ALBUM REVIEW : CHIC “Chic-ism”, <i> Warner Bros.</i> * * 1/2

The producing/writing team of guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards was the Clivilles and Cole (C+C Music Factory) of the the disco era, with songs like “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “Le Freak” and “I Want Your Love.” Back in the late ‘70s, the team’s faceless studio group, Chic, was known for funky dance grooves that were enhanced by orchestral backing and cool, deadpan vocals performed by female singers.

For their first album in nine years, Rodgers and Edwards have resurrected and updated that formula and padded it with an extra layer of funk, creating seductive grooves on songs like “Chic Mystique” and “Jusagroove.” But instead of sticking to their strength, Rodgers and Edwards sometimes detour into sappy ballads and lame raps in a misguided effort to present a more well-rounded album. Because of a few high-powered songs, it’s still one of the better dance albums on the market. However, it’s not quite in the same league with the pounding, irresistible material of C+C.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).