The Compass Point was, of course, the studio in the Bahamas that played host to a whole lexicon of talent in the early 1980s. The results are here, many of them intriguing and subsequently sampled for ’90s hits. Grace Jones’ ‘My Jamaican Guy’ is cool funk with a squelchy bass, while the Tom Tom Club’s ‘Genius Of Love’ remains startlingly original and hugely influential. Ian Dury, meanwhile, caused ructions with the lyrics of ‘Spasticus Autisticus’, whose upfront presentation found few friends despite the author’s own disability. Talking of Blockheads, Chaz Jankel, as ever, secures a funky tone with Laura Weymouth on the dub-influenced ‘Whisper’. Hugely enjoyable, this is also a valuable history lesson in 1980s dance music.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
