The Popstream's Underrated '08: Codebreaker ft. Kathy Diamond, "Fire"

I'm gonna keep this one short: I try not to bore you with audio-only YouTube clips where the only visual element is a static screenshot of a photo, but this one's worth it. Codebreaker are a disco/funk/house/electro duo from -- wait for it -- Milwaukee. I only point this out as a borderline-WTF factoid not out of any animosity or condescension towards the Badger State's music scene (hell, they did give us classic rave zine Massive), but because they somehow managed to snag in-demand UK neo-disco specialist Kathy Diamond to sing on their breakthrough single.

If you don't mind staring at a (well-designed) record label for four minutes, check this clip out -- it's like they took Falco's "Der Kommissar," drained all the Teuton out of it, and called in the Gap Band to shore up the foundation. Diamond's subtle vocals pull off this restrained-sounding cool without sounding emotionless or flat, and the end result is early '80s revivalism done right.



Download the "Fire" single on Amazon.com