he very mention of the word ‘disco’ in the title is probably enough to dissuade some listeners from venturing anywhere near this recording. And that’s a shame because the title’s somewhat of a misnomer as there’s as much soul in these thirteen tracks as straight disco, with subtle house touches added for extra flavour. Digital Disco 2 is a collection a lot like its predecessor in that strong pieces rub shoulders with weaker ones, and established names appear alongside less familiar contributors—returning artists Dub Taylor, Luomo, Akufen, MRI, and Hakan Lidbo are joined here by new recruits like Ian Pooley, Adjuster, and Moonbootica. The major weakness of this sequel, however, is that only a modicum of tracks can be called exceptional with the rest acceptable but less distinguished.

Let’s mention the peaks first. ‘Your Soul (Casino Royale Mix)’ by Dub Taylor and Vital comes tearing out of the gate, a toweringly funky intro reminiscent of MRI’s equally powerful opener ‘Disco Discovery’ on the first installment. A classic driving bass line and thick synth slabs push the track forward, and the presence of Vital’s impassioned, soulful vocals makes this a glorious beginning. Next up is Luomo’s by-now familiar ‘Tessio,’ this time given a funky makeover by Moonbootica (Kowesix & Tobitob) that renders it less anthemic but no less appealing. Also strong is the third track ‘Things Have Changed (Adjuster Remix)’ by D:Exter, actually a collaborative effort from Hakan Lidbo and D:Exter with the latter providing the strong vocals to complement the song’s infectious, celebratory vibe. While not as strong as ‘Disco Discovery,’ MRI’s (Frank Elting & Stephan Lieb) ‘Disco Cookies’ is a tasty soul-funk outing of bouncy bass lines, chattering hi-hats, and burbling keyboards. The fifth standout is Unai’s (Erik Möller) ‘I Like Your Style,’ an understated slice of melancholy funk enhanced with a sweetly soulful male vocal.

While agreeable enough, the rest of the tracks fail to match these heights, either for being less memorable, imaginative, or distinguished, or simply more conventional. ‘From A Distance’ by Dole & Kom present Re-Play and ‘Everybody’ by Science 2102, for example, move along more standard disco lines with prototypical disco bass lines, synth colourings, and drum beats. While the angelic female choirs, propulsive bass lines, and shimmering synths of Ian Pooley’s ‘Here We Go’ make a solid enough impression, here too the track pursues conventional genre tropes. And Steve Angello’s ‘Feel Good’ is, on the one hand, an undeniably powerful track that gallops along at an ecstatic, impassioned pitch. Conversely, it seems excessively long at eight minutes, with the vocal lines annoyingly repetitious by song’s end (admittedly an impression less likely to surface on the dance floor where the song’s explosive qualities probably induce nothing but abandon). It’s also disappointing that Luomo and Akufen are represented by remixes instead of unreleased tracks. Akufen’s ‘My Way’ gets the Data 80 (Hakan Lidbo) remix treatment. It’s not an improvement upon the original as bright synth stabs and a jerky rhythm sacrifice the original’s smooth flow for a less distinctive electro style. It’s perhaps interesting as a deviation from the original but vocodered intonations of ‘My Way’ make one long for Leclair’s version.

Perhaps my expectations are inflated but I anticipate more from a distinguished label like Force Tracks; the last time I checked five exceptional tracks out of thirteen wasn’t considered a great batting average. In its defence, there certainly can’t be any complaints about the energy level as it’s pitched at peak levels throughout, and Digital Disco 2 is a generous set at seventy-nine minutes so the presence of some weaker moments is something one can gloss over. But unfortunately the ratio of great tracks to the merely good tips too heavily towards the latter.