The former USSR might not be considered a musical hotbed, but a new compilation of rare music from the Soviet Union lifts the veil on the vibrant, dance-focused scene that existed there in the 1980s.

Before there was T-Pain, there was Zapp & Roger. The group led by Roger Troutman was known for creating some of the hottest funk hits of the 1980s that were heavy on bass and Roger’s futuristic ...