Donal Dineen’s Sunken Treasure

Arthur Russell was a virtuoso musician with consummate engineering skills. He experimented with many musical styles while conjuring an original sound of his own. His creative achievements went without much acclaim before his death from Aids in 1992, aged 41.

If Russell was depressed by the lack of an audience, he didn't show it. The trajectory of his musical journey was always upwards. His predilection for moving from one style to another, coupled with his inability to finish projects, meant he released only one LP in his lifetime, 1986's World of Echo.

In retrospect, Russell ploughed a singular furrow that’s worthy of deep excavation. He often moved in different directions at once, making disco while playing cello and singing pop.

Collected on The World of Arthur Russell are many of the breakthrough moments he achieved when those disparate strands came together. These dancefloor tunes are densely woven tapestries, sumptuously embellished, and unique for the way they render bass lines and drum beats – dance music's essential moving parts.

Russell’s personal touch made disco sound like it had something meaningful to say. His beautiful, slightly frail voice makes the tenderest of impressions. He creates space within his tracks for all sorts of unusual elements to float around. There’s the imprint of an inquisitive musical mind everywhere. The mood is almost casual, it’s so relaxed and intimate. It’s unshowy yet brimming with colour and ideas.

The story of disco in New York predictably focuses on the era’s glittering uptown hits. But here’s a collection that paints a more soulful picture. This is a far deeper class of disco, crafted with loving care much further downtown.