Sound Of Young New York II CD

We huddle in fear, preparing for what seems to be the inevitable. How long until the obnoxious glut of disco-punk compilations fall from the music industry towers on to the public's heads below, just as we've dusted off our trousers from the electroclash catastrophe of 2002? The Sound of Young New York might be the first disco-punk compilation, but it certainly won't be the last. But unlike its ironic, and ultimately untimely electro-punk cousin, this particularly-'80s-sounding alert avoids many of its previous contenders' shortcomings. For starters, the vocalists found here have some real emotion in their inflections. Whether it's Elefant's vocalist giving a quick Morrissey-esque "Uh-uh-oh," on "Bokkie" or the Faint's crooning like Ian Curtis playing hopscotch, it's all much more pleasing to the ears than detached female non-singing (though D'Boldiss offers that here). Musically, disco-punk also has far greater depth, with the genre's finest (though not most hyped) unit so far, !!!, offering up eight-and-a-half minutes of "Me and Giuliani by the Schoolyard." Let's see Fischerspooner write an epic worthy of that length. Cow bells, congas, distorted funk bass and synth gear may be omnipresent, as well as guitars, guitars, and guitars, but with everyone from retro-rockers the Stills and techno loner I:cube (with help from hip-hop sho-gun RZA) taking a shot at the style, there's no way this will all start to sound alike, regardless off the genre umbrella. Seamlessly mixed for the dancefloor, this disc should soundtrack every house party you attend and every road trip you take this summer. Like the original disco-punk sound of the '80s, rap, rock, punk, disco and funk all come together in one singular groove that could go on forever, if only the record keeps spinning. ~ Joshua Glazer

Audio Mixers: Dominique Keegan; Justin van der Volgen; Glenn "DJ Wool" Brady.

Audio Remixer: Ursula 1000.

Editor: Glenn "DJ Wool" Brady.

Illustrator: Maggie Hong.

Photographer: Dominique Keegan.