Manchester 90's Street Soul Mix #1

Something a little different for you today folks. 

DJ Manik reached out to me after my request for folks to help out on the blog and offered up a treasure trove of urban UK & US music including the Movin' On and Inside! series'.

I'll make posts of these and get them on here to share the love.

Along with these, Manik also linked me to two of his mixes of Urban 90's flava. I thought I'd quickly check them out but found once on, I couldn't skip or switch off.

Serious business, peeps.

Here's part one of two. Enjoy this man's talent and let him take you back to a time when the music was just so much better.

Show some love in the comments either on here or on Youtube.

Tracklist

1. Soul Family Sensation - I Could Read All The Letters - The Karen Carpenter Late Night Mix (1990)
2. Love & Laughter - I Surrender (1990)
3. L.D. Jam With Sylvia Tella - Special Way (1993)
4. Loose Ends ‎– Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) (1985)
5. Jay Mondi & The Livin' Bass - All Night Long (Club Mix) (1990)
6. Leniece - Give My Love To You (1990)
7. J.T. And The Big Family - Moments In Soul (1990)
8. Wreckx-N-Effect - Rump Shaker (Back 2 UK life Remix) (1992)
9. Mary J Blige - Real Love (Fairplay Mix) (1992)
10. David Grant ‎– Life (Fairplay Mix) (1989)
11. Tammy Payne - Free Freedom Mix (BW Sound) (1990)
12. Nomad Soul - Candy Mountain (DJ Intellectual Mix) (1991)
13. D.N.A. Featuring Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner (1992)
14. FR Mystery - I Just Wanna Be (1991)
15. Maxeen - Better Love (Retouch) (1992)
16. Ariya - Just A Touch (Biznizz Hip Hop Mix) (1993)
17. Soul II Soul - Love Enuff (4 Wheel Drive Mix) (1995)
18. Bô'vel - Check 4 You (1996)
19. Gold In The Shade - Over You (Mix 1) (1991)
20. Fresh 4 (Children Of The Ghetto) Featuring Lizz. E - Wishing On A Star (No J.B.Beats) (1989)
21. Aretha Daye - No More (Making Love) (1991)
22. Special Touch Featuring Duval - Your So Good (Retouch) (1990)
23. Beats International - Invasion Of The Estate Agents (Unavailable on Lp) (1990)
24. Smith & Mighty - Anyone... (1988)
25. Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack (1996 acapella)
26. Maxi Priest - Close To You (Juice & Gin Mix) (1990)
27. Movement 98 Featuring Carroll Thompson - Joy And Heartbreak (The Future Remix) (1990)
28. Bassline Feat Lorraine Chambers - You've Gone Back To Bass-Ics (1989)
29. Freddie McGregor - Push Come To Shove (Street Soul Mix) (1991)
30. Nu Colours - Greater Love (Ethnic Boyz Remix) (1993)
31. Sade - Cherish The Day (Spinbad cutz intro) (1993)
32. Lalah Hathaway - Baby Don't Cry (BW sound) (1990)
33. Brandy - I Wanna Be Down (Don't Cry Mix) (1994)
34. A La Mode - 1 Only Lover (1991)
35. Pinky - Looking For A Love (Retouch) (1991)
36. Gold In The Shade - Shining Through (1990)

Danny Madden ‎– The Facts Of Life - UKCDS - (1991)

Eternal ‎– YZ576CD, Eternal ‎– YZ 576 CD, Eternal ‎– 9031-74339-2

With huge thanks to Soul Vendor's very own StreetSoul who has very kindly upgraded our trusty lower bit rate 12" rip with a shiny new High quality version. Caring is sharing. Thank you, Street! :)

Please note that I didn't have access to the artwork, so I have used what's on Discogs and run it through an AI image upscaler, with a little Photoshop to finish it off. Not perfect but probably as good as we're gonna get given the circumstances!

Mickey P did a great write up when he posted the 12" so check the link below for his write up. 

Produced with style by Carl McIntosh from the always classy Loose Ends with Danny Madden, and featured on the New Jack City OST, The facts of Life sounds wicked to this day. It's an awesome song from an awesome soundtrack album to an awesome film. That album is packed with so many quality tracks it's a big testament to this one when I say it was one of the better cuts.

Personally, I am not so into the Dancin' Danny D mixes, and prefer the vibe of the original. The Touchdown Mix, however, is another matter entirely and is the highlight here if you already own the original.

Tracklist

1. The Facts Of Life (7")
2. The Facts Of Life (Touchdown Mix)
3. The Facts Of Life (Dancin' Danny D's Edit)
4. The Facts Of Life (Dancin' Danny D's Mix)

Discogs page | Our original 12" Rip 

Download: DM-FOLCDS.7z | Filesize: 39.9MB

Tammy Payne - In Deeper Life EP - 12" Re-Up - (1996)

Cup Of Tea Records COT 018

Re-Up: Originally posted 03/09/2008.

I do not own this EP but I did download from Mick back in the day.
Apologies it is not in 320! - Kym

In 1996 this EP, written by Tammy Payne & produced by Jim Barr*, was released on the obscure Bristol label, Cup Of Tea, serving Jazz oddities like Junkwaffel & Purple Penguin. I apologise for the sizzling bacon on some tracks but I'm not aware of this vinyl being available elsewhere.

It's not as accessible as Take Me Now and gives an idea how much of a difference the Loop Mix made to the original version. One for the Jazz Heads out there. I like it, left-field and out there but it's interesting and I'm feeling it.

*Jim Barr was bass player with Portishead (1993-1997) before becoming a producer and shortly after this EP, teaming up with Tammy Payne as Sissi on Cup Of Tea in the late 90's and more recently Jukes on Twisted Nerve.

• A1 Reason
• A2 Voices
• A3 In Deeper Life
• B1 This Is Where
• B2 Voices (Seamus 'C' Horse Mix)

Download: TP-IDL.7z | Size: 23.7 MB

Tammy Payne - Free - UK 12" - (1990)

WEA ‎– YZ510T, WEA ‎– 9301-71943-0

In the interests of honesty and full disclosure, I do not own this 12" and I have no recollection of where I got these from!! I have thought long and hard about posting this for that reason and because I can't scan the artwork to our normal high standards and I can't attest to the quality. As such, all the images will be sourced from Discogs (although I have cleaned up the cover).

This track was mentioned in one of the comments a few days back and it has swung me over. If you are the original source of this rip, I am not intending to steal your work. Please get in touch so I can either remove it or credit you.

What can I say about this release? I ADORE the Deneice Williams original, it's one of my GOAT tracks, and a cover of a tune that I love HAS to be bloody good - or don't bother doing it in the first place.

Step forward Miss Tammy Payne. The Trilogy Mix is nice but not as good as the original, I feel, but oh my days! The Freedom version was the one for me back in the day and got some heavy rotation as well. 

Whilst getting the info for this write up from Discogs, I found a very interesting comment from Shylok back in 2009:

"Massive UK Street Soul gem, the Freedom Version that uses "Headhunters "God Make Me Funky" drum break is the mix that got a lot of play on the inner city black music pirate radio stations in the early 90s, its worth noting of a rumour that a picture of some flowers was used on the sleeve in place of a picture of Tammy Payne due to the singer being white with the record labels A&R thinking it would make her a less credible singer & thus not appealing to a majority of black musics fan base, RnB at this time was mainly an underground genre that had yet to become mainstream"

Thanks for the info, Shylok!

Tracklist

1. Free
2. Free (The Trilogy Mix)
3. Push 'Em
4. Free (Freedom Version)

Discogs page

Download: TP-F.7z | Filesize: 31.8MB

Caron Wheeler - I Adore You - UKCDS - (1992)

Perspective Records ‎– PERD 7407

So Mickey posted the 12" back in September 2009 (are you feeling old yet? You soon will) but this came out in 1992 (I told you!) and featured on the Mo Money OST.

That's actually a really good album (and fun film) with many great tracks and might make a decent post on here one day!

Anyway, in my opinion, the LP Version is comfortably the best, and I agree with Mickey that most of the other mixes are a bit of a waste of time. If only we'd have gotten an acapella and instrumental for the mixologists. 

Out of the other versions, the Dance Hall Mix is easily the best but doesn't sound like Dancehall as I know it. In fact, this version grows on me the more I hear it.

Sadly, after that they kinda fall off a cliff. I think the Catch The Groove mix is probably the best of the remaining versions, but it's a distant third to the LP Version & Dance Hall mixes. 

No offence to Danny Tenaglia.

Over to you, Mick.

"OK, this is another fine Caron Wheeler moment that had me all excited. Built around a sample taken from the Burt Bacharach & Hal David penned 'Don't Make Me Over' performed by Sybil. during the second 'Summer Of Love'. It was featured in the movie Mo' Money' and boasted a Flyte Time production by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and a Remix and another three remixes from Danny Tenaglia.

It turned out to be a wasted opportunity. Six tracks on this 12" and nothing touches the original LP Version. The sound of 1989 is all over the remixes, even the Jam & Lewis Dance Hall Version echoes to the melody of Todd Terry. It's a shame (IMO) but also fortunate that the splendour of the original needs no assistance."

So here's the CD Single.

That's all. Peace & Luvizm to you all and stay safe out there!

Tracklist

1. I Adore You (LP Radio Mix)
2. I Adore You (Dance Hall Version)
3. I Adore You (Club House Mix)
4. I Adore You (Club House Edit)
5. I Adore You (Catch The Groove Mix)
6. I Adore You (LP Version)

Discogs page | Mickey P's original post

Download: CW-IAY.7z | Filesize: 68.5MB

Innocence - Let's Push It - UK CDS - (1990)

Cooltempo ‎– COOLCD 220, Cooltempo ‎– 323597 2

Innocence was a British R&B band fronted by vocalist Gee Morris that achieved success in the UK in the early 1990s. Masterminded by the production team of Anna Jolley, Mark Jolley and Brian Harris, Innocence's sound was a blend of R&B/Soul with elements of Ammbient house, Downtempo and Chill-out music.

The impeccably voiced Gee Morris had some dance releases as a solo artist in the 80s before her stint fronting Innocence. In more recent years, she's toured with Maizie Williams as part of her Boney M. line-up.

The fourth release by innocence and arguably their most played. 

It's pretty hard to argue against that beat, and Gee Morris' gorgeous vocals are on point as usual. At this stage I'm getting tired of repeating myself as to how much I like them lol

Let's push it is the kind of classy, soulful dance music you'd find at the coolest bars and venues and stands the test of time. What a great track!

Oh, and holy crap, is that the Tammy Payne Take Me Now break in Silent Voice Sax Urbana at around 4:40??!? So that's where Tammy's producers got it from.. (this release predates Take Me Now by a whole year)? I wonder what the original source is? I'm normally hot on my breaks but this one eludes me.

Tracklist

1. Let's Push It
2. Let's Push It (Big Beat Mix)
3. Silent Voice (Sax Urbana)

Download: I-LPI.7z | Filesize: 42.6MB

Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full (Promo) - Re-Up - (1987)

4th & Broadway 12 BRX 78

Re-Up!: Originally posted by Mick on 12/04/2012.
I reconstructed this from three 320 sources so it's not strictly a vinyl rip. - Kymba

In 1987 when Eric B & Rakim could do no wrong, Coldcut was called upon to remix Paid In Full. Seven Minutes Of Madness turned out to be the most popular mix that year, from the dance-floor point of view at least. It was, quite deservedly, played to death! Eric B was not a happy man though, even though it must have doubled, if not quadrupled the sales of his album. He hated that remix, suggesting that Ofra Haza's Hebrew vocal sample from "Im Nin'Alu" could have been saying "Fuck You" for all we knew. The thing that probably irked him most was that he had no say about the remix and its release.

The real shame was that nobody else got a look in. This promo 12" (handed out at the DMC Convention if I remember rightly) is a remix created by South London's own Derek Boland. Boland had been a DJ on the pirate stations (LWR 92.5) for sometime where he created his own remixes for his show.


This remix of Paid In Full uses a nice sample from John 'Cougar' Mellancamp's - Jack & Diane and a chunk of Chuck Brown's - We Need Some Money. That's Rock Music and Go-Go in this Hip-Hop mix. It's a great version and it deserved more airplay. 

Try it, you'll like it.

Tracklist

• Paid In Full (Derek B's Urban Respray)
• Paid In Full (Album Mix)
• Eric B Is On The Cut 

Download: EB&R-PIF-P.7z | Filesize: 27.7MB

Coldcut - Beats + Pieces - 12" Re-Up - (1987)

Ahead Of Our Time CCUT 1

RE-UP!: Originally posted by Mickey P on 04/04/2012.

I don't have this myself but I did download Mick's original post, so...
If anyone can do us a nice 320 of this, I'd appreciate it! - Kym

1987 was a great year for interesting new ideas. PC's were becoming more available and Cut'n'Paste technology became the new thing. Hot on the heels of Double Dee & Steinski, came Coldcut.

Jonathan Moore & Matt Black have taken the concept to a whole new level nowadays but back in '87 they delivered this slab of vinyl to an unsuspecting world. Featuring Floormaster Squeeze, but doing what, I ask?

Note the logo on the sleeve....

"SORRY, BUT THIS JUST ISN'T MUSIC"

Tracklist

1. Mo' Bass Remix
2. Edit
3. More Beats 

Download: CC-B+P.7z | Filesize: 16.3MB

Danny Madden - Facts Of Life - 12" (Re-Up) - (1990)

WEA Records YZ473T

ReUp: Originally posted by Mickey P back in 22nd May 2008.
If anyone has the CD single I'd sure appreciate a 320 rip as I don't own this one!
- Kymba

Danny Madden has worked with the Basement Boys on Ultra Naté's early work, and he was the background singer and vocal arranger on many of the Def Mix productions.

This track was produced by Danny and Carl McIntosh (Loose Ends) with some Dancin' Danny D remix activity. Is it soulful I hear you ask. Look at the cover, see how it pays homage to Marvin, with this kind of pedigree you don't need to ask, just check the acappella and stop worrying.

There was also an album 'These Are The Facts Of Life' but I never got to hear it. This track was featured in the Mario Van Peebles' movie "New Jack City". It's a beautiful thing people!

Tracklist

1. Dancin' Danny D's Accapella Intro Edit
2. Instrumental
3. Dancin' Danny D's 12" Mix
4. Accapella

Download: DM-FOL.7z | Filesize: 26.7 MB

Innocence - Remember The Day - UK CDS - (1991)

Cooltempo ‎– coolcd226, Cooltempo ‎– COOLCD 226, Cooltempo ‎– 3236372

Innocence was a British R&B band fronted by vocalist Gee Morris that achieved success in the UK in the early 1990s. Masterminded by the production team of Anna Jolley, Mark Jolley and Brian Harris, Innocence's sound was a blend of R&B/Soul with elements of Ammbient house, Downtempo and Chill-out music.

The lovely Gee Morris had some releases as a solo artist in the 80s before her stint fronting Innocence. In more recent years, she's toured with Maizie Williams as part of her Boney M. line-up.

Remember The Day is hands-down my favourite release by the band, and has a lovely chilled but smouldering vibe. It's more downtempo than some of their other singles, but no less danceable for it. It just works so damn well.

Gee's vocals are always great, and here there is a mournful, sexy edge to them as she glides over that low-key funky beat. 

Any of the mixes work for me; track one is the classic edit, the Final Mix is essentially the 12" extended, whereas the aptly named Ambient Mix does away with the drums for an even more blissed-out experience. so choose accordingly depending on your mood.

Tracklist

1. Remember The Day
2. Remember The Day (The Final Mix)
3. Remember The Day (Ambient Mix)

Download: I-RTD.7z | Filesize: 39.0MB