Soul II Soul ‎– Represent (1997)

Island Records, CID668/572087-2

Wow, this CD has an awful cover! No offence, skin-head man... you could be a lovely guy in real life I guess. Luckily the contents are all that and a fat bag o' chips!

So this is another great track from UK heavyweights Soul II Soul, this time featuring the excellent Paul Johnson, who had already made waves on the UK soul scene with the Dodge produced If We Lose Our Way, a track I never managed to get hold of outside of a compilation CD, but would dearly love. *hint hint*

Represent was a fine tune on a very good album. It's chilled and cool, typifying the sound of Soul II Soul, and this version gets two airings here with the Album and Radio Mix.

I actually err on the side of the remixes here though, preferring the more hiphop tinged Full Crew Mix  which turns it into a true banga which I love, and, for the dancefloors, the breakbeat-tastic and oh-so-funky Katt Mix which is in a UK Garage styley.

Having said that, the album/radio versions are really nice, plus there's a Soul Inside mix from our boy Dodge, and you know that man never disappoints.

This is a very rare instance though where I prefer another remix over a Dodge one. That might be the sign of the end times.

Big up Full Crew!

- Kym x

Tracklist

1. Represent (Album mix)
2. Represent (Radio Edit)
3. Represent (Katt Mix)
4. Represent (Soul Inside Reworked Rep Mix)
5. Represent (Full Crew Mix)

Download: SIIS-R.7z | Filesize: 58MB

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

Alyson Williams - I Need Your Lovin' - (1989)

Def Jam Recordings ‎– 655143 2

Mick posted the 12" back in the day, but I have the CDS in all its 320 glory right here.

I won't rewrite the whole thing as he posted a lot of great info in his review so go peep the link above for more info on Alyson. 

The only difference between the two releases is this one contains a 7" edit of I Need your Lovin', wheras the 12" featured another track Make You Mine Tonight. Criminal really that this CD single is missing that - would it have hurt to have had four tracks? Ah well, them's the breaks!

I loved this track back then in '89 and still do. Jazzie B and Nellee Hooper as Soul II Soul were absolutely on fire at the time and bring their trademark UK street soul vibe to the track, really improving on the original. Dare I say it's the definitive version?

A small gripe though - I could never work out why it wasn't called Soul II Soul Mix rather than the vague names we got. Weird.

Anyway, enjoy this wicked lil' sexy ass tune. 

See you next time, soulistas!

Tracklist

1. I Need Your Lovin' (7" Remix)
2. I Need Your Lovin' (Extended Remix)
3. My Love Is So Raw (Album Raw Mix)

Download: AW-INYL.7z | Filesize: 33.9MB

Courtney Buchanan - R U Conscious 1993

Conscious Records MCSTD 1792

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.

• Chapter One (Hip Hop Edit)
• Chapter One (Full Hip Hop Mix)
• Chapter Two (Ragga Mix)
• Chapter Three (Album Version)
• Chapter Four (Soul Mix)
• Final Chapter (Instrumental)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Courtney Buchanan.rar Filesize: 41.52 MB

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

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