Lemuria

Originally issued on Hawaii's Heaven label in 1979, this Dreamsville reissue brings listeners one of the more stunning unheard funky R&B records of the late 20th century. In the tropical climes, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger, and producer Kirk Thompson put together Lemuria from some of the best musicians in the area and came up with a stylistic blend of funk, Latin grooves, Stevie Wonder-esque sexiness, and the studio feel of the Fantasy studios that artists like Sylvester used. Roy Ayers would have been jealous as hell if he knew this record existed back in the day. The tracks here are all uplifting and spiritual, sweet and yet deep in a popping groove that would make any party or dancefloor jump. With a trio of female vocalists called the Ladies of Lemuria, the 11 tracks included here are so infectious, so regal, and so dreamy they deserve a place in the collection of every fan of late-'70s urban soul. The polish that Thompson puts behind his songs serves to make them deeper, more meaningful. Standout tracks are "Dreams," "All I've Got to Give," with its glorious vocal and jazzed-out guitar solo, and "Moonlight Affair," with the steamy tropic moonlight drenching the vocal and slippery groove of the rhythm section. Quite beautiful, extremely consistent, and as much a treasure in the 21st century as it was in the 20th. [A Japanese version included bonus tracks.]