Purple Disco Machine drops remix of Patrick Cowley’s Hi-NRG classic ‘Menergy’

As many of you already know, we’re huge fans of Patrick Cowley here at 909originals HQ, and the late hi-NRG producer’s 1981 classic Menergy has just received the remix treatment from Purple Disco Machine.

Released as part of disco label Unidisc’s 40th anniversary – previous releases include Carl Cox’s edit of Can’t Fake The Feeling by Geraldine Hunt, Tiga’s rework of Lime’s Angel Eyes, and many more – Purple Disco Machine’s remix pays tribute to the original’s infectious driving bassline and finely crafted breakdowns.

You can buy/stream it here.

Menergy, which features vocals by fellow disco pioneer Sylvester, topped the Billboard ‘Dance/Disco’ chart for two weeks upon its release forty years ago this month, and was one of New York native Cowley’s biggest hits, prior to his untimely death in 1982 at the age of 32.

Formed in 1977, Unidisc quickly became one of Canada’s largest independent record labels, building a reputation around its Italo disco and Hi-NRG output from artists such as Shannon, Lime, France Joli, and Geraldine Hunt.

909originals recently caught up with Purple Disco Machine as part of our ‘ORIGINALS’ series of interviews, in which he revealed his love of early 80s disco – which was among the only ‘Western’ music available in East Germany during his formative years.

“Italo Disco was a big influence on me, because it was the only music genre that was allowed in East Germany when I was growing up,” he explained. “I think that’s because there were no political issues with the music; all the radio stations used to play it. I heard Italo Disco before I had got to experience Michael Jackson and the late 70s disco sound.”

You can read the full interview here, or alternatively check out our ‘909 rewind’ Patrick Cowley playlist here.