Let The Music Play: Lauren Fay Levy of Lost And Sound Curates Vintage Disco And Dance Bangers With DISCO Catalogs

Lauren Fay Levy is an independent TV, film, and advertising music supervisor who runs Lost and Sound.

Originally from New York City, Lauren got her start in music supervision working under veteran supervisor Nora Felder. She was the music coordinator for the first season of Stranger Things, as well as the Grammy-nominated Stranger Things compilation soundtrack (2018).

She has brought her musical acumen to such lauded projects such as Ray Donovan, Better Things, What We Do in the Shadows, and The OA, among others. Prior to founding Lost and Sound, Lauren assisted music supervisor Bruce Gilbert on a range of hit shows (Kidding, Orange is the New Black, GLOW).

As an independent, full-service music supervisor, Lauren has a penchant for bold television, artistic feature films, and avant-garde advertising, with a special place in her heart for LGBTQ+ storytelling. She has been a music supervisor for Apple ads since 2018. When she’s not music supervising, she’s leading music history lectures and deep-listening sessions for the international series Classic Album Sundays and audiophile collective In Sheep’s Clothing Hi-Fi.

For our latest edition of DISCO’s Let The Music Play Series, Lauren has curated a playlist of songs she’s enjoying right now, with a focus on international disco throwbacks, synth-funk gems, and much more. “In the spirit of making a playlist for the platform DISCO, I couldn't resist making a disco/dance-themed playlist,” she says.

Lauren also shared some insight into why she picked a handful of songs from her playlist, which comprises 15 tracks overall. Each of the tracks can be found via DISCO Catalogs, where vetted music supervisors can access hundreds of Catalogs — from retro hits to new releases, indie artists to major label acts, local score composers to world music — via the Discover Music browser.

Music Supervisors, you can access Lauren’s playlist in the Discover Music section of your DISCO account.

We hope you enjoy her picks!

Los Orientales de Paramonga – "Disco Disco" (Magnetica Music Group)

In the spirit of making a playlist for the platform Disco, I couldn't resist making a disco/dance themed playlist. I wanted to open the playlist with a true new discovery: a track I found by browsing the word "disco" on Disco, and listening to dozens of results. What a gem. The "boogie boogie" breakdown at 3:22 is pure joy. I'm new to both this song and Magnetica Music Group, and reading that they describe their efforts as "musical archeology" makes me want to dig even deeper; I share that exact mission.

Kiki Gyan — "Disco Dancer" (Soundaway Records)

This track was a go-to back in my DJ days of yonder. One of the best times of my life was studying ethnomusicology at UCLA and hosting a radio show. I completely fell down the rabbit hole of West African music from the ‘70s-’80s. This Ghanaian disco banger is a standout, and Soundway Records remains one of my all-time favorite labels. If you enjoy this track, check out the Soundway comp Doing It In Lagos.

Hùng Cường — "Những Ngày Nghỉ Phép" (Láng Vǎn)

Good music is entertaining. Great music is transportive. When I listen to this song, I am somewhere else. There's sun on my face. The air is hot, sticky, and sweet. Eyes light up all around me, and time slows down.

Hossam Ramzy — "Khusara Khusara (What a Loss)" (Naxos Music)

It was a big surprise to learn my most-played song of all time on a certain streaming platform is "Big Pimpin.'" But is it really that surprising when another of my most-played songs — the hypnotic "Khusara Khusara” — is the one it brilliantly samples?

Imagine not knowing that it was a sample. You happen upon it while browsing the Discover Music section of DISCO, and your jaw drops. I live for moments like that: organically discovering the original source of a sample or interpolation I never knew about feels like striking gold.

Bumblebee Unlimited — "Lady Bug (Disco Mix)" (Sony Music UK Sync)

I have an ever-growing collection of stalker/obsession songs, and this one takes the prize for grooviest. I dream of placing it in a movie. The way the chorus effortlessly psychotically transitions from bliss to anxiety is a brilliant maneuver. The chorus doesn't arrive until 2:38, where it still sounds like an innocent love song: "Just let me be your ladybug." But by 2:53, the walls are closing in, the oxygen is running out, and you realize just how desperate that "innocent" plea really was. It perfectly captures and heightens that exact moment when you go from thinking you've found the best thing in life to suddenly realizing: OH NO. RUN! It's funny to imagine this song in the movie Obsession.

Adriano Celentano – "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (Wise Music Creative Spain)

This song makes me nostalgic for when I was around 18-21, going down YouTube rabbit holes to uncover music. So many of the songs I loved back then still aren't streaming anywhere. Recently revisiting my YouTube collection of favorite videos reminded me of so many oddities that used to delight me. And what is more delightful than an entire song doing an imitation of what the English language sounds like to non-English speakers? None of the lyrics are real words, yet somehow it sounds normal. And what a glorious music video to boot.

The Glimmers – "Esta Si Esta No (Asi Me Gusta A Mi)"

The driving rhythm gives this song such punch and purpose. How can music feel so simultaneously serious and silly? This is music made for attitude dancing. The vocalese around 2:17 really makes for pure dance floor magic.

Sophie St. Laurent – "Sex Appeal" (Gravelpit)

Love that this song starts with a rhythm count-in just like The Glimmers track before it (similar BPM too!). If memory serves, I first heard this song as a pitch for Stranger Things from Gravelpit. I've pitched it countless times since then without ever finding it a home. But for a song this good, I'll probably keep trying for another 10 years. The level of drama and grandeur in the intro (only to dissolve into a flirty dance bop) amuses me so much.

NO ZU – "Raw Vision" & Anoraak – "Body Language" (Terrorbird)

Next up are two modern disco dance floor joys from Terrorbird, each with such a convincing throwback sound that you'd have a hard time guessing when they were actually released. Shout out to Terrorbird for always being so friendly to work with. Their genuine love of music comes through in every interaction.

New Paradise – "I Love Video" (Freaknsee)

This song first sold me from its title alone. I love a simple song that doesn't need a deep reason to exist. No major commentary on the meaning of life or love. Just a thought, captured and preserved. Hey, I too love video! "Videooooo.... LIFE" (Chris Spedding!)

YoSoyMatt, French Braids & Los Miranda – "Bella" (Worldwide Records I Sync)

This song massages my brain into total bliss. It's like if "Mr. Sandman" and Polo y Pan had a baby. Those infectious bum bum bum harmonies around :45 are sugar in my brain. Shout out to my hairdresser Melissa Moller for having incredible music taste.

Lijadu Sisters – "Come On Home" (GAGA MUSIC)

This song is near and dear to me. Learning of the twin Lijadu Sisters in a 1979 documentary Konkombe: The Nigerian Pop Music Scene was quite literally life-changing for me. That film was a major reason I finally decided to go to college and study music, which took me one step closer to music supervision.

From the moment I first heard the talking drum intro to this song, I was hooked. Shout out to Professor Francis Awe for teaching me to play the talking drum — truly one of the most powerful instruments and communication tools I've ever encountered (the story of Stono Rebellion is chillingly remarkable). In my youth, there wasn't one time where I DJ'd this track and somebody didn't come over to find out what it was. This album is framed on my wall and embedded in my heart forever. I'm so happy the sisters are finally receiving the international recognition they deserved all along.

Grace Jones – "Art Groupie" (Primary Wave)

Grace Jones epitomizes soft and hard. She has the hardest, fiercest look and the softest, most disarming smile and laugh. This song tickles my soul. To sing the words, "I'll never write my memoirs / There's nothing in my book," in 1981, only to publish a memoir in 2015 called "I'll Never Write My Memoirs" is pure comedy genius.

Flavien Berger – "Océan rouge" (BMM NETWORK)

I think this is probably the only 13+ minute song that I not only listen to all the way through, but immediately replay. Name me another track that seamlessly weaves from meditative sound bath to wiggly, giggly good time road trip vibe to full-on dance party. This song makes me smile from beginning to end. Flavien Berger has to be one of my top five modern-day, active artists. I will blindly trust him with any sonic journey he takes me on, no matter the length.

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