Kristin Baio ‎– Don't Turn Your Back On Love (1988)

Here's a fun freestyle track that is most notable for being co-written by Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars fave Cindy Valentine.  Cindy finally released her own version on her 2009 rarities compilation Speak Your Mind.  The song was likely planned for her second album but Kristin released it instead.  Kristin only released one other single, "Keep On Runnin'," in 1992.





Download Don't Turn Your Back On Love

1	Don't Turn Your Back On Love (Club Mix)
2	Don't Turn Your Back On Love (Dub Mix)
3	Don't Turn Your Back On Love (Kristin's House Party)
4	Don't Turn Your Back On Love (Kristin's Groove)

Voyéur - Hangin' On The Boulevard (1988)

What little I know about Voyéur I just posted on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars along with their album.  But this is the record that made me first notice them.  I loved it at first listen, as it is an amazing upbeat pop-house track, all courtesy of remixer Murray Elias and the best editor ever, Chep Nuñez.  It made me seek out the album, which is quite different.  The album version is included here so you can compare, and if you like it, head on over to the Isle and download their album.



Download Hangin' On The Boulevard

1		Hangin' On The Boulevard (Housin' Mix)
2		Hangin' On The Boulevard (Housin' Edit)
3		Hangin' On The Boulevard (LP Version)
4		Hangin' On The Boulevard (Housin' Dub)

Carole Pope - Nothing But A Heartache / I'm Not Blind (1988)

There's really not much I need to tell you about Carole Pope that you can't find on the internet.  Simply put, she's a Canadian icon, originally one half of new wave hit-makers Rough Trade (hits include "High School Confidential" and "Crimes Of Passion") and an ex-lover of Dusty Springfield.  But after leaving Rough Trade, her solo career was very sporadic.  This was her first (and only?) solo single, released independently.  "Nothing But A Heartache", a remake of the Flirtations classic, is a synth-rock song, and "I'm Not Blind" is a lovely ballad.  Seven years later, in 1995, she finally released the mini-album Radiate on her own label Le Petite Mort Records.  She wouldn't release another album, Transcend, until 2005, also on her label.  She also released a collection of remixes of the album the same year, and finally released another album, Landfall, in 2011.  These later albums are much more electro-based and are quite tasty.  You can get them, and other albums, on her website.  But for now enjoy this rarity from a true legend.

Download Nothing But A Heartache / I'm Not Blind

1		Heartache (Repomix)
2		I'm Not Blind (Radio Mix)
3		Heartache (Remix)
4		I'm Not Blind (Acoustic Mix)
5		Heartache (Heat Mix)

Never...But Always - Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (1988)

Well, it took awhile, but I'm back again with a few gems (thanks to Jeremy Kay for putting fire under my ass. LOL).  The first is a synthpop Hi-NRG number by the Canadian duo of brothers Steve & Kevin Dafoe, with some early assistance by Massimo Rosati.  Rosati was a prolific producer of Hi-NRG songs in Canada in the 1980s.  As Never...But Always (formerly known, interestingly, as En Vogue), the duo released three singles: "Never Enough" in 1986, this track in 1988, and "Too Good To Be True" in 1990.  This track was produced by Vincent Degiorgio, who worked with many other acts posted on this blog and the Isle blog, including Kim Esty, Eria Fachin, Fire & Ice, Patrick L. Myles, Pressure Point, Karen Silver and Fausta Monaco. The version of "Tonight" I'm posting was remixed by Barry Harris, then one half of synthpop duo Kon Kan, and later better known a remixer Thunderpuss.  "Tonight" sounds a lot like a Kon Kan song, and is reminiscent of similar synth boy duos of the time like Bros or Blue Mercedes.  It's an amazing dance song.  Enjoy!

Download Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You)

1		Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (The Barry Harris Remix)
2		Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (The Edit)
3		Tonight (Love Is Gonna Change You) (Music For Your Feet Mix)

Liz Torres - Out Of My Life (1988)

Words cannot express how much I love Liz Torres, the queen of house.  Her sass and sensuality cannot be matched.  I featured her (unfortunately) one and only solo album The Queen Is In The House on the Isle, and this is one of the singles she released the year previous to the album's release.  It really should have been on the album, as it is one of her best.  Like most of her album, it was produced by Jessie Jones, and it was released on the small Chicago label Streetside.  Enjoy, especially the super-sassy "Don't Fuck With Me" mix. ;)


Download Out Of My Life

1		Out Of My Life (Don't Mess With Me)
2		Out Of My Life (Under Ground Mix)
3		Don't Fuck With Me (Mix)
4		Out Of My Life (Dub)

Nikki Jae - Let's All Jack (1988)

Here is a house remake of Michael Zager Band's disco classic "Let's All Chant".  It was obviously made to cash in on the acid house 'jack' phase that previous postee Denise Motto was also a part of.  There's nothing more I can tell you about it other than it is a Canadian release that on the Somersault house label.






Download Let's All Jack

1		Let's All Jack
2		Let's All Chant (Bonus Beats)
3		Let's All Chant (Jack Mix)
4		Let's All Chant

Jasmin - Body Talk (1988)

FINALLY, I'm back on this blog! It's been almost a year and a half since my last post!  Luckily I had a three year warranty on my turntable and finally replaced it.  So hopefully I'll be able to share quite a few new gems in the new year.  Let's start with two songs by Jasmin.  I know very little about her, as there are a ton of artists who have went by that name over the years.  But I do know that she released a single in 1984 called "Get Up And Dance" as well as an album of the same name, which you can preview and buy on iTunes or Amazon (for some reason an 'e' was added to the end of her name for the album only).  I only recently heard "Get Up And Dance" and recognized from the voice that it is the same woman that sings this, her first single four years later on CBS Associated.  The original version stays with the freestylish sound of her other single from 1984, "Stop (Before You Break My Heart)" , while the house and Euro mixes do indeed up the house factor.  Enjoy!

Download Body Talk

1		Body Talk (Club Original Mix)
2		Body Talk (Percapella)
1		Body Talk (EURO Mix)
2		Body Talk (House Mix)

Pobi - Dance With Me (1988)

And yet another Canadian rarity. I featured Pobi's only album, released in 1993, some time ago on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars. But this was one of her first two releases in 1988. I saw her perform this on the old dance show Electric Circus and I bought it soon after. While her album is more eurohouse, this was a fantastic straight up pop-dance song. The house mix is quite haunting as well.



Download Dance With Me

1		Dance With Me (Dance Mix)
2		Dance With Me (Radio Mix)
3		Dance With Me (Club Mix)
4		Dance With Me (House Mix)

Shirley Lewis - (You Used To Be) Romantic (1988)

I did a post on Shirley Lewis on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars some time ago, and mentioned that this single preceded her album on A&M Records and likely led to her album deal. It does not appear on the album, but would have fit well with its poppier side. As my friend Max pointed out, it is a remake of the Jo Joe song from 1987 and is very similar, not surprising considering it was produced by the same team of Jolley/Harris/Jolley, who also wrote it. The remixes here dance it up a bit.


Here is the video.

Download (You Used To Be) Romantic

1		(You Used To Be) Romantic (Some Like It Hot Mix)
2		(You Used To Be) Romantic (The Hot & Bothered Remix)
3		(You Used To Be) Romantic (Romancing The Street Mix)
4		(You Used To Be) Romantic (Terrific Dub)

Nancy Kay - King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste) (1988)

Nancy Kay is Nancy K. Goltsman, wife of house and freestyle producer and head of Bottom Line Records Edward Goltsman, better known as Ed The Red. Together they wrote and produced many an underground house and freestyle song. They also released music together under the monikers ODC and Red Follies. Nancy released only two singles of her own, the other being "Sun Above The Rain (Fly Away)". "King Of The Jungle" is a very unique track, a house/freestyle hybrid with plenty of jungle and even Tarzan samples. In fact, the Samplepella is just a bunch of the samples used strung together. Definitely a fun, original dance track!

Download King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste)

1		King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste) (Edited Version)
2		King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste) (Instrumental Red Dub)
3		King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste) (Samplepella)
4		King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste) (Jungle Dance Mix)
5		King Of The Jungle (Cum A Laude Veste) (Flume Dance Dub)

Sonia Papp - Undercover Lover (1988)

Here is our next Canadian dance diva, Quebec's Sonia Papp. There is very little info available on this little lady, even though she released three albums in 1990s - the first two, in 1990 and 1993, (with the spelling of her first name chanced to Sonya) very dancey pop albums, and the last, in 1993, much more pop rock. I have all three albums and plan on featuring them on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars in the future, so I'll leave the details to a minimum here. Suffice it to say, this was her first single, a Hi-NRG number with a light house touch that remains her best known song. It was produced by John Farley, who also worked on Pobi's "Dance With Me", also featured here, and later with Nancy Martinez. Enjoy!

Download Undercover Lover

1		Undercover Lover (Dance Mix)
2		Undercover Lover (Power 45)
3		Undercover Lover (Dub Mix)

Kim Esty - Make You Mine (1988?)

I have once again neglected this blog, and I apologize, but I return with peace offerings - a slew of pop-dance singles by Canadian female singers. I featured Kim Esty on the Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars already, so go there for more info on the lady. This single was one of her first, independently released somewhere in the late 1980's (the single itself doesn't say). It's a mid-tempo dance pop song (the version on her Variety Show and Best Of is a newer, ballad version) that was her first collaboration with Barry Harris from Thunderpuss, who would guide her to later success. The Hi-Bias and RPM mixes change the pace to housey and hip hop-ish respectively. And it also features one of the first remixes by Barry's future Thunderpuss partner Chris Cox. A lovely track that began a lengthy career in pop music.

Download Make You Mine

1		Make You Mine (The Chris Cox Mix)
2		Make You Mine (Original Mix)
3		Make You Mine (The RPM Mix)
4		Make You Mine (The Hi-Bias Mix)
5		Make You Mine (Radio)

Jillian Mendez - Get Up (1988)

Jillian Mendez was born in Trinidad but grew up in Toronto. She kicked around the Toronto music scene for several years and finally hooked up with local house label Bigshot Records. This was her first track on the classic label, with production by the label's co-founder, the legendary Andrew Komis aka Komix, who created a very distinct electro house sound. It became a minor hit in the UK, and is one of my all-time faves. She released another single on Bigshot, "Don't Know What You're Missin", and a single on major label 4th & Broadway (as Gillian Mendez), "Feel Like Making Love" (which included a remix of "Get Up" - I'll feature that single in the future). She is still active in music and was performing in Toronto in the late 2000s with her funk/rock/jazz band Groove Matrix, with whom she was said to be recording an album. Check out her website for more.

Download Get Up

1		Get Up (E.Z. Mix)
2		Get Up (Nix Bop Mix)
3		Get Up (Eastside Dub)
4		Love's Over

Odette - Love Walked (Out Of My Life) (1988)

Here is the second single from Odette Doiley. Her first, "Comin' At You Boy", I featured HERE. Thankfully Odette herself gave me permission to share this with everyone. This song is similar to her first - poppy electro funk. It's a great track, released under her first name only. I'm keeping my eyes open for her third single. ;)




Download Love Walked (Out Of My Life)

1		Love Walked (Out Of My Life) (Vocal)
2		Love Walked (Out Of My Life) (Dub Version)
3		Love Walked (Out Of My Life) (Club Edit)

Fire & Ice - Try A Little Harder (1988)

This was the second HiNRG single by Fire & Ice. This time vocal duties were done by Joanne Perica, also formerly from Canadian disco group Harlow. Joanne released some solo material in the 80's as Joanne Perry, and currently still works in the music industry. Check out her Myspace page.





Download Try A Little Harder

1		Try A Little Harder (Leona's Penthouse Mix)
2		Try A Little Harder (Split Level Edit)
3		Try A Little Harder (Pop Goes The Club Mix)
4		Try A Little Harder (Instrumental-Popped)

Karen Silver - Hot Wired (1988)

Karen Silver was a singer from Toronto who hooked up with French-Canadian disco maestro Gino Soccio in the late 1970s. With his help she released two albums, Hold On I'm Comin' in 1979 and Set Me Free in 1981. She would have international disco hits from both albums. She released a few more singles throughout the 1980s, with this apparently being her last. I am guessing at the release year as it is not on the single, but I saw her perform "Hot Wired" on Electric Circus around this time. While "Babylon" is an okay dance-pop number on which she raps, and "Hard To Say Goodbye" is a nice ballad, "Hot Wired" is definitely the highlight here, with two good house mixes (the first has a slight skip - sorry!). In 1992 she also produced Donna Robbins' only album, which is featured on The Isle Of Deserted Pop Stars.  Today Karen is a make-up artist, having left the music world behind in 1991 after graduating from the Toronto School Of Make-Up.

Download Hot Wired

1		Babylon
2		Hard To Say Goodbye
3		Hot Wired (Hip House Mix)
4		Hot Wired (House Mix)

Patrick L. Myles - I Want You Back (1988)

Patrick L. Myles was a Canadian singer who had a big HiNRG hit with "My Heart's On Fire". I believe that this was his only other single, a HiNRG/house hybrid that I saw him perform on Electric Circus. Sadly, I heard that he died from AIDS complications awhile after this was released. (Unfortunately I had to leave the 12" Extended Club Mix / R & B Gettin' Bothered Mix off because it skipped, but these mixes should satisfy. ;)



Download I Want You Back

1		I Want You Back (7" Radio Mix - Funk & Laid Back Mix)
2		I Want You Back (12" Extended Jack Mix - Berserk Mix)

Rachele Cappelli - I Feel Good (1988)

I featured Rachele's album on The Isle of Deserted Pop Stars late last year, and mentioned that I first of heard of her through this, a promo 12" of her first single, which is a remake of the James Brown classic. While the 12" Mix is nice and truer to the album version, I definitely dug the House Mix even more, which makes it groovier and gives it a bit more pep.




Download I Feel Good

1		I Feel Good (12" Mix)
2		I Feel Good (House Mix)
3		I Feel Good (LP Version)

Fausta Monaco - Don't Give Up Our Love (1988)

And once again we have a mystery lady from Canada. I do remember Fausta performing this track on Electric Circus. It was released on the hi-NRG Power label, and remixed by it's founder Vincent Degiorgio, though it is more of a freestyle track. It's very similar to the works of Nancy Martinez, and also includes a nice house mix by the K. Bros. I believe that this was Fausta's only single.



Download Don't Give Up Our Love

1		Don't Give Up Our Love (Vince's Mix)
2		Don't Give Up Our Love (Mark's Mix)
3		Don't Give Up Our Love (K. Bros. House Mix)
4		Don't Give Up Our Love (Vince's Dub Mix)
5		Don't Give Up Our Love (Bonga Conga Instrumental)

Catharine Buchanan - Love Is (1988)

Not much is known about Catharine Buchanan other than that she was the singer that was not Madonna on Jellybean's "Sidewalk Talk". It appears that she only managed to release one single of her own, and here it is. It's quite a fun pop ditty, and the French version is even better!

UPDATE: Thanks to Justvox I was directed to this link that tells a little bit about Catharine, and reveals that she unfortunately passed away in 2001. :( 

Download Love Is

1		Love Is (Club Mix)
2		Love Is (Extended)
3		Love Is (French)