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Postcards From The Disco

This week Classic release ‘Postcards From The Disco’; the first of their new compilation series. A collection of home listening oddities, rarities and curiosities from their recent output of EPs, singles, albums and artist compilations, here’s a bit of history about each of the records included from Classic’s co-founder Luke Solomon.

Luke Solomon featuring Jon Marsh 'Lonely Dancer' (Dance Away The Pain) (Ewan Pearson Into The Night Remix)

Some of you may and some of you may not know that the dance music community lost an incredible talent two years ago. That person was not only an incredible talent, he was also my friend. I wrote this song a couple of years before we lost Kenny. The subject matter was for something very different, but it related to something that equally effected Kenny and myself. I had Jon's voice in my head whilst writing and we set about recording and finishing it. The original song was quite different, but I remixed it with Kenny in mind. I wanted it to be something that he would play and connect with. It was kind of therapeutic for me, and a fitting way to say goodbye. I played the song Ewan Pearson and he wanted to remix it. In fact it was Ewan that suggested that he would like to donate some money towards something "Kenny." My good friend Roaul at Faith, also a close friend of Kenny's set up a fund for Kenny, and alongside Kenny's girlfriend Wendy, from which we have bought a bench for Kenny in Brighton.

No Dial Tone featuring Djamila 'About You' (Mic Newman's Remix For Me)

Classic prides itself in being a family. Generally a lot of the music we have put out over the years tends to gravitate towards us either through friends, friends of friend or odd situations. When that music has found its way to us through friends and people that are already part of the Classic family, in this case via JT Donaldson, Derrick and myself always stand up and take notice even more as we know there is usually a story behind it. As a result, we were proud to welcome No Dial Tone as new members to this oddball family made up of miscreants and weirdos that is Classic. A record I immediately fell in love with due to its quirky rhythms and repeating vocal, ‘About You’ is a record that seemed to have Classic written all over it. We drafted in 2 new rising stars to give their interpretations - from the deep old school rhythms of Mic Newman, to the music led jazz tinged vibes of Tom Ellis.

Grand Corporation featuring Jeremy Glenn 'Wonder & Amazement' (Original Vox)

Wonder & Amazement was a record I’d had in various forms and incarnations from ex Chicken Lips members Steve Kotey & Andy Meecham for about a year before its release; a song that immediately grabbed me from the very first moment I heard it. Reminiscent of days gone by, mixed with a touch of the new, a song that contains a mixture of both the old Classic and the new Classic. I’d been championing it for a while, either in sets or charts, even including it on a compilation I did. It’s a record that we are proud to be able to use as a soundtrack to this second era of Classic.

I first heard this track played by the legendary Huggy from Back to Basics in Leeds. I remember being stood at the bar at Space, Bar Rumba with Kenny (Hawkes)...We were mid- conversation and I remember him stopping mid flow and literally running to the DJ booth. Now Kenny wasn't one for making public displays of excitement, and to be honest, I think this was the only time I ever witnessed it. But it floored him. He raved and raved about it. Bought copies for me, and himself, over and over. I personally think it was the record that defined his sound and his style and sent him off on a mission…And the train sounds, well, those that knew him, knew what that led to…... It was his signature and his sound, and if there is one record that both Derrick and myself couldn't have been more honoured to re-­‐release as a testament to his legacy, a record that defined Kenny as a DJ, and a record that keeps that light shining, then it's this one. Viva the Dark Lord.

Classic presents Postcards From The Disco is out now – buy from iTunes