Soul II Soul - Just Right 1992

Ten Records TENDG 410

Jazzie B's voice was a driving force behind the early Soul II Soul sound. With his unique accent and smoky vocals he was able to incorporate a reggae influence reflecting the sound system roots, His unique brand of soft rap was very poetic that meshed well with the dance music but he also looked forward and strived to remain original.

"As soon as people think they have deciphered the entire Soul II Soul vibe, my goal is to add something unexpected,"
Jazzie B

Before the release of Volume III: Just Right in 1992, Nellee Hooper left the group to pursue a career as a producer. The third album reflected some other changes too, SIIS introduced the use of male vocalists for the first time, Kofi, and Richie Stephens share vocal duties with Caron Wheeler. This single features the title track from the album featuring UK soul legend Rick Clarke on vocals. Jazzie B also takes the lead on Intelligence and on this release, works well with Gang Starr's Guru on the Jazzie II Guru Mix remixed by DJ Premier. The 9 am Mix, by the Funki Dreds, is a pretty cool 8 minute plus affair which starts of as a nice vocal bubbler then breaks down into an old school dub plate. Nice!

If It's Teaching That You Need
Then I Hope That You Can See
Time Is Not A Shadow
If You Can Stand The Test Of Time
Then I Hope That You Can Find
The Truth That You've Been Searching For
Make Everything Just Right

There Will Always Be A Fountain
As Big As A Mountain
Where The Flow Of Love Will Grow
Just To Capture All This Pleasure
As Much As You Can Measure
Will Take Something To Know

Make Everything Just Right
Make Everything Alright
Make Everything Just Right

Bridge Is Not A Shadow
Keep It Up
You Got To Keep It On
Keep It On The Ground
Move On Keep On Moving
Jazzie B Groove On
Jazzie

The Vibes Alive On Which We Thrive
Doctor Fish Is Our Favourite Dish
Which Rely On To Be Strong
Just To Carry On Doing What
We Do Best I Guess Just To Keep
Rick In Check And Make Sure You
Watch Every Step You Take
To Make Everything All Right
Like A Peaceful World In The Sunlight

Now If You Put Your Hands In Mine
We'll Stand The Test Of Time
And You Know Our Love Will Grow
Just Like The Hands Of Time
Our Love Will Always Shine
Shine On Through The Night
Just Right

• Just Right (Club Mix)
• Just Right (Jinx Mix)
• Intelligence (9 am)
• Intelligence (Jazzie II Guru Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SIIS Just Right.rar Filesize: 35.89 MB

Caron Wheeler - Livin' In The Light 1990

RCA Records PT 43940

Caron Wheeler came to fame by writing and singing the two biggest hits for Soul II Soul (Keep On Movin' and Back to Life). Prior to SIIS she had sung backing vocals for Elvis Costello in 1983, Howard Jones in 1985, Erasure in 1988 and sang on records by Madness and Dexy's Midnight Runners, among others..

After her success with Soul II Soul, Wheeler embarked on a solo career, and released two albums: UK Blak (1990) and Beach of the War Goddess (1993). Her biggest solo success single is Livin' In The Light from her first solo album, which reached the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart. Other singles include Blue (Is The Colour Of Pain) & I Adore You. Wheeler's only other solo Top 40 hit single was the title track from UK Blak. She also featured with Soul II Soul on the soundtrack to the Angela Bassett movie, How Stella Got Her Groove Back in 1998.

• Brixton Bass Mix
• Meewonjammin'
• The Original Story
• 7"

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Caron - Light.rar Filesize: 38.63 MB

Soul II Soul - Pleasure Dome 1997

Island Records CID 669/572 089-2

It also includes a Dream Team Mix but they spelt it differently (red tape apparently). Of course, the UK Crew will probably be well aware that the UK Garage explosion was in full effect by this time. A year earlier, Booker T remixed SIIS's 1988 Keep On Movin' for the Garage dancefloor, to full effect and here they used tried and tested Booker T again, the current favs Karl 'Tuff Enuff' Brown & Matt 'Jam' Lamont and finally the latest talent, DJ Spoony, Mikee B & Timmi Magic of the Dreem Teem.

This number, written by Beresford 'Jazzie B' Romeo and engineered by Lee Hamblin, features the vocal talents of Ray (Crazy Pictures) Simpson and that alone makes it worth a listen. The Album Version is an excellent example of classic Soul II Soul but the dancefloor didn't want slow shuffle anymore so it went to waste.

Time to put on your disco shoes, if your pacemaker's up to the challenge. Booker T revs up the BPM and turns it into a full vocal soulful house stomper. Superbly done considering the pace versus the vocal delivery, I love it. Next up, Tuff Jam. This is typical of the era. Vocal sample repeating over their UVM beat which worked the floors across the country but there ain't no soul. Dreem Teem turn out a similar effort, nothing wrong here as long as your looking for Garage and not Soul. Lastly, the Booker T Dub which absolutely tore up the 4x4 Garage events everywhere. It still does coz ain't nobody making quality UK Garage anymore. This has a serious groove and still retains a bit of that soul too?

• Album Mix
• Radio Edit
• Booker T Mix
• Tuff Jam's UVM Mix
• Dream Team Mix II
• Booker T Dub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SIIS Pleasure Dome.rar Filesize: 52.48 MB

Soul II Soul - A Dreams A Dream 1990

Ten Records TENX300

"A Happy face a Thumping bass for a Lovin’ race." Soul II Soul appeared at the end of the 1980s from London. The group started out as a sound system, playing records at house and street parties. Known locally as the Funki Dreds, they opened a shop in Camden, North London that supplied, not only clothes, a whole Funki Dred culture.

Their sophomore set, Vol. II: 1990 - A New Decade, yielded the hits Get A Life and A Dream's A Dream, the latter featuring operatic vocals by Victoria Wilson-James but scored their lowest chart position since the group broke through in 1988. The B-side features the jazz saxophone of a up and coming Courtney Pine.

• A Dreams A Dream (A Night At The Opera Mix)
• A Dreams A Dream (Club Dub)
• Courtney Blows

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SIIS Dreams.rar Filesize: 31.94 MB

Soul II Soul - Keep On Movin' 1989

Ten Records TENX 263

Soul II Soul's nucleus centered around Jazzie B (Beresford Romeo, founder, singer and vocal dialogue) Nellee Hooper (producer, mixer & arranger) and Philip 'Daddae' Harvey (instrumentalist).

Featuring an ever-changing collective Soul II Soul were one of the most successful soulful exports from the U.K. during the late Eighties and early Nineties. Originally, an umbrella for several of the operations of founder Jazzie B. including sound systems, gig's and the group itself. They also held a number of warehouse events, including, the Paddington Dome, London, where Jazzie B met Nellee Hooper and he became part of 'the family'.

Soul II Soul took up a residency at Covent Garden's Africa Centre before signing to Virgin Records' subsidiary Ten Records. Following the release of two singles, Fairplay (featuring Rose Windross) and Feel Free (featuring Do'reen a.k.a. Doreen Waddell), the band's profile grew with the aid of fashion T-shirts, two shops and Jazzie B's slot on the then pirate Kiss-FM radio station.

The third single Keep On Movin' featuring  Caron Wheeler, reached number 5 in the U.K. charts and set the scene for further success. The follow-up, Back To Life (However Do You Want Me), also featuring Caron Wheeler, was their most successful and was taken from their debut album Club Classics Volume One.

Caron Wheeler pursued her own solo career, however, the groups integrity was maintained by their records success in the U.S. clubs. These songs set the tone for early 90s mainstream dance music in the UK. In October 2004 "Keep on Movin" appeared in popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on its R&B, Soul radio station CSR 103.9.

• Club Mix
• Big Beat Accapella
• Pianopella
• Instrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SIIS Movin.rar Filesize: 32.92 MB