Expansion Records

Expansion Records, based in the UK, has long been a vital conduit between glossy modern soul lovers and the often under-heralded gems of past decades. Their mission, as stated on their site, is to offer “the level of quality soul largely abandoned by US labels.” (expansionrecords)

That’s a strong claim, and it sets the stage: we’re dealing not just with nostalgia, but with reclamation. Labels like Expansion are doing archival work: restoring, reissuing, recontextualising music that may have been under-distributed, forgotten, or just overshadowed. Eighties Ladies is one such artifact, representative of its era but also telling in how its parts have been fragmented (solo careers, minor disco/modern soul hits) until brought together here.

The Artists: Who Are the Eighties Ladies?

The group “Eighties Ladies” is a vocal ensemble. The line-up comprises:

• Denie Corbett
• Marva Hicks
• Susan Beaubian
• Sylvia Striplin
• Vivian Prince (expansionrecords)

Each of these women had solo or side projects that brush up against disco, boogie, modern soul, and beyond:

• Denie Corbett had solo disco output (for example What You Won’t Do For Love) and collaboration in disco-flavoured ensembles.
• Marva Hicks is perhaps better known in some circles for her later modern soul work; her debut solo single Looking Over My Shoulder (1978) is mentioned, and then the modern soul marker One Good Reason from her 1991 debut album. (expansionrecords)
• Vivian Prince recorded a boogie track Gotta Get A Hold On You in 1982.
• Sylvia Striplin is already recognised among aficionados for her solo work (Give Me Your Love) and its resonance in jazz/soul/boogie collectorship. (expansionrecords)
• Susan Beaubian is less immediately visible in major solo hits (at least per the information on the Expansion page), but as part of this ensemble she contributes to a collective sound representative of late ’70s/early ’80s vocal group sophistication.

What makes this interesting is how their solo identities are variously strong but also incomplete in reaching a broader audience; the ensemble, and this reissue, provides a better lens to see their collective power, shared aesthetics, and cross-pollinated genres: disco, boogie, soulful grooves, balladry.

The Music: Eighties Ladies (Ladies Of The Eighties) LP

Let’s talk track-by-track, style, arrangement, production, and why the LP matters.

Tracks & Sequencing

Side One

1. Ladies Of The Eighties
2. Tell Him
3. He Is Mine Forever
4. Ladies Of The Eighties (Instrumental)

Side Two

1. I Knew That Love
2. It’s Easy To Move
3. Sing Me
4. Turned On To You (expansionrecords)

That’s eight tracks, fairly evenly split between more up-tempo/arranged works and smoother, slower numbers. The instrumental version of the title track suggests that the original producers valued the arrangement, the instrumental twine, as much as the vocals – likely for DJs, for fans who like the orchestration, or perhaps for alternate usage (remixes, radio plays etc.).

Style & Production

From what is known about the group, the instrumentation and production likely draw from that junction between late disco and early modern soul / boogie. The term “boogie” is relevant because Vivian Prince is noted for that. The arrangements likely feature:

• Lush strings or string synths (common in post-disco vocal tracks)
• Strong rhythm sections (bass/guitars) with emphasis on groove over overdubbed sheen
• Background vocal interplay: harmonies, layering, call-and-response, which is key in ensemble vocal groups of that era
• Slower ballad tempos counterposed with more danceable tracks, creates tension, contrast, and flow in LP sequencing.

The presence of It’s Easy To Move and Turned On To You suggest movement toward mid-tempo groove and perhaps funk or boogie-leaning. I Knew That Love and He Is Mine Forever probably allow for more vocal showmanship, emotional delivery, romantic soul tropes.

Signature Tracks

• Turned On To You is highlighted in the summary as one of their best‒known tracks. (expansionrecords)
• Ladies Of The Eighties as both a title track and an instrumental suggests it might be the centrepiece of the album.

These tracks likely serve two purposes: for dancers/fans, they embody groove and allure; for collectors, they are rare or lesser-heard works now being made more accessible.

The Release: Reissue Details & Implications

Format & Pricing

• It’s has been reissued as LP (vinyl), a format with both symbolic and sonic importance. Vinyl often implies a richer listening experience, care for mastering, and targeting collectors. Price is £15.99 in the UK. (expansionrecords)
• This LP is clearly aimed at the vinyl collector market. (expansionrecords)

Rarity & Rediscovery

Given that these artists had pieces out, but perhaps not widespread reissues or mainstream recognition, this LP offers rediscovery. It reminds listeners (and the industry) that much good work from women in vocal ensembles in that transitional period (late ’70s → early ’80s, disco → boogie → modern soul) was under-archived. For many, pieces like this existed in scratchy vinyl, private collections, or only in regional DJ sets.

Expansion’s reissue places these works in a curated context, giving them second life, better production (hopefully remastered), and visibility.

The Cultural Moment

We’re in a moment where collectors, DJs, younger listeners are hungry for authenticity: original vocal groups, soulful female voices, pre-digital instrumentation. Retro soul and boogie are hot again. Platforms like Bandcamp, vinyl fairs, crate digging, reissue labels all show the demand is there.

So Ladies Of The Eighties now is not just a nostalgic throwback but part of a wider cultural reclaiming: for women’s musical histories, for black vocal ensemble tradition, for the nuanced transitions from disco through post-disco to modern soul. It bridges eras.

Critical Reflections

I’m going to be unsparing in some observations: reissues are not inherently noble; their value depends on execution.

• Remastering & Robust Packaging: This reissue preserves fidelity, removes noise where possible without sterilising, and includes liner notes that give context. How well Expansion has done this in Ladies Of The Eighties will matter. But sometimes the sheer fact of reissue is enough for many listeners.
  
  
• Historical Accuracy vs. Romanticism: There is often a tendency to romanticise past eras, gloss over problematic production or dated tropes (lyrics, gender-norms, themes). This reissue lets the music speak in its terms but also does not ignore its moment.

The Significance Going Forward

What this release signals:

1. The Rise of Rediscovery as Canon-Building
   Works that were once marginal (or at least peripheral) are now being re-evaluated and inserted into broader narratives of soul, disco, boogie, and modern R&B. The old canon (e.g. Motown, Philly soul, classic ’60s/’70s funk) is being expanded to include these vocal‐ensemble, disco-leaning works of the transitional early ’80s.
   
   
2. Women’s Voices & Ensemble Culture
   The spotlight on multiple women in the same group (with somewhat established solo credentials) is meaningful. It’s not just solo divas, it's ensembles combining voices. That ensemble tradition (call and response, harmony, group dynamic) has often been under-celebrated compared to solo performers. This boosts appreciation for group cohesion, arrangement, and vocal interplay.
   
   
3. The Vinyl Collectors & Vinyl Resurgence
   As LP racks fill up again, reissues become a bridge: older albums get new life. Not only for the initiated crate-diggers but for newer soul fans who missed these releases the first time around. This provides both emotional satisfaction and also economic incentive for labels to dig deeper, restore more obscure works.
   
   

Final Thoughts

Ladies Of The Eighties by Eighties Ladies might at first glance appear to be “just another reissue,” but it’s richer than that. It sits at crossroads: female ensemble vocal work; disco → boogie → modern soul transitions; recognition of artists who had talent but not always access or visibility; and the contemporary hunger for rediscovery and authenticity.

If Expansion Records has done this well (and on their track record, they often do), this reissue serves not just as a collector’s piece but as a piece of soul-history: a gentle reclamation of voices, styles and songs that deserve to be heard. It's also a tribute to the late songwriter, musician and producer Roy Ayers who assembled and worked with the group

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