Starbow - Intersidereal Message (1978, AVI)
Starbow - Voyager II (1978, AVI)
As far as Space Disco goes, this one has to be one of my best and most recent acquisitions in the genre. A couple of instrumentals written by the same guys behind Ottawan's "D.I.S.C.O." of all things, Jean Kluger and Daniel Vangarde (whose probably more well-known these days for being the father of Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter) and with production credited to Ralph Benatar, and Mike Butcher; despite it's apparent obscurity, this Starbow single had some rather notable, prolific names attached.. Benatar, along with Kluger had been behind notable projects/acts like Black Blood (which also invoved Vangarde), L.A.X. and the one-off disco classic "Do You Speak French?" by Nite School, while co-producer Mike Butcher was not only a frequently credited engineer on a good number of Jean Kluger productions, but at one point had evidently produced Black Sabbath, of all things (just in case anyone out there's searching for an Ozzy Osbourne disco connection).
With it's heavy bass drums and guitars, the kaleidoscopic layers of deep, eerie synths (especially that jagged, hypnotic intro); of the two tracks, the A-side "Intersidereal Message" (special disco edit by Patrick Jenkins) probably hits the hardest. That being said, the B-side, "Voyager II" would have to be my pick. With the guitars and drums given a slightly more prominent place, that along with the sublime synth work, it ends up cutting a slightly easier groove than the heavier A-side.. These days, "Voyager II" is perhaps the slightly better known of the two, as a result of being included on Dirty Sound System's "Dirty Space Disco" (2007, Tigersushi) compilation..
Not completely sure if this Starbow project was simply another one-off, but it certainly looks that way. Given how excellent these tracks are, it's too bad they don't seem to have been expanded on further in LP form.. As they are though, the two sides on this single, both of them with their darkly ethereal grooves would have to be prime examples of the Space Disco subgenre.
PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
THE ONE I LOVE TAKES ME DOWN, TAKES ME THERE.. (THURSDAY DECEMBER 13, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #40: MUNICH MACHINE - A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (1978, CASABLANCA) (SUNDAY APRIL 29, 2007)
TIMING, FORGET THE TIMING.. (WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31, 2007)
PURCHASE:
VARIOUS - DIRTY SPACE DISCO (INCLUDES "VOYAGER II")
AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CO.UK
LINKS:
DISCOGS: STARBOW - INTERSIDEREAL MESSAGE/VOYAGER II 12''
DISCOGS: JEAN KLUGER
DISCOGS: DANIEL VANGARDE
WIKIPEDIA: DANIEL VANGARDE
DISCOGS: RALPH BENATAR
DISCOGS: MIKE BUTCHER
DISCOGS: PATRICK JENKINS
WIKIPEDIA: SPACE DISCO
CATEGORIES: MINI DELIVERIES
