Tommy delivers again with Aura – L.A. Sunshine (1978, Change/MCA)

… This single has to be one of the most intriguing, and certainly interesting disco tracks I’ve come across so far, anchored by that understated, percolating percussion and bass; those dreamy strings and of course that absolutely mad vocal. For me, the vocals are notable, not just because of their delivery, but because the way it seems to have been recorded, sounding slightly canned and processed but most likely without actually being so. It’s like one of those records that, on paper, shouldn’t work (kind of like Loose Joints’ “Is It All Over My Face”), but somehow comes together into something that, while a little off-beat, is completely and oddly captivating. Perhaps the most sublime moment comes right after that verse where she goes “I’ll be back soon.” Believe me, it’s not as plain as it sounds when you actually hear it; just when you think those vocals couldn’t climb any higher, they end up soaring right above your head.