Jane Child
Artist: Jane Child

Jane Child's debut album was a pleasant excursion into synthesized dance-pop that was distinguished by the ingratiatingly catchy single, "Don't Wanna Fall in Love." A handful of other songs on the album -- including the minor hit "Welcome to the Real World" -- demonstrated Child's skills as a pop craftswoman, but just as many fell flat. ~... Read More

The History of the JAMS a.k.a. The Timelords
Artist: Justified Ancients of Mu Mu

Interesting more for its sample-and-scatter philosophy than the thick Scottish brogue with which Drummond tries to emulate Run-D.M.C., The History of the JAMs a.k.a. the Timelords takes no prisoners: Dave Brubeck's familiar saxophone riff from "Take Five" is looped onto the James Brown-style jam "Don't Take Five (Take What You Want)," Whitney... Read More

Greatest Hits - RHINO
Artist: Village People

Rhino's Greatest Hits is a comprehensive overview of the Village People's biggest-hits, featuring 13 of their best-known songs, plus two bonus "disco mixes" of "Y.M.C.A." and "In the Navy." Not only are crossover hits like "Macho Man," "Go West," "Ready for the '80s" and "Can't Stop the Music" included, but so are key club hits like "Sodom and... Read More

Original Hits
Artist: Sylvester

Original Hits sums up disco sensation Sylvester's years (1977-1981) with the Fantasy label. These years include most of the artist's most important output, particularly dancefloor hits like "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," "Dance (Disco Heat)," and "Body Strong." In addition to these stellar dance tracks, songs like "Cry Me a River" and a live... Read More

Actually
Artist: Pet Shop Boys
Community Score: 8.17

With their second album, Actually, the Pet Shop Boys perfected their melodic, detached dance-pop. Where most of Please was dominated by the beats, the rhythms on Actually are part of a series of intricate arrangements that create a glamorous but disposable backdrop for Neil Tennant's tales of isolation, boredom, money, and loneliness. Not only... Read More

Like a Prayer
Artist: Madonna
Community Score: 8.16

Out of all of Madonna's albums, Like a Prayer is her most explicit attempt at a major artistic statement. Even though it is apparent that she is trying to make a "serious" album, the kaleidoscopic variety of pop styles on Like a Prayer is quite dazzling. Ranging from the deep funk of "Express Yourself" and "Keep It Together" to the haunting "Oh... Read More

Information Society
Artist: Information Society
Community Score: 10.00

An infectious update of the classic synth-pop most famous earlier in the decade, Information Society's self-titled debut sounds most similar to British groups like ABC and Pet Shop Boys, though hits like "What's on Your Mind," "Walking Away," and the cover of "Lay All Your Love on Me" manage to inject the affair with elements of industrial dance... Read More

The Innocents
Artist: Erasure
Community Score: 8.17

Having built up a strong fan base and back catalogue in just a couple of years, Erasure turned into a full-blown pop phenomenon thanks to The Innocents, winning the British equivalent of the Grammy for album of the year and spawning a big American hit single, "Chains of Love." Stephen Hague took over as producer from Flood, perhaps smoothing out... Read More

Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That
Artist: D-Mob
Community Score: 8.00

Those who consider house music one-dimensional must give a serious listen to D-Mob's unpredictable and appropriately titled A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That. Britain's D-Mob is the brainchild of producer/mixer Dancin' Danny D, who keeps things consistently soulful while showing us that house comes in many forms. While we're reminded... Read More

Metamorphosé: Messe Pour Le Temps Présent
Artist: Pierre Henry

One of the originators of musique concrète gets his material remixed by some late-'90s inheritors of his experimentation. Among the cast are contributions from Coldcut, DJ Vadim, William Orbit, Fatboy Slim, and Funki Porcini, all of whom rework Henry compositions into what is an obviously more danceable context. Despite Henry's many... Read More