CHIC: Three Records That Still Move a Dance Floor

Artist spotlight · Three hand-picked CHIC recordings

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Put on CHIC and listen past the chorus for a moment. Hear how the bass keeps moving beneath the guitar, how the drums hold everything steady, and how much room there is for the whole band to breathe. You can know every word and still find something new in the groove.

Guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards built a sound that belongs right at the meeting point of disco, pop and old-school hip-hop. These three records are a good place to spend a little time with it. Start with the previews, explore the recordings through Apple, then come back to JetSetFM when you want someone else to take care of the next selection.

From CHIC’s debut album, “Everybody Dance” puts its purpose right in the title. The appeal is immediate, but listen to the rhythm underneath the vocals: that busy bass and clipped guitar make the track feel light on its feet.

There’s a lovely balance here. The arrangement gives you plenty to follow without losing the simple pleasure of a dance record. Try concentrating on one instrument for a few bars, then let the whole thing come back together.

The backstory makes this one even better. In a Library of Congress interview, Rodgers recalled how he and Edwards were turned away from Studio 54 after an invitation from Grace Jones. Back at Rodgers’ apartment, their frustration became the starting point for “Le Freak.”

The finished record became a No. 1 hit in 1978. Listen for the contrast between that huge vocal hook and the precision underneath it. Everybody in the band has a part to play, and nobody needs to crowd the groove.