Various Artists
Ze 30: Ze Records 1979–2009 [Strut]
It’s rare for a label to develop a signature sound—even more so when that sound can loosely be described as “disco-jazz meets punk.” But that’s exactly what Ze Re-cords managed to do, releasing records from such diverse acts as James White & the Blacks, Suicide and Kid Creole. Some tracks came out of the oven ready for the dance floor at the Paradise Garage, while others felt right at home in downtown dive bars filled with junkies taking H naps. If none of this is making any sense to you, then this retrospective will fill in the gaps.
