celestial choir - stand on the word (larry levan mix) (mp3)

trevor dandy - is there any love (mp3)

ecstasy club - jesus loves the acid (mp3)

we don't shy away from the big topics at best foot forward, so that's why today i'm going to cover the complete subject of christianity in under 400 words, using one image and three mp3s as props. how's that for value?

first up is a larry levan production , originally released on a super-rare longplayer and more-recently bootlegged to the joy of us mere mortals (optimo and james murphy included). this is bewitching piece of disco music, and the fact that a track so religious can be so ass-shakingly spectacular really does surprise many people. larry levan really nails that american gospel church vibe, especially towards the record's climax. if you're a fan of this, you might want to check tim lawrence (author of disco bible and best foot forward bedtime favourite 'love saves the day') saying a few things about the track here.

next up is something from numero group, "the greatest compilation label in the world right now" (copyright bff and many others) . if you haven't checked out anything on this label yet, you've really been missing out - everything numero have turned their hands to has been gold, be it funk, folk, afrobeat or power-pop, and their quality control and commitment to crate-digging is without equal. this track is from the 'good god' compilation, and contains gospel tracks by obscure bands from the late 60s and early 70s, when gospel had started to be strongly influenced by funk and soul.

and now for something completely different, which should be big for fans of tramp!, trash, headphonesex, 20 jazz funk greats and tape. religious in name only, 'jesus loves the acid' is a scorcher of an acid house record from 1988. opening with a quote from pope john paul II (or pjp 2 to his vatican buddies), the track descends into acid chants and a dark, menacing 303 line that offers no respite. there's so much more more to this 12" than just this track though - the artwork is pure genius, and the b-side is a 10 minute acapella of freaky cackling and acid chanting, perfect for twisting with people's heads at 4.30 in the morning. this record retains a freshness that would allow it to be released tomorrow and could still blow people away - one of the all-time acid greats.