The Twelve Inch 208 : Lowdown : Disco/Eurodisco/Soul - 1976

This week’s mixtape is a perfect snapshot of how “Lowdown” slips effortlessly into a 1976 disco set. It opens the mix before gliding into Herbie Mann’s “Hi-Jack,” setting the tone for a seamless journey across the dancefloors of that year with Eddie Drennon, Gary Criss and Ecstasy, Passion & Pain. There is also a touch of early Italian disco with D.D. Sound, an early alias of La Bionda, alongside Lucio Battisti.

The midsection leans into the lush side of the era, diving into orchestral disco at its finest with The Bob Crewe Generation, The Mike Theodore Orchestra, Silvetti and Van McCoy.

From there, the energy builds through Margie Joseph and Gloria Gaynor before exploding into a full-blown finale with Joe Tex’s “Ain’t Gonna Bump With No Big Fat Lady,” “Bad Luck” by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and the undeniable 1976 floor-filler “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” from Tavares.

Dancing shoes are not optional this time. They are essential.