Back in the day I used to freelance for the Village Voice and the music editor, Robert Christgau, had assigned me to a New Wave band (Visage) but the record company had forwarded me Ashford and Simpson's Solid, I called the Voice and told me to keep it with a "You might learn something."
I did, though it took a few years longer for the duo's take on marital fidelity to truly kick in.
At the time, I considered them a lightweight but not too lightweight variation on Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. But still, given the atmosphere I kinda overreacted. They were actually as good a mix of disco and gospel as you would ever hear. All these years later it took a push for me realize he wrong "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" among many others.
In the wake of Nick Ashford's recent death at the age of 70, I went back to Solid for the first time of years. This is vastly superior r&b and I recommend you try it.