Metro Area - Fabric 43

Those who were around in the early 80's might have had the pleasure of being introduced to a pop phenomenon called Stars on 45, also known in the States as Stars On and as Starsound in the UK and Oceania. This Dutch studio project under direction of Jaap Eggermont (see Golden Earring from the hits "Radar Love" etc.) embodied the idea to have a more polished, and legal, alternative for bootleg mashups appearing on compilation albums and radio stations. A more danceable mix was filled and strung together with popular compositions in an enjoyable medley fashion with one underlying uniform (disco) drumline. These early vinyl rarities bring me to the concept set Metro Area has thrown down on the 43rd of the Fabric Series.

At best, Metro Area achieves mediocrity on all fronts. The first half (apart from the intro) is a solid mix with a nice tempo, no extreme shifts in style and a cohesive vibe that delivers the promised groovy stuff. After the danceable first half comes a mess of awkward mixes held together by namedropping and the recognizability of a few classics. It's good fun if you feel the need to deviate from the usual Fabric Series sound or feel like busting some Chandleresque dancemoves in your bathroom, but definitely a fabrication to stay clear of if you like to pretend disco and the 80's never happened.


written for and published by The Silent Ballet
Fabric Records