Dodge City Productions - Unleash Your Love - (1993)

4th & Broadway ‎– BRCD 265, 4th & Broadway ‎– 862 067-2

Another banger from the Dodge City Productions boys, again featuring the wonderful  Portugese jazz vocalist Ghida De Palma on vocals. This was the next-best track after As Long As We're Around off the Steppin' Up & Out album, and  makes for another heavy release.

You get a radio edit version in the City Lick Edit, but not the full length or an extended version. This original rub still remains my favourite so I'm including the LP version as well for completions sake.

The Unleash Your Love (Unleash A Scat Mix) is a nice change of pace - a much tougher beat, with a dash of ragga dancehall style vocals give it a completely different vibe to the original with Ghida strutting her stuff via resung vocals.

The No Strings Attached mix is aptly named, being the regular City Lick version minus all strings instrumentation. It's nice but does leave me thinking the strings were there for a reason.

Somewhat predictably, I say go straight for the Album Version or the City Lick Edit to enjoy this track at its best. The other mixes are well worth a listen though.

Kymba

Tracklist

1. Unleash Your Love (City Lick Edit)
2. Unleash Your Love (Unleash A Scat Mix)
3. Unleash Your Love (No Strings Attached Mix)
4. Don't Worry
5. Bonus Track: Unleash Your Love (City Lick Mix) (Album Version) 

Download: DCP-UYL.7z | Filesize: 58.4MB

McKoy - Family - (1994)

RighTrack Records CD TUM 8

Originally posted 23/07/2008

1990-92 was busy time for Noel McKoy. At the same time as he fronted the acid jazz cult band The James Taylor Quartet, he also had some success with Snowboy (doing a cover of Leroy Hudson's Lucky Fellow and Leo's Sunship's Give Me The Sunshine) and his family as McKoy. 

The album 'Full Circle - Within A Spiritual Social Soul' was released in 1993 (If you like this then you need a copy) and that prompted a re-release of the highly rated but underexposed Family.

The Original Version is a beautiful slice of soul but this release called in Ray Hayden of Opaz Studios. Hayden, knowing a good song when he hears one, done the right thing and left it virtually as it was but in true Opaz style, he gives it a great big helping of schmoove. You can't fault this guy, he's a master. Walter Turbitt turns out a short but sweet Live Band Mix which is a joy to hear. Personally, I'm not keen on the Gussie P. Reggae Mix but different strokes and all that?

Tracklist

1. Family (Ray Hayden's Extended Mix)
2. Family (Original Version)
3. Family (Gussie P. Reggae Mix)
4. Family (Live Band Mix)

Download: M-F.7z | Filesize: 39.0MB

'For those who know Soul is what you feel not what you hear.'

Noel McKoy

Keith Washington - Kissing You - (1991)

Warner Bros. Records ‎– W0041CD, Warner Bros. Records ‎– 9362-40125-2, Qwest Records ‎– W0041CD, Qwest Records ‎– 9362-40125-2

Keith Washington (born November 15, 1960) is an American R&B vocalist from Detroit, Michigan who, with this release, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male and won a 1992 Soul Train Music Award for Best Male R&B/Soul Single. The song also topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for one week.

Seemingly no longer so active as a recording artist, Washington now hosts the nighttime "Slow Jams" show "Kisses After Dark" on Detroit radio station WDMK-FM 105.9 (Kiss-FM).

What a treat for the ears 'Kissing You' is. It has a classic 80's soul feel that puts you in mind of quality artists such as Alexander O'Neil and Luthor Vandross (More on that in a moment). it is a real touch of class. The remix doesn't sound as nice to me although your mileage may differ.

Both backup tracks are also really good, which makes a pleasant change. And is it just me, or does We Can Work It Out sound like a Luthor track, and This Heart Of Mine like an Alex O'Neil? 

Tracklist

1. Kissing You (Edit)
2. Kissing You (French kiss Remix)
3. We Can Work it Out
4. This Heart Of Mine

Download: KW-KS.7z | Filesize: 41.8MB

Leena Conquest - Boundaries - (1994)

Natural Response 74321208522

320 Re-up of this fantastic track originally posted by Mick back in 01/09/2008. Over to you, Mr P...

Texas-born Leena Conquest has a unique phrasing style that places her among the best singers in urban music. She has worked with Roy Ayers & Mulgrew Miller on her album Come Fly Away, and on William Parker's 'Raining on the Moon' album and an upcoming release with pianist Dave Burrell.

The full artist title is Leena Conquest and Hip Hop Finger, (a.k.a. Hans Holler, Walter Malli & Werner Popp) whose album Sub Pop, (Aurra 22123) originally showcased this little ditty. Boundaries was produced by Werner 'Les Demon Flowers' Geier (who remixed Omar's Keep Steppin' amongst others) and Rodney Hunter for Uptight Productions. It samples Stop the Rain by Average White Band. Adrian 'Tricky' Thaws (Massive Attack) is responsible for the Tricky Mix obviously, whilst the Six In The Morning Mix is a Tony 'Dobie' Campbell (SIIS, Wookie, Tricky) creation but it still sounds best in its original Full Length Mix. Love Is Blind is simply beautiful, showcasing Leena's jazzy vocal abilities to great effect.

Tracklist

1. Boundaries (Full Length Mix)
2. Boundaries (Tricky Mix)
3. Boundaries (Six In The Morning Mix)
4. Love Is Blind

 Download : LC-B.7z |  Filesize: 53.6MB

Steven Simmonds - Tears Never Dry - (1998)

Rhythm Series – CDRHYTHM 14, Parlophone – 7243 8 86116 2 6

Note - I originally posted this back in June 2012, but now re-upping in glorious 320! Enjoy!

Wow. This is such a badass, sexy track. You get the impression that poor Stephen Simmonds had been dumped by his woman when these tracks were recorded. He's really taking it hard, and beating himself up for having screwed up. Still, his pain seems to make for good music, and so we have the tracks Tears Never Dry featuring popular Swedish singer Lisa Nilsson, and One, which is track two (heh). Tears Never Dry is a catchy, nice little slice of pop soul. One is a man vs piano slow jam of repentance that's a little too self absorbed for me.

No disrespect to tracks one and two, but skip 'em and head straight into track three: the Soul Inside Mix. It's perfection. Dodge brings something really special to the table, and turns a good song into a f***ing great one. Better bassline, better beat, and you've got to love that mournful guitar. It's wicked (I'm sure that's Ronnie Jordan, considering his ties with the DCP boys, but he's not credited).  Anyway, this remix really brings the track to seductive, moody life, and is so good that I will always go straight for it.

Stephen Simmonds, big up your naughty, got caught cheating behind your girls back, chest.

By the way, his album Spirit Tales, which is the only other release I have by him, is excellent, and comes highly recommended by me.

Here's an artist bio stolen from LastFM:

Stephen Simmonds is a Swedish Alternative Soul recording artist, son of a Jamaican musician Father and Swedish Mother was raised in the south of Stockholm, the United States and Israel.

After completing a high-school education at the Stockholm music school Södra Latin, Swedish producer Peter Cartriers heard of Stephens talent in 1995 and invited him to his studio in Stockholm where they made a demo that first attracted the attention of a Swedish indie label and then secured a record deal with the UK major label Parlophone/EMI Music as well as Priority Records in the US. Stephen wrote and Peter produced Stephens first critically acclaimed and 5 times Grammy nominated album “Alone” (the album was re-mixed and re-named “Spirit Tales” for his UK and US release) and Stephen Simmonds had his breakthrough in 1997 with the hit “Tears Never Dry” a duet with Swedish superstar Lisa Nilsson that quickly became the most played track on radio that year.

Since then his talent has brought him to the US and the UK where he has collaborated with renowned artists such as Raphael Saadiq, Masters At Work and Mica Paris. His US release “Spirit Tales” was highly recommended by Prince and the New Power Generation on their official website.

He has performed for Stevie Wonder and Amnesty and he is the only Swedish artist who has been reviewed in the Quincy Jones founded Soul and R&B bible Vibe Magazine.

PS - I think there are some other mixes of this floating around, which I've never heard, so if you have these, why not share the love with us?

Tracklist

1. Tears Never Dry
2. One
3. Tears Never Dry (Soul Inside Mix)

Download: SS-TND.7z | Filesize: 33.6MB

Vanessa Simon - Family Madness - (1992)

Kongo Dance ‎– KDCD 4

As requested by JayBilla on the Martine Girault Revival post.

We've established how well loved Omar is on The Soul Vendor previously. Multiple times, probably! He was well and truly in the zone in the nineties and could do no wrong, as evidenced on his production work on this album. Out of the 9 tracks here, three were produced by Wayne Lawes, with Omar handling all the others.

Although I don't know much about her, I do know that Vanessa is the sister of Drum & Bass's DJ Kane.

Family Madness is an album steeped in the rootsy Acid Jazz/funk vibes of that era and still stands up today. Vanessa Simon's vocals are absolutely on point - sometimes funky, sometimes moody, always classy. There is an organic feel to it, as you'd expect from an Omar joint, that's really pleasant on the ear. 

I won't bang on about the individual tracks. I'll leave that for you. What i will say it is a remarkably consistent album without anything in the way of filler.

Wanna let me know which ones you like most in the comments?

Tracklist

1. Family Madness
2. Don't You Ever
3. The Life You Lead
4. It's Only Good For A While
5. To Be With You Only
6. Pack Your Bags
7. Revelation
8. Know What You Want
9. Simple To See

Download: VS-FM.7z | Filesize: 86.2MB

Sub Sub Featuring Melanie Williams ‎– Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) - (1993)

Robs Records ‎– CDROB9

Andy Williams, Jez Williams and Jimi Goodwin met at school and became regulars at Manchester's legendary Hacienda club. Determined to make a hit record that would get them permanently on the guest list at the famous club, they recorded their hit "Space Face" and pressed it up using money from their mothers, later signing it to Ten Records. 

Ten dropped them soon after and they re-signed with Rob Gretton's new label, Robs Records. They broke the UK Top 10 in 1993 with "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)" after hooking up with another school-friend in vocalist Melanie Williams.

Ain't No Love is a great song built around the groove of Good Morning Starshine by Revelation. There's also a cheeky usage of the Marvin Gaye "Hey man what's happenin'?" sample from What's going On, as used in a million and one other tracks. 

Anyway, it bubbles along at a nice pace and is ridiculously dance-able. Melanie Williams does a great job on the vocals and that groove is undeniable.

Jump straight into the Original Mix for maximum funkyness OR the Original Full Length 12" Mix taken from the Hed Kandi CD which I've also included.

Footnote: A couple of years after this, a fire destroyed most of Sub Sub's studio equipment and they rebranded and rose like the phoenix to start afresh as the critically acclaimed indie band Doves.

Tracklist

1. Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) (Radio Edit)
2. Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) (Original Mix)
3. Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) (Parkside Mix)
4. Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) (On The House Mix)
5. Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) (Original Full Length 12" Mix)
   (bonus from a Back2Love album)

Download: SS-ANLANU.7z | Filesize: 59.1MB

Raphael Saadiq & Q-Tip ‎– Get Involved - (1999)

Hollywood Records ‎– 0101185HWR

Raphael Saadiq (born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer/songwriter, musician, and record producer. In his early days in the New Jack Swing era he was a member of the multiplatinum selling group Tony! Toni! Toné!

Like similar-minded musician D'Angelo, Raph would go on to have a really interesting career putting out the highest quaility neo soul and R&B, always seeming to be a cut above the majority of his contemporaries. Check out albums such as Instant Vintage or Stone Rollin' to get what I mean. Also much like D he isn't overly prolific, but is slightly more so than the Voodoo man.

Q-Tip (born Jonathan William Davis; April 10, 1970), who would later change his name to Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, is an American rapper, record producer, actor and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, and a founding member of legendary Hip Hop crew A Tribe Called Quest (arguably my favourite band along with The Roots and the Wu), 'Tip is noted for both his laidback mic skills as well as his production prowess.

You know this track is gonna be a killer right from the start when those strings (sampled from the Gamble & Huff produced 1973 track I'll Always Love My Mama by The Intruders) kick in. Q-Tip informs us of how "the S-A-double-D-I-Q" wants to get involved leading us into the typically flawless vocal stylings of Raph.

DJ Thomilla's Benztown Remix (or RMX) is actually really good and I like it a lot. It's incredibly difficult to see past the brilliance of the original though. Makes a pleasant change over the original for sure.

Bottom line: I LOVE this song! Jump straight into the pitch-perfect Original Version but do check out DJ Thomilla's version.

Tracklist

1. Get Involved (Album Version)
2. Get Involved (DJ Thomilla's Benztown RMX) (Edit)
3. Get Involved (DJ Thomilla's Benztown RMX) (Extended)
4. Get Involved (Instrumental)

Download: RS&QT-GI.7z | Filesize: 31MB

Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica - (1991)

BMG/Arista Records 664 998

320 re-up!

Tom Browne (born October 30, 1954 in Queens, New York, United States) rose to prominence first through his early work with Sonny Fortune, and scored two major hits in 1980 and 1981: the No. 1 US Billboard R&B single "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)" and the No. 4 US R&B single, "Thighs High (Grip Your Hips and Move)". Later in 1982 he released a minor hit called, "Fungi Mama (bebopafunkadiscolypso)" which was also recorded on the Arista record label and reached number 58 in the UK chart.

Funkin' For Jamaica is a legendary track from that really needs no introduction, so I'll dispense with the usual description on this one. You know it, and, if you have a pair of ears that work properly, you probably love it. It was a top ten hit in the UK, and spent four weeks at numero uno on the US R&B chart.

Now Funkin' For Jamaica did not need a remix as it still sounds fantastic to this day, but eleven years after it first came out in 1991 that's exactly what it got. Thankfully, the remix was quality. None other than Drizabone on the lick, and, oh my god, I think I do actually prefer it. It's not a heavy handed hatchet job, it's a sophisticated update that keeps close to the original vibe.

There's a 7", a 12" (Clearly the best one) and a slightly more stripped down Jam Dub Mix. However, if you should find it heresy like I perhaps should so, you can find the original version on this CD, too.

What a wicked release this was, and it is still incredibly hard to beat as a Summer vibe party song.

Despite the colours used for the front cover of this single, I'd always assumed the track was dedicated to Jamaica, Queens in New York, seeing as Tom is American, and this ain't no reggae track! (note it was later pointed out to me by Mick that the original release was titled "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)".

Tracklist

1. Funkin' For Jamaica (1991 7" Remix)
2. Funkin' For Jamaica (1991 12" Remix)
3. Funkin' For Jamaica (Original)
4. Funkin' For Jamaica (1991 Jam Dub Mix)

Download: TB.FFJ.7z | Filesize: 47.4MB