This Thursday night, Disco Heat launches its now-weekly residency at Songbird. Joining me this week is Jus’ B, who you may have caught at the past three installments of Disco Heat at Songbird. We have a broad mix of what’s considered disco in the queue for you, from classic ‘70s jams to ‘80s Italo to ‘90s disco-influenced house to 21st century nu-disco. Jus’ B and I both made Spotify playlists of what has been in our sets, so check those out and get ready to hit the dance floor on March 2 and 10 p.m.
Beatique #3 includes music from P.P. Arnold, Sam Redmore, Grey Factor, Taleen Kali and more.
I just posted this month’s Beatique mix, which you can listen to either on Mixcloud or on this page. It’s composed of two eclectic sets, with the second set being a club-style mix, that includes indie dance, disco, soul, psychedelic and weird electronic tunes. Give it a listen and check out the full track list below.
Diana Ross performing “Love Hangover” on The Midnight Special in 1976.
In 1972, the concept of a music television show designed to keep people glued to their television sets in the middle of the night was novel. In fact, it was so unusual that, according to various interviews with the Burt Sugarman, the veteran TV producer funded The Midnight Special himself to get the pilot on the air. That initial episode aired at 1 a.m. and featured performances from War, Linda Ronstadt, The Isley Brothers and more. The format was a hit and The Midnight Special ran until 1981. Today, there is plenty of footage to watch online and multiple DVD sets available, all of which serve as a 1970s time capsule. If you watch enough clips from The Midnight Special— and, trust me, I have— you’ll see the decade evolve from funky hippies to disco to new wave.
On The Midnight Special, viewers could check out artists from across genres. T. Rex, Kraftwerk, Minnie Riperton,The Doobie Brothers and Dolly Parton are just a few who appeared on the show. Here, though, I’m focusing on the disco clips you need to see. Check them out below.
Disco Heat is rising, friends. Beginning March 2, I’ll be dropping classic and modern disco alongside some of my favorite L.A. DJs every Thursday night at Songbird in Chinatown. The party will now start at 10 p.m. and go until last call. There’s still no cover. RSVPs are recommended, just head over to Eventbrite and click on the date that you want to attend.
Jus’ B, who has been playing with me at Songbird since Disco Heat launched in December, will be back monthly, and you can catch him next on March 2. For the rest of the month, we have an eclectic mix of top notch DJs. Each has a distinct style, so you’ll hear something different every week. I’m excited to play with Fluency, Marcus, Don French and Rose Knows.
