It’s now 40 years since the first Philadelphia International nugget shot out of Kenny Gamble and Huff’s golden cannon, taking R&B to another level while kick-starting nascent disco culture with groove-driven soul and love‘s splendour and sadness translated into life-affirming anthems. Timeless anthems by the O’Jays, Jean Carn or Billy Paul didn’t sound dated when dropped to instant euphoria later in the decade by Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage or Frankie Knuckles in 1980s Chicago. Indeed, they’re guaranteed to ignite the floor at any happening club in the present day which hasn‘t forsaken its soul.
Unlike other black-owned labels such as Motown and Stax, P.I.R. has remained staunchly independent, its co-founders celebrating its 40th with a slew of reissue packages, including boxset and Tom Moulton remix compilation. First up, comes this sublime demonstration of the glorious timelessness of this music as contemporary producers, including DJ Apt. One, Jimmy The Twin, J*Ski, Todd Terje and Morning Star, are given a bunch of P.I.R. classics to re-edit. This they do with the utmost love and respect, stretching grooves and intros, giving lustrous beauties such as the Jones Girls’ Nights Over Egypt or Jean Carn’s Was That All It Was a heavenly makeover set to wreak delirious havoc in the nation’s clubs and also on Grooveskool Radio!
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