Disco Illusion by Stephen Encinas

In the space of a week this month I interviewed Gilles Peterson and Joey Negro. Both times Stephen Encinas' "Disco Illusion" came up. Both times it was agreed that the record is absolutely amazing. That grizzled disco nerds such as Peterson and Negro are stamping their approval on it probably tells you all you need to know.

But stopping there would be a shame: "Disco Illusion" has a remarkable story behind it. The single was recorded in 1979 in Trinidad & Tobago by a group of local musicians, and released on the obscure Kalinda label. It was a rare blend of R&B vocals and weighty West Indian bass backed with a cosmic instrumental vamp that lifts the track into the stratosphere midway through. There was only one problem: the record failed to get distribution so no one ever heard it. Until last year, that is, when someone found a box full of copies in a Trinidadian warehouse. The folks at Invisible City Editions then reissued the record and here we are today.

The B-side, "Lypsco Illusion," is equally impressive, combining synthesizer warbles, incessant beats and a face-melting steel pan solo. (It's not often you get to say that.) You would have thought a record of this quality would have surfaced earlier considering the sheer number of DJs actively digging for this kind of stuff. But the story seems to add up. Disco Illusion was the only record Stephen Encinas ever made. Bar a vocal appearance on Michael Boothman's equally brilliant version of "What You Won't Do For Love," this was the lot. That's indeed regrettable, as it's one of the very best reissues in recent years.