Anna Mwale - Get Free - (1990)

CBS Records XPR 1563

320 re-up - Originally posted by Mickey P on 15/06/19 - Kym

Absolutely stonking track, you want this. Written by Jean Bronte, John Ritt, Raymond Boye & Anna Mwale and produced by Zed Lovedust.

I don't know anything about her or any of the names on the label but The Eden Upstairs Remix is baaaad!

Tracklist

1. Get Free (Radio Edit)
2. Get Free (The Eden Upstairs Remix)
3. Get Free (The Eden Downstairs Remix)

Download: AM-GF.7z |Filesize: 40.5MB

Intelligent Hoodlum - Back To Reality (CJ Mackintosh Mixes) - (1990)

A&M Records, AMCD 598

Originally posted 09/04/2009. This was posted by me (Kym) but is attributed to Mickey P in the great Soul Vendor/Blogger cock-up haha.

Not so sunny here in North London today, but I thought I'd post another BBQ classic regardless. I'm not sure really how well you'll receive this one, as it's not soul as such, but a nice, chilled out slice of Hip-Hop, reminiscing about simpler times.

Intelligent Hoodlum (born Percy Chapman, although he would later switch to the moniker "Tragedy Khadafi") is an extremely eloquent rapper from Queens, New York. His first, self-titled album was a politically charged affair featuring the excellent Arrest the President, and a whirl of other contentious tracks. I loved it but it wasn't for everyone.

However, amongst the anger and social commentary on his debut there lurked a rather good party jam, the Soul II Soul sampling Back To Reality - no surprises for guessing what sample was used there, huh? ;)

On its release in the UK, Back To Reality was given a suite of remixes by one CJ Mackintosh. The pick of which for me is CJ's Drum And Bass Mix (no, it's not that kind of Drum & Bass), which cranked up the Soul II Soul elements, added nice piano chords, strings stabs, and made a great summer vibe kinda tune out of it. 

The Ragamuffin Mixis also pretty dope (love the strings), and has a different vibe. Worth checking and would be the one I'd recommend if the Drum And Bass Mix didn't exist.

The Raggamuffin Mix is also dope, Hope you dig this as much as I do. If you don't know it, give it a try and tell us whatcha think.

- Kymba :)

Tracklist

1. Back To Reality (Drum And Bass Mix)
2. Back To Reality (Back To Basics)
3. Back To Reality (Ragamuffin Version)
4. Back To Reality (Ragadub)

Download: IH-BTR.7z | Filesize: 43.8MB

Innocence - A Matter Of Fact - (1990)

Cooltempo COOLCD 223

320 Re-up originally posted by Mick 13/05/2008. This was the third single from Innocence, but unlike Mick, for me there is better in their repertoire. Over to you, Boss-Man - Kymba

The addictive writing of Jolley, Harris & Jolley, the beautiful voice of Gee Morris & the genius of Frankie Knuckles on this Def Mix Production culminate in the defining moment here for Innocence, in my humble opinion of course.

Decide for yourself which version is best, the Classic Club Mix got the most play on my decks, piano by John Poppo, Eric Kupper on keyboards, David Morales on percussion....

Hey! Whatd'ya want for nothing, a rubber biscuit?

Tracklist

1. A Matter Of Fact (7" Mix)
2. A Matter Of Fact (Classic Club Mix)
3. A Matter Of Fact (Extended Mix)

Download: I-AMOF.7z |  Filesize: 41.6 MB

Rhythm N Bass - Can't Stop This Feeling / Tell Me - (1993)

Epic ‎– 659200 2

I can't find anything about these guys online so info will be a little sparse.

Members included Alistair Tennant (born 1973, London) & Wayne Hector, but there were also two further members. Tenant did a lot of writing for bands such as Damage, Boyzone(!), Ant & Dec(!) and more. Hector did backing vocals for artists such as Peter Andre, Westlife, Boyzone and Maxi Priest - and writing for many more. (Damage and Maxi Priest aside, there are a bunch of names that have never surfaced on The Soul Vendor before... and never will do again!)

Rhythm N Bass were lauded in certain quarters as the UK answer to the US R&B influx, alongside artists & bands like Wayne Marshall, Damage, Truce and Kreuz.

They released a couple of joints back in the early 90's including the catchy Roses and this track, which was backed up by the Groove Theory penned Tell Me (If You Want Me Too).

So this is a dope party cut and I wholly recommend jumping right into the Extended Version for maximum enjoyment. It's a great track.

Do not overlook Tell Me (If You Want Me Too), though. It's a slow-ish jam with a different vibe, and is also a hell of a track. I do have the Groove Theory version sitting around somewhere, so that'll be a future Soul Vendor post. (have I ever mentioned on here how much I love Amel Larrieux?)

All in all this was a great release from an all-but forgotten UK outfit.

Tracklist

1. Can't Stop This Feeling (Edited Version)
2. Can't Stop This Feeling (House Mix)
3. Tell Me (If You Want Me Too)
4. Can't Stop This Feeling (Extended Version)

Download: R+B-CSTF.7z | Filesize: 41.9 MB

Loose Ends - Hangin' On A String (Frankie Knuckles Remix) - (1992)

10 Records ‎– TENCD 406, 10 Records ‎– 665 357

Firstly, allow me to say that I have nothing against Mr Knuckles, in fact, I think he's one of the best house producers out there. 

Having got that out of the way, now allow me to put out the fact that I find the notion of remixing this track absolute heresy and I am only putting it up for sake of completion. 

It is interesting hearing most of the percussive elements stripped back and leaving the instrumentation in greater clarity, and you do tend to notice stuff in there that never jumped out before, but those four-to-the-floor vibes just do not work for me.

The All Night Mix (Courtesy of Twilight Firm) is more interesting to my ears as the beat is more my thing, as is the scratching, but it is still not a patch on the original.

I guess that is the story of this release for me. The brilliance of the original hangs over and outshines it.

Peace & luvizm x

Tracklist

1. Hangin' On A String (Frankie Knuckles Radio Edit)
2. Hangin' On A String (Frankie Knuckles Club Mix)
3. Hangin' On A String (Original 12'' Mix)
4. Hangin' On A String (The All Night Mix)
5. Hangin' On A String (Frankie Knuckles Classic Club Reprise)

Download: LE-HOAS-R.7z | Filesize: 64.5MB

Loose Ends ‎– Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) - (1985/1988)

Virgin ‎– CDT 39

Loose Ends formed in London in 1980, initially comprising vocalist and guitarist Carl McIntosh, vocalist Jane Eugene, and keyboard player, writer and founder Steve Nichol. The latter two left the group in 1989 due to poor progression and since their departure the newer Loose Ends sound has gained higher chart positions globally and a wider fan base in the R&B genre through Carl McIntosh's production skills.

Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) is one of the UK's biggest ever soul tunes. It's a seminal, I'd even say Legendary cut and is hugely influential to this day, it knocked down the transatlantic doors and set the scene for the crossover success of UK acts like Soul II Soul in subsequent years.

Although this was released first on vinyl in 1985, peaking at #13 on the UK Singles Chart and #1 in the US R&B Singles Charts, that was before the time of the CD, and it was reissued on this (then) cutting edge digital format in 1988.

The Extended Dance Mix is a classic and just over 6 minutes of perfection. Jump right in!

Away from the obvious brilliance of the classic title joint, A Little Spice is a really catchy, latin-infused dance number and is well worth checking out if you're unfamiliar with it. Dial 999 is similarly catchy, and indicative of the 80's soul incarnation of Loose Ends' sound. There are some chords in the bridge that remind me of Saturday Love by Alex O'Neil and Cherelle. Let me know if you agree.

Tracklist

1. Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) (Extended Dance Mix)
2. A Little Spice
3. Dial 999 (12" Extended Mix)

Download: LE-HOAS.7z | Filesize: 39.0MB

Nuyorican Soul featuring Jocelyn Brown - It's Alright, I Feel It! - (1997)

Talkin' Loud/PolygramRecords, TLCD 22

Originally posted 06/03/2009 by me. I'm re-upping it with new artwork scans and 320 rips. Kym  B xx

This is a killer track from the M.A.W. boys that I had to add to The Soul Vendor. It's brilliant in every aspect, and I know Mickey the bossman is also a long-time fan of the Masters At Work duo, "Lil" Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez.

Here we find them with the lead single off their Nuyorican Soul album, featuring R&B power-vocalist Jocelyn Brown on lead vocals, live drums recorded and then sampled & chopped, a great piano riff, and enough energy contained within the song to surely move even the most adamant of non-dancers.

There are not enough superlatives for this track. It's pretty much perfect - which, of course, is a cross to bear for those who had to remix it. Lucky, then, we have two heavyweights in the shape of Armand Van Helden, who gives us a darkly dubtastic House-cum-Garage remix in the shape of his Live from Da Darkside of the Moon remix, and Roni Size, at the height of his powers back then in '97, and right on the back of his New Forms success, giving us a brilliantly reconstructed Drum & Bass version, which contains all the character of the original, but re-encodes it in a Drum & Bass styley. He must've worked his ass off to reconcile the extreme BPM difference between the original and his version, but it pays dividends.

For me, the pick of the tracks is the M.A.W. Remix, which is essentially just an extended version. I also really love what Roni Size has done on his Drum & Bass version.

- Kymba :)

Tracklist

1. It's Alright, I Feel It! (Edit)
2. It's Alright, I Feel It! (M.A.W. Remix)
3. It's Alright, I Feel It! (Live from Da Darkside of the Moon)
4. It's Alright, I Feel It! (Roni Size Remix)

Download: NS-IAIFI.7z | File size: 81.7 MB