VARIOUS – Latin Freestyle – New York / Miami 1983 – 1992 – 2LP – Vinyl

2LP – Limited Edition Black Vinyl.

Another stunning compilation compiled by Bob Stanley. Latin Freestyle was a dizzying, passionate, ultra- modern music. It was the aural equivalent of a can of thirst-quenching Quatro or a Spanish Harlem dance-off, and it became the electronically constructed bridge between disco and house. Freestyle grew out of the electro sound of the early 80s, combined clean staccato rhythms with morse code synth hooks, and topped them off with emotive, usually female, frequently Latina vocals.

There was plenty more going on besides: proto-house piano lines, Cuban percussion, high emotion and synth hooks to die for. Put together and annotated by Bob Stanley (who also compiled the acclaimed The Daisy Age and Fell From The Sun), Latin Freestyle is the first compilation to cover the whole gamut of Freestyle from its early 80s breakthrough to its early 90s revival.

So many classics… Lisa Lisa made the UK top ten with the 808 joy of I Wonder If I Take You Home. Stacey Qs cosmically great Two Of Hearts came out in 1986, while 1987 saw the likes of Company Bs Fascinated and Exposs Point Of No Return become huge UK club hits. Today, Freestyle is a scene with a solid collectors market, and rarities like Janelles Dont Be Shy sell for hundreds of dollars. Its a classic summer soundtrack, finally condensed in one Ace Records compilation Latin Freestyle.

Tracklist:

1. Point Of No Return – Expose
2. Don’t Be Shy (Vocal/radio Mix) – Janelle
3. Lover Girl – Meg
4. Two Of Hearts (12” Version) – Stacey Q
5. Together Forever (Radio Edit) – Lisette Melendez
6. I Wonder If I Take You Home Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam With Full Force
7. When I Hear Music – Debbie Deb
8. Let’s Go (Radio Version) – Nocera
9. Funky Little Beat – Connie
10. Show Me – Cover Girls
11. Nightime – Pretty Poison
12. Fascinated (12” Version) – Company B
13. Dreamin’ – Will To Power
14. Baby Talk – Alisha
15. Take Me In Your Arms – Lil Suzy
16. Thief Of Heart – Cynthia