Gloria
In the middle of the techno revolution, it was a bit of a risky move for Gloria Estefan to releaseGloria!, an album of pure, unadulterated disco that sounds as if it could have been recorded two decades earlier. The risk paid off, though, because the album turned out to be one of her best--a nonstop dance party that keeps cooking through beat-heavy thumpers such as "Heaven's What I Feel," "Oye," and "I Just Wanna Be Happy"--the latter two bring in some of the Latin elements of herMiami Sound Machinedays. Two concessions to current music trends include a duet withWyclef Jeanon "Don't Release Me" and the politically charged lyrics of "Cuba Libre" that cause you to think while you dance.--Daniel Durchholz