Kristen Sinclair

Dua does Disco (Source: sharinapro.com) When we think of disco, we think Sister Sledge, the Village People and Michael Jackson, groovy basslines and shimmering synths – a call to dance with no regard for tomorrow, in the words of Martha Reeves. Its heyday may seem confined to the faded neon-emblazoned LPs of the late 70s and early 80s, but the enduring influence and appeal of this genre resurges every decade, be it through innovative sampling or retro-tinged production. Dua Lipa’s latest release Future Nostalgia is an essay in majestic disco pop and is spearheading its most recent revival; similarly, The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights’ resounds with polished 80s disco glamour. A decade ago, Bruno Mars’ Unorthodox Jukebox and Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories gave a nod to the classic disco sound with a modern twist (and the latter with Nile Rodgers’ Midas touch). Back at the turn of the millennium, Kylie Minogue dabbled in nu disco on Fever , whilst the crate-digging DJs of t...

The review originally appeared in the now-defunct GiggingNI in 2016. Along with the likes of Rio , Dare! and True , ABC ’s 1982 debut The Lexicon of Love ranks high among the most quintessential albums of the eighties. Boasting no less than four Top 20 hit singles, the band’s magnum opus deals with the themes of heartbreak and searching for meaning in relationships, all whilst filling dancefloors throughout the decade. Now thirty-four years on from their debut, Martin Fry, lead vocalist and the only remaining original member, is touring The Lexicon of Love II , released this year as the impressive follow-up to the record that changed his life. The Limelight is plastered with posters for tonight’s gig and the venue is steadily filling under the soft colourful lights of the opening DJ set. Playing genre-appropriate music to a crowd of predominately eighties kids, the likes of Depeche Mode, Pet Shops Boys and The Human League transition seamlessly into one another in prepa...