For the last five years Horse Meat Disco has kicked off every Sunday night at the Eagle pub in Kennington Lane, a mixed/gay hot-spot dedicated to recreating the unabandoned hedonism and loved-up vibe of legendary New York niteries like the Loft, Paradise Garage and Gallery, and doing so with resounding success. Distilling a club’s atmosphere onto CD can be hit-and-miss, often resulting in just another cold compilation, but DJ-clubrunners James Hillard, Jim Stanton, Severino and Luke Howard have done an amazing job, avoiding obvious disco classics in favour of lesser-known or obscure tunes which have rocked either their nights or clubs which inspire them. The mixed CD weaves a heady, sweaty magic with names including Karen Young, Eddie Drennon, Gino Soccio, the Two Tons, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Fern Kinney and Smokey Robinson, whose ‘And I Don’t Love You’ appears as in its Larry Levan Instrumental Dub form. The second CD presents the tracks in their full form, where gems like Tom Moulton’s mix of Tamiko Jones’ ‘Let It Flow’ can be appreciated in all their luxurious glitterball glory. Strut can always be expected to come up with a lavish presentation and don’t disappoint [complete with already-controversial equine todger cover!], complimenting this almost perfect embodiment of the eternal spirit of disco.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
