Aged In Harmony - You're A Melody

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  • Yes, 2015 was Floating Points' defining year, with his album Elaenia making numerous year-end lists and establishing him as a high-profile artist operating beyond the realms of electronic and dance music. But 2016 is when Sam Shepherd's power became ascendant. He's sold out dates with his jazz-fusion live sets and his words of approval have appeared in the accompanying text for a range of reissues. The last record Shepherd spun at the final Plastic People party, Spirit Of Love's '78 gospel-disco single "The Power Of Your Love," topped Phonica's chart for weeks on end when it was reissued this year. Now, Shepherd's Melodies label has released not just a crucial soul-disco rarity, but a triple-45 package with printed inner sleeves, special outer cardboard sleeve and a fanzine. Detroit's Aged In Harmony released only three self-pressed 45s at the end of the '70s before fading into obscurity. Prices for their '78 single "You're A Melody" start at around $500. But it's not scarcity driving Shepherd's love for the track, as "You're A Melody" is also the name of his roving party. Rare soul and funk forms the backbone of any number of cottage labels these days, but too often scarcity and online speculation reigns supreme in some of these selections. The songs themselves can sound as musty as the basements they're pulled from. But Aged In Harmony is a gem, nailing the sweet spot between numerous African-American trends at that point of the decade. Nectar-sweet harmonies and heady chord progressions are carried by an incessant groove that keeps one foot in funk and another in disco. Pop sublimity can be found on every side, from the gentle lift of strings and hi-hats that whirl around "I Feel Like Dancin'" to the slow slink, eerie keys and deep soul pleas of "Trust Me." And then there's the undeniable perfection of "You're A Melody," the ideal nexus of soul, funk and disco. Its whirlwind of strings, twinkling keys and an undeniable beat remains revelatory and ageless.
  • Tracklist
      MEL002 A1 You're A Melody B1 You're A Melody (Extended Disco) MEL003 A1 I Feel Like Dancin' B1 Theme For Someone Special MEL004 A1 Trust Me B1 Dance Awhile
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