Big One Records – V V BIG 29 CD
Version excursion!
So, Mick posted up the re-release CDS a few years ago, and, as I had it too, I've re-upped it in 320 quality. This, however, is the original mixes CDS.
I won't repeat everything Mick already wrote in his comprehensive write-up for the re-release, so this will be a quick 'n' dirty post.
I fell in love with this track from the very first time I heard it. Errol Reid's sweet vocals paired so well with the great reggae production from Simon Fung & Longsy D. It's such a wicked tune, and it did serious damage on the Reggae charts where it stayed at number one for what felt like forever! I remember listening to Rodigan on Kiss back in the day thinking "my boys have done it again!". For more info, check out Mick's original post linked above.
You really need no remixes of this classic, and nothing on this CD or the re-release can touch the original... but out of all the mixes on either release, the Soft Soul remix on this CD is the pick of the bunch as far as I'm concerned.
Anyone else agree?
Tracklist
- Searching (Reggae)
- Searching (Original Soul)
- Searching (Dub)
- Searching (Club Soul)
- Searching (Soft Soul)
Download: CB-S-WC.7z | Filesize: 45.4MB
Wild Card Records CARDD7
320kbps re-up!!
China Black were comprised of Errol Reid and Simon Fung. The group first released the song Searching in 1992 which stayed in the reggae chart for 12 weeks at number one and went top 5 in the R&B chart. Unfortunately, their indie record label went bankrupt and the track failed to chart in the UK Top 20. It was re-issued in the summer of 1994, when pop-reggae became the new trend in the British charts and this time made it to number four, selling 350,000 copies in the process.
Although they had good results with other singles (namely Stars) nothing came close to the success of Searching. The Original Mix by Longsy D, a.k.a. Andrew Alexander Long is the most authentic, bearing in mind the track is by nature, written as a reggae song, but the *Mykaell S. Riley Mix is, hands down, the most commercially accessible. The Ronin Mix tries, with some success, for the RnB style and Heavy Tactic go for the Dubby Trip Hop route. A song this infectious is hard to spoil but Full Force (Peter DiOrio not Bowlegged Lou) have a good go.
Birmingham born Errol Reid, has enjoyed a successful career in the music industry. Errol started singing at school and has since written for many well known artists. During his career he has appeared on many TV shows like BBC TV Children in Need, Princess Diana's Concert of Hope and many many more. During his time with China Black he toured all the major arenas of the world and sung duets with Robin Gibb on his world tour and also the late Barry White. Simon Fung turned his attention to songwriting, signing to Peermusic (one of the biggest independent publishers in the world) and working with various producers, writers and artists, such as Blue, Atomic Kitten and Natasha Bedingfield whilst also setting up his own record label as well as TV and film work.
Tracklist
- Searching (Mykaell S. Riley Mix)
- Searching (Original Longsy D Mix)
- Searching (Ronin Mix)
- Searching (Full Force Mix)
- Searching (Heavy Tactic Mix)
Download: CB-S-BO.7z Filesize: 49.3 MB
*Trivia:
Mykaell S. Riley has worked for artists such as Soul II Soul, Courtney Pine and a host of others. He began with Steel Pulse before moving on to found the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. His career spans over twenty years, during which he has performed, produced, managed and consulted on many artists and their projects. As a professional writer/producer, his work encompasses TV, Film and Theatre, but mainly albums, over thirty of them - resulting in over nine top twenty positions, and three number ones. A Senior Lecturer in Music Production at the University of Westminster, Mykaell is also Senior Trustee for the Black Music Education Trust, a new initiative borne out of the need to document the history of black music.
