Burning The Ground Exclusive
Rediscovering “No Use to Borrow”: The Forgotten Dance‑Floor Gem from Blue Moderne
In the vast, neon‑lit landscape of late‑1980s dance music, countless singles pulsed through clubs only to fade into obscurity as quickly as they arrived. But every so often, one of those tracks resurfaces—revealing a story richer than its chart position ever suggested. “No Use to Borrow,” released in 1988 by the short‑lived studio project Blue Moderne, is one of those rare rediscoveries.
A One‑Off Collaboration with Serious Credentials
Blue Moderne was never meant to be a long‑term act. Instead, it was a creative collision between two seasoned talents: producer‑songwriter Ish Ledesma, known for his work with Foxy, Oxo, and Company B, and vocalist Sandy B, who would later become a fixture of the 1990s club scene with hits like “Make the World Go Round.”
In 1988, both artists were navigating a dance‑music world in transition. Freestyle was cooling, house was heating up, and club DJs were hungry for hybrid sounds. Ledesma and Sandy B stepped into that moment with “No Use to Borrow,” a track that blended freestyle’s melodic sensibility with the emerging sophistication of late‑80s club production.
Charting Modestly, Resonating Quietly
Released as part of Blue Moderne’s only studio album, Where Is Love, the single made a respectable showing on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart, peaking at #50. It wasn’t a breakout smash, but it earned enough rotation to become a familiar presence in clubs that favored soulful vocals over harder‑edged house tracks.
For DJs, the song offered something different: a polished, emotive vocal performance from Sandy B layered over Ledesma’s sleek, synth‑driven arrangements. It was dance music with a pop heart—catchy, earnest, and unmistakably of its era.
A Snapshot of a Transitional Moment in Dance Music
Listening to “No Use to Borrow” today feels like opening a time capsule from the late 1980s. The production carries the shimmer of Miami and New York club culture, while Sandy B’s vocal delivery hints at the powerhouse she would soon become. The track sits at the crossroads of genres—part freestyle, part post‑disco, part early house—reflecting a moment when dance music was reinventing itself in real time.
The album Where Is Love never spawned a follow‑up, and Bloe Modern quietly dissolved, leaving behind a small but intriguing footprint. Yet the single remains a testament to the creative experimentation happening just beneath the mainstream surface.
Why It Still Matters
In an era when digital digging has become a sport, “No Use to Borrow” stands as the kind of discovery that excites collectors and dance‑music historians alike. It’s a reminder that the club charts of the 1980s were filled with one‑off collaborations, regional favorites, and overlooked gems—tracks that may not have topped the charts but helped shape the sound of the dance floor.
For fans of Sandy B, Ish Ledesma, or the evolution of late‑80s club music, revisiting Blue Moderne offers a glimpse into the creative experiments that paved the way for the explosion of house and dance‑pop in the decade that followed.
And for everyone else, it’s simply a great excuse to turn up the volume and let a forgotten groove find new life.
SIDE A:
No Use To Borrow (Club Mix) 6:25
Engineer – ISH*, Julio Ferrer
Mixed By – Michael O’Reilly
No Use To Borrow (Edited Club Mix) 4:10
Engineer – ISH*, Julio Ferrer
Mixed By – Michael O’Reilly
SIDE B:
No Use To Cha Cha (House Mix) 6:33
Engineer – Visioneers (2)
Mixed By – Ciro Llerena
No Use To Borrow (Dub Du Jour) 4:13
Engineer – ISH*, Julio Ferrer
Mixed By – Michael O’Reilly
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart | Peak Position | Date |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Dance Club Songs | #50 | 1988 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – DMD 1105, 23 West Records – DMD 1105
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo, AR Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Electro, Hi NRG, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Executive-Producer – Bob Gordon (6)
- Producer, Arranged By, Written-By – ISH*
NOTES:
Special Remix Of Atlantic LP “Where Is Love”
Printed in U.S.A.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.
