Smith & Mighty DJ Kicks is U&K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UCIxA2qpKg
― Neil S, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 07:27 (five years ago) link
Ah, Tim F already mentioned the Fresh 4 track. (Alyson Williams was/is a US singer, btw)Love the Bô’vel track, don’t remember ever having heard it before. Is there an actual Dennis Bovell connection or is the name a homage to “Silly Games”/UK lovers rock?
― breastcrawl, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 07:35 (five years ago) link
Yeah I should have specified with the Williams that I meant the extended version produced by Soul II Soul.
― Tim F, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 08:23 (five years ago) link
I manage to seperate this stuff from acid jazz in my mind purely by how this stuff uses minimalism and bottom-end - to me, acid jazz is radio-friendly and home-listening whereas this is much more club-functioning. There is a lot of crossover and I can imagine this stuff was played alongside acid jazz and post-disco 80s boogie but there's a distinct sonic framework to this stuff that excites me more.
I have no idea about who Bovel is or where the name comes from, I'm not sure I even want or need to, really
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 11:49 (five years ago) link
Loafs of good recs here though! I didnt know S&M had done a DJ Kicks.
In terms of US stuff that fits I have a huge soft spot for Chante Moore's "Love's Taken Over"
https://youtu.be/wH39-zajFtE
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 11:51 (five years ago) link
A lot of this stuff, other than the obvious, seems to have been written out of history a bit, perhaps because there was so much else going on at the time, so this is a real blind spot for me. Looking forward to digging through this thread.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 11:51 (five years ago) link
People quickly realized the instrumentals were better than the vocals and Trip Hop got the fame.
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 15:31 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG8BVCCjTOw
Jill Francis - Make Love To Me (Gangster Mix)
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 15:45 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1-GrHZSCbo
Irini – 24/7 Love
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:00 (five years ago) link
Love that Jill Francis!
People quickly realized the instrumentals were better than the vocals and Trip Hop got the fame
This is probably true except for me the vocals are what take a lot of this stuff from enjoyable to excellent.
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:04 (five years ago) link
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Choice-FMs-UK-Pressure-Vol-1/master/359554
This compilation I snagged for cheap recently is good, has both of NickB's selections, but everything on it has been edited down from a full-length mix.
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:06 (five years ago) link
oh i didn't know about that comp, looks like a good launchpad for further investigations
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:15 (five years ago) link
i knew about the bovel cos they've been hammering it on nts
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:17 (five years ago) link
sorry that the sound on that irini YT is so fucked, it's a good one though
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:18 (five years ago) link
maybe a precursor for this sort of thing is mantronix's productions for joyce sims?
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:20 (five years ago) link
that stuff was 1987-ish i think
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:22 (five years ago) link
or Sly & Robbie producing Gwen Guthrie with Seventh Heaven, which came up in a mix I was listening to earlier, would be another good precursor
― Neil S, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:42 (five years ago) link
just an excuse to post that fantastic track really
― Neil S, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:43 (five years ago) link
ok lol turns out the one i posted is american too
― the late great, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 19:29 (five years ago) link
I would be remiss in not mentioning Carlton's album 'The Call Is Strong' from 1990, produced by Smith & Mighty, which I consider the overlooked pinnacle of this sound. One of my great music tragedies is losing my copy of this.
Also "Any Love", the early Massive Attack single with Carlton on vocals and S&M on co-production, fits in this thread in a way their subsequent work doesn't.
― Tim F, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 20:15 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDZM4xXy17I
Rosaline Joyce - I Will Never Be Your Lover
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 20:20 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcQTOQIlKHY
Fresh Cut ft Ann Cain - Don't Rush (Remix)
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:04 (five years ago) link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=yiWghyFnasU
FM Inc. Call Me Anytime .. Dub is good too
― mmmm, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:14 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCngWcH0GAg
Joanna Law / Soul 2 Soul connection
― mmmm, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:17 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzftzlfi36U
― mmmm, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:18 (five years ago) link
... meant to post another Sarah Winton but the whole LP is top notch
― mmmm, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:19 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh2tFYgiIuU
Dazzle - Dazzle You. (Haul & Pull Up mix) 1989
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:36 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPMyV7SOgxk
Fifth Of Heaven - Just A Little More
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:41 (five years ago) link
https://youtu.be/KaA7kt5DLLE
― mmmm, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:48 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zGXKBRT1gk
Carla Thomas - Things Ya Make Me Do (Summer Remix) (1994)
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Tuesday, 16 October 2018 21:49 (five years ago) link
big tune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVBTrudXcs8
Rick Clarke - Perfect Lady
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 05:44 (five years ago) link
don't think the importance of these guys can be overstated...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdKdnCSeJwQLoose Ends - Slow Down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5rqP8QTAbULoose Ends - Don't Be A Fool
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 11:48 (five years ago) link
^ when I saw this thread Loose Ends came to mind immediately but I couldn't remember any of their songs so wasn't sure if I was on the right track
I've got a Fresh Four 12", not mentioned yet it's this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIF7HFEYYXY
(nearly, the 12" I've got is the Smith & Mighty remix, not the version in the youtube)
― Colonel Poo, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 11:58 (five years ago) link
Diane Charlemagne should get a mention. Cool Down Zone – Lonely Hearts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgIZJnMSjqY
― mmmm, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:01 (five years ago) link
when I saw this thread Loose Ends came to mind immediately but I couldn't remember any of their songs so wasn't sure if I was on the right track
Hanging On A String is the obvious one and that exact same drum pattern appears in about half the clips i posted above tbh
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:10 (five years ago) link
thanks for posting these Herb. I started buying UK Soul 12's and comps from 1992 onwards so missed some of the earlier ones. Occaisional trips to Unity and Blackmarket records armed with lists from Blues and Soul magazines and scraps from Kiss FM.
― mmmm, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:11 (five years ago) link
Bygraves - Do the Right Thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lwt1qzypBQ
― mmmm, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:13 (five years ago) link
When I first saw this thread the first thing that came to mind was Sweet Harmony by Liquid, but the more I listen to these the more I feel like it marks the end of this subgengre, so not what you're looking for at all. Is that right?
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:18 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo4B8uo55nU
Everis - Love Has Arrived
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:31 (five years ago) link
Sweet Harmony was 1992 so I think was concurrent with the early 90s UK soul scene. It was one of the UK Hardcore chart hits so v. popular whereas I think the UK Soul wasn't covered on most commercial radio stations.
― mmmm, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:34 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX86JQGz7Dc
Projection - Lovestruck
― Herb Achelors (NickB), Wednesday, 17 October 2018 12:40 (five years ago) link
Can this one go in here.. SUAD / heavy on the breaks.. Nicolette - Waking Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Tu14joqyqP4
― mmmm, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 13:46 (five years ago) link
? and then Peter Bouncer - Love is All We Need
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIjouEiwgKI
― mmmm, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 13:48 (five years ago) link
NickB doing sterling work in this thread, that Everis is divine and he is practically giving away the track in the comments too
― boxedjoy, Friday, 19 October 2018 14:49 (five years ago) link
https://soundcloud.com/soft-rocks/piers-soft-rocks-promises-high-notes
a mix of this stuff posted at Test Pressing a few days ago, includes some stuff posted here already
― boxedjoy, Thursday, 8 November 2018 20:06 (five years ago) link
really enjoying the new Smith & Mighty compilation of unreleased material, even if one of the tracks is a bass-heavy take on the funeral march
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 8 January 2019 22:40 (five years ago) link
i'm listening to an old Mike Woods Legends warmup mix and it fits this thread to a t!!
― brimstead, Thursday, 10 January 2019 03:04 (five years ago) link
Link us up please?
― boxedjoy, Thursday, 10 January 2019 09:11 (five years ago) link
here you go, it was posted on the now defunct cosmicdisco.co.uk blog
https://www.mediafire.com/file/9h2u9nbzjcixzbz/mike_woods_legends_tape_1_classics_march_2011.mp3/file
― brimstead, Thursday, 10 January 2019 19:05 (five years ago) link
ty
also ty boxedjoy for the soft rocks mix, missed it first time round
― the late great, Thursday, 10 January 2019 19:40 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi10mI0RTqc
Shades of Rhythm going streetsoul in 1988
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Wednesday, 9 March 2022 23:01 (two years ago) link
This is one of my best finds, but the video here seems pitched down a little compared to my 12"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWJZ87gzdVU
― .xlsm (P. Flick), Monday, 14 March 2022 20:17 (two years ago) link
Or maybe this more boogie? Too early?
― .xlsm (P. Flick), Monday, 14 March 2022 20:18 (two years ago) link
nice find, sounds a bit like 52nd Street
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Monday, 14 March 2022 21:18 (two years ago) link
tbh it was the similarity with 52nd st that led me to post that one, but playing much of the other videos here it's a little out of sync
Oddly, the b side is Lovers Rock and it seems from discogs that their earlier single is too
― .xlsm (P. Flick), Monday, 14 March 2022 21:58 (two years ago) link
yeah was looking at their discogs, they do seem to be coming from a lovers/reggae background. producer was mark lusardi (linda's brother!) who worked on loads of reggae things and was also in jah wobble's band for a while. you can actually hear kind of a reggae bassline in the tune you posted, wonder if they tried it out as a straight reggae number first and then thought fuck it, lets get the synths in!
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Monday, 14 March 2022 22:18 (two years ago) link
If I ever start a cult our mission statement will be "fuck it, let's get the synths in"
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 15 March 2022 09:57 (two years ago) link
not exactly sure where to put this Mr. Ho track I’ve been obsessed with recently. The beat seems really streetsoul-y to me and it’s got reggae vocal samples so idkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg2repuHhOo
― brimstead, Wednesday, 3 August 2022 00:07 (one year ago) link
it's such a good track. the beat is of course the soul ii soul beat aka the ashley's roachclip break.
― stirmonster, Wednesday, 3 August 2022 01:31 (one year ago) link
Gold In The Shade reissue coming out on Heels & Souls: https://heelsandsouls.bandcamp.com/album/over-you-shining-through-hsrec004
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Tuesday, 9 August 2022 17:12 (one year ago) link
cheers for the heels and souls link — lot of other great stuff to look into there!
nothing to add, just another quick thank you for this thread. feel like i owe you guys money or something for all the jams. also lol "simple solution" is tagged with artist name J DILLA on spotify. even with my novice experience, that makes my inner librarian feel physical pain.
― ミ💙🅟 🅛 🅤 🅡 🅜 🅑💙彡 (Austin), Thursday, 11 August 2022 03:18 (one year ago) link
Ashaye - Dreaming (Jungle Mix)― the creator has a mazda van (NickB), Friday, September 27, 2019 3:50 PM
― the creator has a mazda van (NickB), Friday, September 27, 2019 3:50 PM
according to my last.fm-first listen was 1 april 2022 11:33pm and have registered 62 plays total. probably one of my favorite song discoveries of the past several years.
thread delivers once again.
― ミ💙🅟 🅛 🅤 🅡 🅜 🅑💙彡 (Austin), Tuesday, 13 September 2022 04:38 (one year ago) link
big up all the sunshine crew
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 06:39 (one year ago) link
amazing song, no doubt about it
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Tuesday, 13 September 2022 09:09 (one year ago) link
hardly on the same level, but have been enjoying this one a lot, even though the bass sounds like pure mud:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAiqInbHmJI
Yolanda Warrington - Is This Love
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Tuesday, 13 September 2022 09:10 (one year ago) link
this is pure beauty:
https://deathisnot.bandcamp.com/album/all-bad-boy-all-good-girl-manchester-street-soul-soundtapes-1988-1996
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Saturday, 14 January 2023 23:11 (one year ago) link
this is fantastic. thank you. DINTE always hits
― adam, Saturday, 21 January 2023 18:00 (one year ago) link
That label totally rules
― not too strange just bad audio (brimstead), Saturday, 21 January 2023 19:12 (one year ago) link
flair's "chasin' the rain" getting a reissue via heels & souls:
https://www.phonicarecords.com/product/view/189158?mc_cid=987253cda0&mc_eid=f1ee688a08
― donna rouge, Monday, 3 July 2023 18:45 (eight months ago) link
fantastic news! absolute bliss tune
― NickB, Monday, 3 July 2023 19:55 (eight months ago) link
did i ever post this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LzotzSlNFkJulianne - I've Been There
(there is a remix with a breakbeat but it's a bit on the busy side imo)
― NickB, Monday, 3 July 2023 20:01 (eight months ago) link
New comp coming out on AOTN:
https://aotns.bandcamp.com/album/just-a-touch-pre-order
tracklist: Bovel - "Coming Back"Sam - "Life" (club mix)Marcelle Moncrieffe - "Take Me There"Kofi - "Step By Step"Pure Silk - "What You Do For Me"Jenny B - "Sexy Eyes"Sonja Ryshard - "Step Back"Cavalier - "Don't Touch"Purely Fizzycal - "Straight To The Top"Dennis Planter - "I Still Dream Of You"Taffy - "Passion"Weekend In Paris - "Hold Your Head Up"
― blazin' squab (NickB), Friday, 29 September 2023 17:16 (six months ago) link
...which handily crosses off a whole bunch of things on my wantlist.
The Taffy one is great (and yes, it's *that* Taffy!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFiOrrjB68Q
― blazin' squab (NickB), Friday, 29 September 2023 17:26 (six months ago) link
AOTN killing it as per
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 30 September 2023 07:16 (five months ago) link
hi.💙
thank you to nick and bj and donna and everyone who posts in here. i lurk frequently and sometimes feel like a spongey poseur type for just taking all this wisdom and smiling to myself for hours on end. threads like this are a public service and we are indebted. this is me bowing down.
i wanted to make a post with some sidebar relevance to the main theme here. am sorry if this is not a good place for this post. please redirect if so.
lately, we've been digging into what i would relate as a kind of contemporary equivalent to the main topic of discussion here... kind of dub/step beats with r+b vocals. i am a novice when it comes to this stuff, but i wanted to share some examples of what i'm referring to (because i may not even be using these terms and labels correctly; again- novice). here's some big favorites recently—
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naB3CgNpGdIvon d+phephe — "show me" (2009 — i think?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIRzAWk8nwAgeoim feat. marita — "reminissin'" (2008)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJPdQaX7Xswandreya triana — "a town called obsolete (mount kimbie remix)" (2010)
i stumbled onto these just by wandering around playlists and threads like this but i can't get enough lately. is there a compilation or something where i have more? please?
― "another slice of death, please." (Austin), Saturday, 25 November 2023 16:31 (four months ago) link
Those are cool I like them! Do you know this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlw_edzvCS0Nat Home ft Ms Ray - Witching Hour
― blazin' squab (NickB), Saturday, 25 November 2023 18:17 (four months ago) link
(bit more recent, bit more housey)
― blazin' squab (NickB), Saturday, 25 November 2023 18:21 (four months ago) link
nope, don't know this! it's kind of... acid-y??!?! very cool stuff. thank you!
that andreya triana mount kimbie rmx is the prototype i'm looking for right now; lowkey wonky beats and pensive crooning. fuck yeah.
― "another slice of death, please." (Austin), Saturday, 25 November 2023 18:28 (four months ago) link
smokin' hottt...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ButOd7iZQbISisters On The Groove - Weekend Love
― blazin' squab (NickB), Saturday, 3 February 2024 22:15 (one month ago) link
quite a strong freestyle influence there, sweet tune
― blazin' squab (NickB), Saturday, 3 February 2024 22:18 (one month ago) link
bit of pricey one though :(
― blazin' squab (NickB), Saturday, 3 February 2024 22:21 (one month ago) link
Ruf Dug has taken the gig of being Roisin Murphy's 2024 EU tour DJ :/
― boxedjoy, Thursday, 8 February 2024 07:43 (one month ago) link
yeah i saw that, very disappointing ruffy mate
― blazin' squab (NickB), Thursday, 8 February 2024 08:14 (one month ago) link
Doesn’t surprise me. Is Ruff Dug on the street soul bandwagon now?
― mmmm, Thursday, 8 February 2024 09:38 (one month ago) link
How have I never seen this thread before?!? I'm utterly unfamiliar with this genre but I'm completely obsessed with this era of pop music (been contemplating a thread dedicated to the hundreds of freestyle and freestyle-inspired songs churned out over this handful of years) and this is like a huge missing chunk that I didn't even realize was missing. Gonna need some time to properly digest.
― Great-Tasting Burger Perceptions (Old Lunch), Thursday, 8 February 2024 10:59 (one month ago) link
hi sorry if lame newb question, but in terms of revival, do you guys know ms ray? some other things on streaming, but the wow is now ep from a few years back is pure money. highly recommended.
― interstellar anthropologist+music philosopher, (Austin), Saturday, 23 March 2024 05:39 (six days ago) link
here's a highlight-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iibXbmYemGUms ray - "how they shine" (2020)
― interstellar anthropologist+music philosopher, (Austin), Saturday, 23 March 2024 05:44 (six days ago) link
her most recent thing from last summer-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB2wS3rGR6cms ray - "broken heart still beats" (2023)
― interstellar anthropologist+music philosopher, (Austin), Saturday, 23 March 2024 05:58 (six days ago) link
I only know her from the vocal she did on 'Witching Hour' which is upthread a few tunes ago. Hadn't thought there might be other stuff so thanks for that!
― Bernard Quidbins (NickB), Saturday, 23 March 2024 06:38 (six days ago) link