Mary J. Blige - You Remind Me 1993

MCA Records MCSTD 1770

"Mary, Mary, Mary! You Remind Me..."

This is a freekin' gem, I absolutely love this tune. Mary J. Blige dropped the bomb in '92. Know about Mary, then skip the next three paragraphs.

In 1988, Mary J. Blige recorded an impromptu cover of Anita Baker's Caught Up In the Rapture at a recording booth in a local mall (Damn, anybody remember them, they were cool!). Her mother's boyfriend at the time later played the recording to Jeff Redd, a recording artist and A&R runner for Uptown Records. In 1989, she was signed to the label; becoming the company's youngest and first female artist.

After signing to Uptown, Blige did session work as a background singer for her label mates. In 1990, she was introduced as a background singer for Redd, during a performance at the Apollo Theatre. The same year she also sang the hook on I'll Do 4 U by Father MC, also appearing in the video. In 1991, she was spotted on the syndicated show, Showtime at the Apollo, singing back up for Jeff Redd. Mary's first national debut appearance was in the summer of 1992 when she appeared on Yo! MTV Raps performing What's the 411? with Grand Puba.

Production for Blige's debut album began in 1991, with Sean "Puffy" Combs (at the time a fledgling A&R executive at Uptown) largely overseeing the project. Also enlisted were some of the top R&B and hip hop producers of the time, among them Tony Dofat, Mark Morales and Cory Rooney, Dave "Jam" Hall, and DeVante Swing. On July 28, 1992, Uptown Records released What's the 411? her debut album. You Remind Me was the album's lead-off single, peaked at 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the R&B singles chart that summer.

In the UK, the track was presented to Ray Hayden who gave it the Opaz treatment. It was a fair track to begin with, the Album Version has a long, drawn out, Diva-ish intro before the street beats drop. Mark Morales gave it some serious beats on the Ad's Mix, making the best of that hooky chorus. Quite what Opaz were expected to do I don't know. I guess it was just a case of getting the UK's hottest, up and coming name on the release.

However, Hayden successfully takes the whole deal up another couple of notched to the left. In the Straight From The Heart Mix, we still have all the major hooks but they sound so much classier. It's still Street but... It's Schmoov! Listen to that bass roll, that scream sample, oh my, yes sir, this is where it's at.

The Straight From The Heart Radio Mix is not simply an edit of the Straight From The Heart Mix, it seems to have more going on but sounds even less cluttered. I would probably favour this mix if it didn't have an early fade, Mr. Black? Mr. V? Any other afficiando's out there that can shed some light here. Maybe I'm hearing an illusion or is there an ultimate mix that I'm missing?

• Straight From The Heart Radio Mix
• Straight From The Heart Mix
• Album Version
• Ad's Radio Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Mary J Blige.rar File size: 27.11 MB

SWV - Downtown EP 1994

RCA Records 74321 18901-2

Love this tune, especially for Kymba cos she doesn't have it.

SWV, (Sisters With Voices) are from New York. All three girls began getting their singing experience in church at a young age. Teddy Riley was one of the main producers responsible for making them one of the most successful and popular urban groups of the 1990s.

Their first single, "Right Here", was released in the autumn of 1992. It peaked at #13 on the R&B chart, but the hit follow-up single, "I'm So Into You", is what caused them to become a commercial force among urban fans. The two singles were followed by the biggest hits of their career, "Weak" and "Right Here/Human Nature" (a remix of their first single featuring samples of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature"). "Weak" became their only single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it stayed for 2 weeks while "Right Here (Human Nature)" peaked at #2. The fifth single, "You're Always on My Mind" was another top ten R&B hit.

In the spring of 1994, SWV contributed the old school radio version of Anything, featuring Wu-Tang Clan to the soundtrack of the movie Above the Rim; it became another hit single.

• Downtown (Street Radio Mix)
• Downtown (Wet Extended Mix)
• Always On My Mind (Extended Street Mix)
• Always On My Mind (Radio Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SWV.rar Filesize: 31.27 MB

Downtown
(G. Parker, G. Gomez & K. Ortiz)

[Coko]
Boy, I want you to listen closely to what I have to say
'Cause this is the way to my heart

You've been wondering how you can make it better
Baby, it's easy to turn my world inside out
Your discovery will take us to another place
Baby, on that, there is no doubt
I've been waiting for the special moment
Anticipating all the things you'll do to me
Make the first step to release my emotions
To take the road to ecstacy

You gotta go downtown
That's the way to my love
Take it round and round
Oooh, you can't stop 'til you find my love
Go downtown, To taste the sweetness
Will be enough
That's the love that you've been dreaming of

Keep on doing, doing what you're doing
'Til you feel the passion burning up inside of me
If you do me right
We'll be making love all through the night
Until you uncover the mystery
Take it nice and slow
Baby, don't rush the feeling
Now you know how you can make it happen, yeah
My desire is begging for the healing
Let me guide you down to the place to be

You gotta go downtown
That's the way to my love
Take it round and round
Oooh, you can't stop 'til you find my love
Go downtown, To taste the sweetness
Will be enough
That's the love that you've been dreaming of

That's where I keep the key to my love.
(To my love)
It opens up the door to so, so much more.
(So, so, so much more)
Baby, move on down, get closer
To my sensitivity.
Ooh, yeah
Baby, send me.

Downtown

(Ooh you can't stop till you find my love)
Baby don't you dare stop
(That's the love that you been dreamin' of)
That's the love you're dreamin of
(Ooh you can't stop till you find my love)
Don't you stop
(That's the love that you've been dreamin' of)
That's the love you're dreamin of

Always On My Mind
(B.A. Morgan, R. Wison & O. Scott)

You're always on my mind
You're always on my mind
You're always on my mind
On my mind

Boy, I can't seem to get you outta my head
But theres something about you that makes me smile
Dont change, I like the way you make me feel
Can we take our time and do this for awhile

Girl, I never thought Id find someone to love me
Now youre the only one I want in my life
And the special touch you give comes from you only
I guess thats why youre always on my mind

You're always on my mind {Ooh, baby}
You're always on my mind {All...all the time}
You're always on my mind {I'm thinkin' of you}
You're always on my mind
On my mind

Sometimes I find it hard to concentrate
Because thoughts of us together fill my head
When you're away, its hard to sleep at night
So my pillow, like my thoughts of you, I hold tight

Girl, I never thought I'd find someone to love me
Now you're the only one I want in my life
And the special touch you give comes from you only
I guess thats why you're always on my mind

You're always on my mind (You're always on my mind)
You're always on my mind {All the time} (All the time)
You're always on my mind (Thinkin' bout you, baby)
You're always on my mind {And you are}
On my mind

(On my mind) Thinkin bout ya, thinkin bout ya
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya {I just cant stop thinkin'}
(On my mind) Thinking bout ya, thinking bout ya
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya (You're always on my mind)

(On my mind) Thinkin' bout ya, thinkin' bout ya
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya {All the time}
(On my mind) Thinkin; bout ya, thinkin' bout ya
Mind

You're always on my mind {Baby}
You're always on my mind (Day and night) {You got me thinkin', thinkin' of you}
You're always on my mind {You} (You're always) {Always}
You're always on my mind (Nobody but, nobody but you)

You're always on my mind {I got you} (Thinkin' of you)

Thinkin' bout ya {Baby}, thinkin' bout ya {Baby} (Baby, baby, baby)
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya
Thinkin bout ya, thinkin bout ya {All I do} (All I do is think of you)
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya

(You're always on my mind) Thinkin' bout ya, thinkin' bout ya
I cant stop thinkin bout ya
(You're always on my mind) Thinkin' bout ya, thinkin' bout ya
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya

(You're always on my mind) Thinkin' bout ya, thinkin' bout ya
I cant stop thinkin' bout ya
(You're always on my mind)

M-Beat featuring Jamiroquai - Do U Know Where You're Coming From (1996)

Renk Records, CDRENK63

I dug this one out especially for Mickey, whom I know is something of a Jamiroquai fan.

Back in 1996, seemingly from out of nowhere, a weird collaboration happened. M-Beat (a guy best known for the jungle track Incredible with General Levy) made a funky slice of Drum & Bass with perennial Acid jazz faves Jamiroquai.

Like I said, weird.

However, the results were most definitely not weird. Anything but, in fact. The combination of D&B tempo drums and 70’s funk permeating this track (you’ve got to love those wah-wah guitars) work very well indeed alongside Jay Kay's always catchy vocals, giving Jamiroquai one of their punchier, funkier moments. This is proper future funk.

There are several versions, with not a LOT to pick from between them, but I always err on the side of the Extended Mix, which kicks some serious bootie (and has more wah-wah's and vibes).

Essential stuff!

Do check out the second link, it contains the Jumpin' Jack Frost remix that was only on the 12", and so wasn't on this CD.

An edit of this track made its way onto certain editions of the Travelling Without Moving CD as an unheralded bonus track.

• Do U Know Where You're Coming From (Original Mix)
• Do U Know Where You're Coming From (Touch Of Horn Mix)
• Do U Know Where You're Coming From (Extended Mix)
• Do U Know Where You're Coming From (Full Horns Mix)
• Do U Know Where You're Coming From (Intelligent Groove Mix)
• Do U Know Where You're Coming From (Dextrous Remix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Do U Know Where You're Coming From.zip File size: 33.1 MB

Triviality: The tracklisting differs slightly between the back of the inlay card (displayed above, and which I've included in the .ZIP file), and the folded "lip" part of the inlay card. Have a look and see what I mean. I've gone with the ones listed above, but you might want to amend the track names if you feel I should have gone for the others.

L.V. - Throw Your Hands Up 1995

Tommy Boy Records TBCD 699

Larry Sanders, better know by his stage name L.V. is best known for his collaboration with rapper Coolio on the hit single, Gangsta's Paradise. His contribution to the song is the vocal bit that is not rap.

L.V. grew up with a father who sang gospel music along with the radio every morning, won a high school talent contest, joined the Los Angeles City College choir, and contributed R&B vocals to a neighbourhood rap group, the South Central Cartel. L.V. is said to have been shot nine times at close range. He spent eight months in the hospital and a year and a half in a wheelchair before he eventually recovered completely.

Following his success with Gangsta's Paradise, L.V. landed a contract with Tommy Boy Records, and released his debut album I Am L.V. in 1996. This album didn't spawn many singles, except for the title track. The album does feature his solo recording of Gangsta's Paradise. That version is 'sans Coolio' and all the better for it, in my humble opinion of course. That's not to say I don't love the original tune mind.

Throw Your Hands Up is a pretty good sing-along song (Heyyyy, Yoooo) with a lazy head-nodding bottom line. Kinda reminds me of Zhane's It's A Party but certainly nothing to get excited about. It's available with or without rap from Treach and once again my preference is without. The KAM Version is not a lot different from the No Rap Version but I seem to prefer it?

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: LV.rar File size: 27.98 MB

Michael Patto - So Much For The Lovin' 1991

Imagine Records ZD 44782

Michael Patto is a song writer, producer and artist. Born of Mike Patto snr. who was a highly respected rock musician (Spooky Tooth, Patto, Timebox, Boxer), Michael started out on bass but switched to piano in his late teens and started writing songs. He was signed as an artist to BMG aged 20. He saw people take his good ideas and turn them into rubbish and decided to move on and started working with Kenny Lynch.

At 26 he started his own label Exploding Plastic which introduced him to a lot of new music. Being the in-house producer he was working on all kinds of music from Soulful House to Indie. It was there we he had the opportunity to work a lot with British soul genius Don-E. Mike has worked on so many different recordings and has been involved with some of the finest talents on the UK music scene.

As an artist he is probably best known for (I've Got) Love Enough For Two which, somewhat criminally, failed to chart in 1991. Personally, I thought that was far to Pop which was why a) I didn't buy it and b) it should have charted. So Much For The Lovin' came out that same year and is a great piece of soulful dance music. I seriously suspect that the Charme crowd will like the Radical Mix more. A lovely lazy bassline, almost dub style but retaining the song in full. What Can I Do is another good song, writing with Wayne Brown was obviously a good combination. I cannot understand why these singles didn't chart in the UK and the only answer I can come up with is a lack of good taste in the music industry at that time. If it isn't what the industry believes in then it doesn't get the exposure.

• So Much For The Lovin'
• What Can I Do
• So Much For The Lovin' (Radical Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Michael Patto.rar File size: 25.25 MB

Michael Patto is a legend that nobody has heard of. He will be involved in something in your music collection. Visit his MySpace and hear some of his work.

Sherrick - Let's Be Lovers Tonight 1987

WEA Records W9146T

Lamotte Smith, a.k.a. Sherrick, recorded his debut album 'Sherrick' (1987) with Warner Brothers. It was produced by Michael Stokes and gave us the first single release Just Call which hit the UK Top 30. This track is a Bobby Sandstrom along with Steve Barri who supplied the remix.

The Extended Dance Remix is certainly worthy of a place in your collection and the two tracks on the flip, Let's Be Lovers Tonight and Do You Baby, are from the album. Not much in the 12" department but if you haven't got Sherrick's album (which I haven't) then it's a nice addition.

Sherrick began putting together some new songs when he tragically died in January 1999. The new recordings are not yet released as his wife Lynne Conner-Smith (who is in posession of his most recent tapes) is wary of many record companies and their agenda's. It is supposedly being made available through Johnson Dynasty Inc. via their website but it doesn't seem very professional. I hope Mrs. Conner-Smith has the good sense to get some good backing after all, distrust is one thing but losing the opportunity altogether is foolish.

• Extended Dance Remix
• LP Version
• Do You Baby

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sherrick.rar File size: 32.2 MB

LA Mix - We Shouldn't Hold Hands In The Dark 1991

AM:PM Records AMCD 755

Les 'The Mix Doctor' Adams recorded mastermixes of the highest quality back in the day, In the mid to late 80's, Adams was 'the' leading light on the DMC front. While others used all sorts of effects to nail their selection together, the Mix Doctor would turn out countless perfect mixes, always faultless in both content and design. It's important to remember that most of this work would have been produced on a couple of Technics 1200's (yes, they have been around that long!) and maybe a bit of tape splicing

Toward the turn of the decade, under the name LA Mix he released his own original material, mostly Pop/Dance, two albums on A&M and also scored 5 national chart hits including Check This Out. We Shouldn't Hold Hands In The Dark is sublime soul though, featuring vocals from Emma Freilich. The Candlelight 12" Mix is all you need. Enjoy!

• The Candlelight 7" Mix
• The Candlelight 12" Mix
• The Secret Lovers Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: LA Mix.rar Filesize: 25.65 MB

Diana Brown & Barrie K. Sharpe - Blind Faith 1989

ffrr Records FX144

Up there with Masterplan but this calls to mind 1989, the 2nd 'Summer of Love'. This is soulful, groovy and timeless, it may not be as perfect as Masterplan but it has something else. Masterplan brings to mind Acid Jazz whereas Blind Faith brings to mind Blind Faith. It is not as memorable but it carries less baggage?

Jazzie B & Nellee Hooper on the production and there is a remix 12" but I don't have it. Still, here we have The Masterjam so who needs Soul II Soul mixes.... OK, I wouldn't mind them but... The Masterjam is an excellent mix. Dubwise Selection is just beats from the Groundbeat Mix which is nice and sparse, a great bit of groove but unfortunately it shows up the weak song lyrics.

• The Masterjam
• Dubwise Selection
• Barrie K. Sharpe Groundbeat Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Diana Brown.rar Filesize: 34.33 MB

Perception - Guilty 1993

Talkin Loud Records TLKCD36

Guilty was originally on an album released by Barbra Streisand in 1980. After the success of the Bee Gees in '77 - '78, Streisand asked Barry Gibb to write an album for her. It became her best-selling album to date with sales of over 20 million copies and was produced by Barry Gibb, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson.

The title track, vocal duet between Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb, a member of the Bee Gees. was written by all three Bee Gees: Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, Guilty peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and also won a Grammy Award. In the UK, the song reached #34 on the UK Singles Chart (because we have more taste). I recall back at the time, proclaiming the song a dirge to my long-suffering Mum, who liked it of course. I was young and foolish at the time. The song is a fine piece of music ruined by the vocalists.

In 1993 when Guilty was covered by Perception, I was able to appreciate the song better. OK, I was older... happy now. It's produced by Lati Kronlund and Tony Campbell, who was originally signed to Talkin' Loud with Perception before forming Act Of Faith in 1992 with Nicholas Demetriades. This is a 1993 release with no mention of Anthony M. Campbell. We have Mike McEvoy on production of Reach Out and writing credits go to the usual names, Daly, Rose, Forde & McEvoy. The lady on the front cover looks familiar, anybody know for sure?

All very interesting I'm sure but let's cut to the chase. The Take Two Remix of Guilty is courtesy of Ray Hayden at Opaz Studios. Game over!

• Guilty (Edit)
• Reach Out
• Guilty
• Guilty (Take Two Remix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Perception.rar Filesize: 32.04 MB

The Chimes - Love Comes To Mind 1990

Cooltempo Records CHIM C4

For Frank Black and many others that I'm sure will enjoy it. The Chimes fourth single taken from the album The Chimes is Love Comes To Mind. Here is the 12inch Extended Remix, with the CDS mixes, which includes the Remix, the Manasseh 12'' and Stay the Extended Remix, all produced and remixed by The Chimes (except Manasseh remixed by Scruff & Nick) and engineered by Raine Shine.

• Love Comes To Mind (Remix)
• Love Comes To Mind (Manasseh 12")
• Stay (Extended Remix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: The Chimes.rar Filesize: 39.23 MB

Spider - Who Do Ya Love 1991

Ten Records TENCD 346

Who the hell are Spider, you may well ask. Check the credits folks, written and produced by Jolley, Harris & Jolley, (the guys behind Innocence, among many others) and Matt Rowebottom (to his Mum). Anna Jolley, Brian Harris, Mark Jolley are Spider and Who Do Ya Love is remixed by Phil Dane and Matt Rowe.

• Arachnophobia 7" Mix
• Arachnophobia 12" Mix
• Original Version

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: .rar Filesize: MB

The Chimes - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 1990

CBS Records CHIM C1

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is the second track from U2's 1987 album The Joshua Tree, and was released as the album's second single. It became their second (and last as of 2008) #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 after "With or Without You", the first single from the album, and peaked at #6 in the UK Singles Chart.

The song grew from another song called Under the Weather Girls, from which Larry Mullen, Jr.'s drum track and Adam Clayton's bass line was used as a foundation. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is the most frequently covered U2 song. It was named the 93rd greatest song by Rolling Stone on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The Chimes were from Scotland, featuring vocalist Pauline Henry with Mike Peden and James Locke. They are probably best known for their hits "Heaven" and this remake of U2's classic which became a UK Top Ten hit.

Bono from U2 famously commented that The Chimes' cover of their hit was the...

"only cover version he had heard that he enjoyed and did the original justice....at last someone's come along to sing it properly".

But then he has also referred to it as a gospel song so Pauline Henry was bound to get it right. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For has been covered countless times but The Chimes were, to my knowledge, the first and, in my opinion, the best.

• I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
• Manasseh Mix
• Street Mix
• No Need To Pretend

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: I Still...Chimes CDS.rar Filesize: 27.84 MB

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For(U2)

I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing fingertips
It burned like a fire
This burning desire

I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the Kingdom Come
When all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds
And you loosened the chains
Carried the cross
Of all my shame
all my shame
You know I believe it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for