Ayo Ke Disco: Boogie, Pop & Funk from the South China Sea (1974-88)

The fruit of an extensive archival project by Soundway Records label boss Alice Whittington (AKA DJ Norsicaa), Ayo Ke Disco is a compilation of deep cuts from the disco scene of 1970s/80s Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Impeccably curated and cohesive, Ayo Ke Disco (Indonesian for ‘Let’s Go to the Disco’) encompasses a variety of languages and sub-genres, from the psychedelic groove of ‘Dahaga’ by Fatimah Razak to the wistfully cinematic city-pop of ‘Den Ni Zai Yu Zhong’ by Tian Niu. A highlight is lead single ‘Pinoy Funk’, an instrumental by drummer/bandleader Jun Regalado, known as ‘the most recorded drummer in the Philippines.’ Given the period covered, this compilation serves as a time capsule of a transition in Asian culture – itself experiencing a renaissance following the withdrawal of foreign military powers – as well as the evolution of technology. The horn sections and studio performances of the 70s tracks give way to drum machines and synthesizers – the latter being perfectly represented by ‘Disco’ by Indonesian group The Rollies, with its 80s vocoder and gated snare. Special mention has to go to the vinyl release of the album which is packaged with a zine that includes research, archival photos and exclusive interviews with record collectors from the region. Ayo Ke Disco is an essential repackaging of a plethora of vibrant music that would otherwise have languished in obscurity.