Dazz Band - Jukebox 1984

 Infused with the true spirit of the new techno funk that came to define the genre's '80s output, the Dazz Band, with ten chart hits under their belts, had already made quite a name for themselves. 1984's Jukebox would keep the groove flowing, dipping into the Top Ten. It would be their last great effort. Keeping a fat beat across the bass, with guitar riffing that bordered on rock, the group spattered a light, tight contemporary funk across another punchy, slick set guaranteed to keep the Dazz Band on the dancefloors and at the front of the pack. A mix of slow movers and up-tempo beaters, the group's prowess is demonstrated best across the fiery Top Ten hit "Let It All Blow," although the ballad "Heartbeat" is quite a nice effort too, and rewarded the band with another chart entry. In hindsight, this collection of electronic, synthesized funk could be seen as a preemptive strike upon the similarly constructed sonics of English producer Trevor Horn, who would shortly achieve massive success with both Art of Noise and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. However, the Dazz Band would soon find themselves out of fashion as the tide turned in that direction.