Expansion Records

If Gwen McCrae is the "First Lady of Southern Soul," then EXPAND109 is the crown jewel of her later career. This 12-inch release from Expansion is a masterclass in the transition from raw Atlantic soul to the high-gloss, sophisticated "Boogie" and "Modern Soul" sounds that dominated the UK's soul scene in the early 1980s.The Product: Gwen McCrae – Keep The Fire Burning / Funky SensationLabel: Expansion / AtlanticFormat: 12" Vinyl Single (33 ⅓ RPM)Catalog Number: EXPAND109 Release Year: 2016 (Reissue)Side A: "Keep The Fire Burning" (6:54)A high-energy, infectious disco-boogie masterpiece. Written by Willie Hutch, this track features a relentless, driving bassline and Gwen’s powerhouse vocals. The 12-inch version is the "full journey," including the extended instrumental breaks that make it a favorite for club DJs.Side B: "Funky Sensation" (6:35)Widely considered one of the greatest "Rare Groove" tracks of all time. This is a slower, deeper, more rhythmic affair. Its hypnotic, loping bassline and Gwen’s laid-back yet soulful delivery created the blueprint for what would eventually become the "Acid Jazz" and "Neo-Soul" sounds of the 90s.Fascinating Collector’s Facts & Figures1. The Willie Hutch ConnectionThe A-side was written and produced by Willie Hutch, the Motown legend behind the The Mack soundtrack.The Fact: Hutch brought a specific "Detroit-meets-Miami" energy to Gwen’s sessions at Atlantic.The Figure: You can hear the cinematic "Blaxploitation" soul influence in the orchestral swells of "Keep The Fire Burning," giving it a scale and drama that few other boogie records possess.2. The Sample That Defined Hip-Hop"Funky Sensation" is one of the most sampled records in history.The Impact: It provided the foundation for Afrika Bambaataa's "Renegades of Funk" and has been sampled by everyone from De La Soul to Justin Timberlake.The Figure: Because of its "breakbeat" status, original 1981 Atlantic 12-inches were often "beaten up" by Hip-Hop DJs. EXPAND109 provides a pristine, audiophile-grade pressing that restores the low-end frequencies often lost on worn-out originals.3. The 1982 "Modern Soul" ShiftThese tracks represent Gwen’s move from the T.K. Records "Miami Sound" to the Atlantic Records "New York Sound."The Nuance: By 1982, soul was becoming more electronic. These tracks use synthesizers and drum machines, but Gwen’s raw, southern-gospel voice keeps the record grounded in authentic soul. It is this "friction" between the high-tech production and the raw vocal that makes the record a Modern Soul classic.4. Expansion's "Heavyweight" MasteringUnlike the original 80s pressings, which were sometimes thin to save on shipping costs, EXPAND109 is a "loud" cut.The Audio Figure: Pressed on 180g vinyl, it handles the massive bass frequencies of "Funky Sensation" without any distortion. For a DJ playing on a modern club system, this version is technically superior to the original Atlantic 12-inch.Why the 12-inch is EssentialFeatureOriginal 7" EditExpansion 12" (EXPAND109)"Funky Sensation" Length3:456:35Instrumental BreaksNoneExtended Bass/Drum BreakAudio FidelityCompressed for RadioWide Dynamic RangeBest ForCasual ListeningClub Mixing / AudiophilesCollector's Tip: "Keep The Fire Burning" is often the "peak time" record at the Blackpool International Soul Festival. Its BPM and energy level make it the perfect transition from 70s disco into 80s boogie.