Atmosphere Strut

Since the disco underground communicated through the 12" format, containing A-sides and B-sides that almost always surpassed the several-minute mark, full-length albums were a rarity. Cloud One's Atmosphere Strut is one exception to the rule. As with the remainder of Cloud One's material, each song on this LP was produced and arranged by Patrick Adams, a remarkably prolific cult legend whose name should be just as instantly recognized in dance music circles as Giorgio Moroder and Arthur Baker's. Not only was Adams an incredibly talented figure behind the boards (and a label operator on top), but he also revolutionized synth playing — no one before, during, or since has played the synthesizer like him. Atmosphere Strut is one of several testaments to these facts, containing a handful of classic disco cuts that remain in DJ crates decades after being recorded. "Atmosphere Strut" and "Disco Juice" (the latter in a different mix from its longer, more popular counterpart) have the highest profile of these six songs. Both are euphoric but completely distinct from one another. "Atmosphere Strut" is a nine-minute drift carried by a light, winding groove; a repeated refrain of "We're gonna fly, fly away"; crazy synth squiggles; human handclaps; and incidental exclamations of delight. "Disco Juice" is downright colossal; with its humid, nocturnal feel; shimmering strings; taut bassline; and a dazed, wordless refrain, it practically forces anyone within earshot to involuntarily twirl in a state of bliss. The delirious "Spaced Out," the smooth/easy "Dust to Dust," and the jubilant closer "Doin' It All Night Long" put a cap on this brilliant album. [This album is actually a reissue of Cloud One's eponymous debut, and all of these songs are available on both The Best of Cloud One and The Very Best of Cloud One.]