Don-E - Crazy - UK CDS - (1993)

4th & Broadway – BRCD 272

The multi-talented Don-E found initial success, both here and stateside with the brilliant Love Makes The World Go Round, and associated album Unbreakable, back in 1992, which got to 18 on the UK charts.

His second album, 1995's Changing Seasons, didn't quite live up to the hype of the first and he parted company with the label, retreating into producing for others rather than being an artist himself. During this time he signed to D'Angelo's label, which is quite the honour!

Between these two albums he dropped the single 'Crazy' (or 'Craz-E' as shown on the cover). It featured on neither album though so I wonder if that was Don-E distancing himself from it?

He would return as an artist in a BIG way ten years later with Try This, in 2005, which is a wicked album, one my my favourites actually, and I urge you to go treat yourself to it. It's Neo soul at its best. More albums would follow: Natural (2008), Ladies Night Part 1 (2012), Little Star (2013), Future Rare Grooves (2014), Future Rares 2 (2015).

Despite our very own Mickey P being disparaging about this release, and the fact Don-E chose not to feature it on an album, I actually quite like it. Don't get it twisted, it is FAR from his best cut, but it isn't truly horrible.

The Brixton Flavour mix is probably the best option, but considering it is a Blacksmith production and features the always wicked General Levy, it isn't elevated much at all. The drums seem too weak and the bassline is pretty by-the-numbers. Shame.

Also included is a bonus rough n ready remix by yours truly, stripping out the drums and replacing it with the beats from Lords Of The Underground's classic cut Psycho. I used an AI to seperate the original track into stems and that's slightly affected the vocals in some parts?

Before I finish, Don-E is still active as an artist, both as part of the British Collective (please search out their album on Amazon or somewhere to support them) and go check out his personal BandCamp page. https://don-e1.bandcamp.com/ which has some heavy releases on there. 

Don-E is one of our own and deserves all the love we can offer him. 

Peace & luvizm x

Tracklist

1. Crazy (Radio Version)
2. Crazy (Brixton Flavour 12")
3. Unbreakable (Radio Remix)
4. Crazy (DON-E's Irie Version)
   

1. BONUS: Don-E - Crazy (Kym B's Psycho Blend)

Discogs page

Download: D-E-C.7z | Filesize: 59.1MB

Intro - Love Thang - Europe CDS - (1993)

Atlantic ‎– A7374CD, Atlantic ‎– 7567-85773-2

Intro was an American R&B trio from Brooklyn, New York City, New York. The trio consisted of members Jeff Sanders, Clinton "Buddy" Wike and lead singer/songwriter Kenny "G-Love" Greene, who wrote and produced the majority of their material. Intro released two albums (for Atlantic Records): 1993's Intro and their second album, 1995's New Life. 

The group had a string of US hits in the 1990s, including "Let Me Be The One", the Stevie Wonder cover "Ribbon in the Sky", "Funny How Time Flies" and their highest charting hit, "Come Inside".

In very sad turn of events, the velvet voiced Kenny Greene passed away in New York City at the age of 32. Greene had previously revealed that he was bisexual (not an easy thing to admit given the homophobic nature of the urban music scene) and that he was suffering from AIDS in a 2001 interview with Sister2Sister magazine, passing away later that year due to complications of the disease. 

The group disbanded after Kenny's passing although they would later reform as a trio.

Love Thang then stands as a great monument to the group and their solid harmonies, and to Kenny Greene's stand-out talent. He really could sing his ass off, and he truly shows that here. The backing beat behind it is a strangely dope sample taken from Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians (via sampling by Brand Nubian for their hip hop smash Slow Down, and several others).

It remains an absolute classic piece of post New Jack Swing era street-soul/R&B.

RIP Kenny xxx

Tracklist

1. Love Thang (Radio Edit)
2. Love Thang (R&B Mix)
3. Love Thang (Hip Hop Mix)
4. Love Thang (Jazz Version)

Discogs page

Download: I-LT.7z | Filesize: 43.1MB

Sinclair - Ain't No Cassanova - UK CDS - (1993)

Dome Records CDDOME 1004

320 re-up! originally posted by Mick back in 16/04/09 - can you believe it was over ten years ago?
That makes it even more funny reading the comments below of us folks moaning about getting old lol
I love this track which cheekily borrows heavily from Sammuel's dope So U Like What U See but puts an entirely new spin on it. Wicked UK summertime jam tingz!

 - Kymba

Mike Sinclair sprung onto the UK Soul scene in 1992, thanks to some great support from specialist radio. I Want You Back was the tune that launched him but it was this tune in 1993 that nailed his colours to the mast. Championed by the likes of Choice FM and Echoes, Ain't No Casanova was played by everyone everywhere. It was a great example of Brit Street Soul during that time and came very close to crossing over, denting the UK Top Twenty at #28 in September of '93.

Ain't No Casanova was written and produced by Dwayne Burke & William Flowers at Groove And A Quarter and the Groove Mix is also theirs. Groove And A Quarter released I Want You Back on their own label, G&Q Records. The third mix is the US Encore Remix by Ken 'Dr. Shaft' Kessie who worked on some Tony! Toni! Toné! releases. Back in the day it was all about the Groove mix but listening now, I'm liking Ken's mix which features a rap by Pepperhead.

For the real soul lovers out there (QS), check out It's Over. Penned by Mike himself and produced by Ashley Ingram who clearly has the silky touch required for the Quiet Storm genre. This is Sinclair at his best, a little slice of soul heaven, pure class!

Tracklist

1. Ain't No Casanova
2. Ain't No Casanova (Groove Remix)
3. Ain't No Casanova (US Encore Mix featuring Pepperhead)
4. It's Over

Discogs page

Download: S-ANC.7z | Filesize: 42.9MB

McKoy ‎– On The Streets - UK CDS - (1993)

Right Track Records ‎– CD TUM 

Noel McKoy is a revered soul singer from South London. He also currently owns the Dutch Pot nightclub in London. How's that for diversification? :D In recent times Noel has linked with fellow UK soul icons such as Don E, Omar, Lee Johns, Carl McIntosh and more to form the British Collective. Look up and buy their album 'The Renaissance' if you can. It's wicked.

Noel cites influences such as The Beatles, Dennis Brown, Chaka Khan, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Quite a mix!

McKoy the band have been covered on here multiple times, so I will keep this short and sweet. 

(Mickey did a much better write up of this one here.)

Allow me to save you time and effort; the 7" and Extended versions are great, the Mother Mix does nada for me... jump straight into track 3 without hesitation.

Track 3 is the Soweto Meets Moss Side mix, by far my favourite version, and features The James Taylor Quartet doing their thang. Funky, old skool vibes run throughout this one, lifting it above the original versions and blowing away the other mix. It's brilliant and possibly even tops the always wicked Family as Mr McKoy's finest moment (Actually, that last statement is a biggie and it depends on my mood).

Thanks for the funky UK vibes, Noel!

Tracklist

1. On The Streets (7" Version)
2. On The Streets (Extended Mix)
3. On The Streets (Soweto Meets Moss Side)
4. On The Streets (Mother Mix)

Discogs page

Download: M-OTS.7z | Filesize: 44.3MB

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

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

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

Jodeci - Let's Go Through The Motions - (1993)

Uptown/MCA Records, UPTDM-54636

Jodeci were the heirs apparent to the New Jack throne vacated by the disbanding of Guy. A little tougher, perhaps. A little more street, definitely. A little more gospel tinged, too. They'd already enjoyed good success with their 1991 debut album, Forever My Lady, which more or less passed me by thanks to the awesomeness of Guy's The Future, released the same year, which stole all the limelight, as far as I was concerned... but that's another story (and another selection of posts).

However, forward on two years to '93 and Guy had gone their separate ways. Good timing then for Jodeci to drop their much harder, more "gangsta" 2nd album Diary Of A Mad Band, which (deservedly) blew up in a huge way. There were no filler tracks, save for Jodecidal Hotline, which was a skit anyway, and only three ballads, and then, a gradual slide into dirtier, and funkier territory with each track after that. It was a real tour de force.

Really though - this album was a straight banga.

The album served as a launching platform for such greats as Timbaland (who was an understudy of Devante), Missy Elliott (heard rapping on two of the tracks) and Ginuwine - they were all members of DeVante's Swing Mob team at this point.

It was a huge hit... and what do you know? Before the year was out, from H-Town to Kreuz, every R&B band and their dog were sounding like Jodeci.

That same year, Jodeci contributed an upbeat party jam to the excellent Who's The Man soundtrack album (I've still never seen that film, but I always loved Ed Lover and Dr Dre on "Yo! MTV Raps") called Let's Go Through the Motions. It wasn't one of their bigger hits, but remains a club smasher. It was a new track, not culled from Diary..., although later editions of that album would include Let's Go Through The Motions, and their cover of the Stevie Wonder classic Lately as extra tracks. The track itself features funky fresh hip hop production feels and just bangs. Utterly essential.

I love this track, hope you do too.

Enjoy!

- Kymba :)

Tracklist

1. Let's Go Through the Motions (radio)
2. Let's Go Through the Motions (instrumental)
3. Let's Go Through the Motions (intro radio)

1. Bonus - Let's Go Through the Motions (album version)

Download :  J-LGTTM.7z | File size: 40.7 MB

PS - I've also included the original full-length track from the Who's The Man album, in addition to the three tracks on this CD single.

Courtney Buchanan - R U Conscious (1993)

Conscious Records MCSTD 1792

I'm re-upping this in 320. Yay!

Remember when London's KISS 100FM was good? 

Yeah, me too. 

I guess part of it was its move from pirate radio to fully fledged commercial station coincided with a real boom in quality UK soul, hiphop and dance music. 

Back in the day, they used to cane this one track that got right under my skin. That track was the Hip Hop version of R U Conscious by Courtney Buchanan. Whatever the reason, I failed to pick it up on its release, and then I couldn't get it anywhere. Cue Mickey P The Man posting it here on Soul Vendor, and Kymba is made one very happy lady. Nice one, Mickey!

Anyway, it's still all about the Hip Hop Mix for me, but Mick disagrees.

As always, These are high quality audio rips, and high res artwork scans are included in the .ZIP file.

Here's what the man himself had to say in his original post:

Courtney Buchanan gained critical acclaim with his single release Life With You in '92. His second single release 'R U Conscious - The Chapters' (CON 14) was licensed from Conscious Records by MCA a scored a minor hit in 1993.

The CD single release features the additional Hip Hop Edit and the Final Chapter (Instrumental). Buchanan was hot property in '93 and Soul II Soul's Daddae Harvey is involved on the remixes. His Soul Mix: The Final Chapter was always the one that got the drop back in the day. Listening now, I think the Album Version is the better mix.
In 1994 he dropped a stunning release called Heaven which I never got my hands on. It's supposedly taken from an album called 'Kingdom Come' but I've never come across either.

Tracklist

1. Chapter One (Hip Hop Edit)
2. Chapter One (Full Hip Hop Mix)
3. Chapter Two (Ragga Mix)
4. Chapter Three (Album Version)
5. Chapter Four (Soul Mix)
6. Final Chapter (Instrumental)

Download: CB-RUC.7z | Filesize: 62.5MB

Romeo And ‎– Romeo And You (1993)

Elektra Entertainment ‎– 9 61363-2, Elektra Entertainment ‎– 61363-2

So I've been wanting to post up my 12" of For You (I'll Do Anything) for ages. It's a great little New Jack Swing stomper based around that ol' classic Synthetic Substitution by Melvin Bliss breakbeat, which I first became aware of thanks to the mighty Ultramagnetic MCs Ego Trippin' track. It's up there with the Skull Snaps It's A New Day and the Hot Pants break in my top three favourite breakbeats.

The track was really big for five minutes but sadly, despite the initial promise of For You and the release of this album and a second single, I'd never hear from Romeo And again.

Double sadly, with the loss of my turntable, I can't rip vinyl anymore, and this track was never released as a CDS so once again I'm flying in the face of my no albums rule.

What we are left with is a great song in For You, and a collection of bad to decent (but not stellar) ballads and NJS album tracks. 

It's worth having for this one track though.

My verdict? Listen to track 2 on loop. 

Peace & luvizm x

Tracklist

1. Romeo And You (A Vocal Opera)
2. For You (I'll Do Anything)
3. Let Me Do Ya
4. Sex You
5. Answer Your Prayers
6. Settle Down
7. If Only You Could See In Me
8. All I Have To Do Is
9. Didn't Wanna Make You Cry
10. That's What Love Is

Download: RA-RAY.7z | Filesize: 110.5MB

Various - Talkin Loud Two (1993)

Talkin' Loud ‎– 516 061-2

This one's going out to JayBilla, and to the rest of the MIA Soul Vendor crew who have yet to return.

I used to love the trend that we enjoyed in the 90s of labels releasing "sampler" compilation albums. It was a great way to get hold of some phatt tunes at a reasonable price. In my other life as a hiphop and Drum & Bass fan, Rawkus Records and Moving Shadow used to do a wicked line in the things.

I digress though. Talkin Loud's second compilation album is a belter with highlights including Galliano's Prince Of Peace, All I have In Me and Move On from the seminal Young Disciples, MC Solaar dropping some dope French hiphop in Qui Seme Le Vent Recolte Le Tempo, Omar's two joints, Incognito's fab Stevie Wonder Cover Don't You Worry Bout A Thing (as posted elsewhere on here) and the always brilliant Take Me Now by Tammy Payne. And that's just my faves. The others ain't exactly filler.

What this all adds up to is a strong release from a fantastic label highlighting their trademark blend of bohemian/urban/hippy/soul/acid jazz.

I'd actually forgotten what a great album this was. What are YOUR highlights?

Tracklist

1. Urban Species - Hide And Seek (4:35) 
2. Galliano - Hungry Like A Baby (5:12) 
3. Incognito - Colibri (5:39) 
4. Omar - You've Got To Move (5:14) 
5. The K-Creative - Back To The Real World (7:18) 
6. Young Disciples - All I Have In Me (6:06) 
7. Marxman - Theme From Marxman (4:24) 
8. MC Solaar - Qui Seme Le Vent Recolte Le Tempo (4:00) 
9. Perception - Serious Love (5:36) 
10. Bryan Powell - I Commit (3:22) 
11. Tammy Payne - Take Me Now (5:35) 
12. Young Disciples - Move On (3:27) 
13. Omar - Music (5:37) 
14. Galliano - Prince Of Peace (3:59) 
15. Incognito - Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing (5:12) 

PS - I have an alternative version of this CD with a slightly tweaked tracklisting. 3 songs are different. Track 12 is 'Apparently Nothin'' rather than 'Move On', Track 13 is 'There's Nothing Like This' instead of 'Music', and 15 is 'Always There' and not 'Don't You Worry Bout A Thing'. If there's any interest I can always put that up as well. Let me know.

Download: TL2.7z | Filesize: 177MB

Nu Colours - What In The World / Greater Love - (1993)

Polydor/Wildcard, CARDD 4

Another 320kbps re-up!

I'm going to start this off with a complaint: WHAT THE HELL WERE POLYDOR/WILDCARD THINKING MAKING GREATER LOVE A B-SIDE????!?!?!?

It's got classic stamped all over it, and, if only it had been supported and marketed it could well have made a decent splash on the pop charts, and seen the band get a bit more recognition than they did. It's an incredibly strong song, it's got beautifully sung vocals, and a nice, slinky, urban groove to it courtesy of producers par excellence Ethnic Boyz.

I honestly believe this is one of the UK's finest soul moments.

Not that there's anything wrong with the main track, What In the World. It's a really nice guitar driven piece of soul, produced by a certain Robert Howard of The Blow Monkeys fame (thanks for the confirmation, Frank). I always loved Wait his duet with my namesake, Kym Mazelle.

There's a third track (fourth, if you count the Greater Love Remix - more on that in a moment) called Want Your Love 2 B Mine, which is a perfectly decent backup track, but with such a good main track in What In The World, and an even better one as the "B-Side", if you will, in the shape of Greater Love, it's easily forgotten.

As mentioned, there's also an Ethnic Boyz remix of Greater Love, which is odd really, as they produced the original version, and it's fairly similar, just a touch more dubby. I prefer the original, but it's nice to have for completions sake.

So there you have it, one of my all-time favourite tracks, as a bloody B-Side! Amazing.

- Kymba :)

Tracklist

1. What In the World 
2. Greater Love 
3. Greater Love (Ethnic Boyz Remix) 
4. Want Your Love 2 B Mine 

Download: NC-WITW-GL.7z File size: 38.1 MB

Nu Colours - What In The World / Greater Love - (1993)

Polydor/Wildcard, CARDD 4

Another 320kbps re-up!

I'm going to start this off with a complaint: WHAT THE HELL WERE POLYDOR/WILDCARD THINKING MAKING GREATER LOVE A B-SIDE????!?!?!?

It's got classic stamped all over it, and, if only it had been supported and marketed it could well have made a decent splash on the pop charts, and seen the band get a bit more recognition than they did. It's an incredibly strong song, it's got beautifully sung vocals, and a nice, slinky, urban groove to it courtesy of producers par excellence Ethnic Boyz.

I honestly believe this is one of the UK's finest soul moments.

Not that there's anything wrong with the main track, What In the World. It's a really nice guitar driven piece of soul, produced by a certain Robert Howard of The Blow Monkeys fame (thanks for the confirmation, Frank). I always loved Wait his duet with my namesake, Kym Mazelle.

There's a third track (fourth, if you count the Greater Love Remix - more on that in a moment) called Want Your Love 2 B Mine, which is a perfectly decent backup track, but with such a good main track in What In The World, and an even better one as the "B-Side", if you will, in the shape of Greater Love, it's easily forgotten.

As mentioned, there's also an Ethnic Boyz remix of Greater Love, which is odd really, as they produced the original version, and it's fairly similar, just a touch more dubby. I prefer the original, but it's nice to have for completions sake.

So there you have it, one of my all-time favourite tracks, as a bloody B-Side! Amazing.

- Kymba :)

Tracklist

1. What In the World 
2. Greater Love 
3. Greater Love (Ethnic Boyz Remix) 
4. Want Your Love 2 B Mine 

Download: NC-WITW-GL.7z File size: 38.1 MB