In honour of Larry Levan’s 65th birthday we’ve put together a selection of some of our favourites from his catalogue of mixes, remixes and productions. Of course there are countless articles, blogs, and playlists celebrating the maestro’s work, so although this is nothing new we think his legacy is worth celebrating and returning to again and again.
Choosing just ten songs is really quite a stretch as there are so many classics, but we hope we’ve added at least one or two songs here that you might be less familiar with.
Enjoy. Matt.
1. Don’t Tell Me – CENTRAL LINE (Mercury 1981)
Fair to say that the b-side ‘Walking Into Sunshine’ is the more well- known Levan remix from this particular 12 but for me the a-side is the one. You could argue that by Levan’s standards this is a fairly conservative, less dubby remix but it still has his signature all over it. Some of his arranging ideas could sometimes appear slightly random – percussion tracks starting in odd places within a phrase, instruments or effects leaping out of the speakers when you least expect etc – but for me that’s all part of the appeal. Listen to the hand percussion part here and you’ll see what I mean.
2. Seventh Heaven – GWEN GUTHRIE (Island 1985)
An obvious choice for sure, but it has to be in this list. Quite simply a benchmark for so many reasons, not least because of the personnel involved – Gwen Guthrie and the Compass Point All Stars team of Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Wally Badarou, and Darryl Thompson – but also because it showcases just how experimental and creative Levan was. Listen to those delayed claps leaping out of the mix and the way he turns a pretty smooth production (check the original mix) into something entirely more raw and druggy. It’s one of those mixes that when you hear it for the first time it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before. And that bass guitar, OMG.
3. First True Love Affair – JIMMY ROSS (RFC 1981)
Another well-trodden path I know, but it’s a path that always leads to joy so it’s worth a revisit. There’s no doubt about the super-soulful chorus and general great vibe of the whole song but for me it’s all about that breakdown. The reverb-drenched synth line just amps up the character and takes things to a new place for a while before everything snaps back in.
4. I Got My Mind Made Up – INSTANT FUNK (Salsoul 1978)
I read somewhere that Larry’s remix of this Instant Funk banger is regarded in some circles as the greatest 12″ remix of all time. It’s a bold claim and I’m not sure I even think I agree with the idea that there has to be a ‘greatest mix’, but aside from that there’s little about this remix I can say that hasn’t been said already. It’s just SO funky from start to finish and I probably play it out just a bit too often, but I can’t help myself.
5. Need Somebody New – JAMAICA GIRLS (Sleeping Bag 1983)
A fairly recent discovery for me but I wanted to include it here because I’ve been enjoying it a lot and it’s another example of an unmistakable Levan intro; the way the sounds are introduced into the arrangement and how certain sounds are drenched in delay or saturated to the point where the sound almost starts to break up. I often wonder if some of the techniques he employed were to recreate sounds he was hearing when he was under the influence mixing records in the club.
6. Diamond Ring – BILLY NICHOLS (West End 1980)
Okay, so this could be a bit of a stretch because it’s difficult to say with any degree of certainty exactly what level of involvement Levan had in this, but it’s here all the same. Discogs classifies this under the sub-heading ‘Writing & Arrangement’ and the record lists Levan as ‘Music Consultant’, so it’s anyone’s guess. Tune is a total banger though and it definitely displays more than a mere sprinkle of Levan magic in my view.
7. A.I.E – LA COMPAGNIE CREOLE (Pardonnez-nous 2019)
Another recent discovery (unreleased prior to this year) and arguably a much more understated treatment than we might be used to hearing from Monsieur Levan. You could even say it’s quite smooth and polished, two words you wouldn’t normally use to describe one of Larry’s reworks. It has a lovely groove and is the perfect early evening summer vibe for a rooftop party before things get dark and messy inside the club.
8. Bodyshine – INSTANT FUNK (Salsoul 1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Dv5lL1ipQ
Levan always had a knack of making a sexy song seem even sexier. Maybe it’s the way his creative flow and personality combined to bring out even more soul and sass from a tune. People often speak about his magnetic character and wild spontaneity, and his ability to squeeze even more emotional impact out of a song. I think you can add to that his ability to make a song feel more lithe and twice as sensual.
9. Double Cross – FIRST CHOICE (Salsoul 1979)
A song which will forever remind me of the Release Yourself parties hosted by Pat McCusker, Henry Hobson and myself at Wharf Chambers in Leeds from 2012 to 2017. Just a guaranteed floor filler and definitely one of Levan’s most muscular remixes. A banger, pure and simple. One of my favourite characteristics of his remixes is the way he just pushes those kick drum and bass guitar faders right up. G’wan!
10. Can’t Play Around – LACE (Atlantic, RFC 1982)
I’ve often heard people talk about 1982 as the best year for boogie. I’m not sure about that but I am sure that Levan’s mix of this Lace song should definitely be included in any best of 1982 list. For me, Levan produced some of his finest work during the post-disco period (though you could also argue that most of his work is from that period anyway!) when dance music dug deep into it’s own underground again and became even more experimental. Larry was definitely spearheading that movement with his raw, train-of-thought creativity and unique approach, not just to his remixes but his live sets too.