Don-E - Fakin' The Funk - UKCDS - (1995)

4th & Broadway BRCD 290

320 RE-UP! Originally posted by Mickey P 13/07/2008

Mick says: After the hype, the success and the mistake, Don-E slipped away to produce his sophomore set. His return was greeted with a lot less fuss, many people have likely not heard of Changing Seasons, the album was certainly nowhere near as successful as Unbreakable. 

This was, I believe, the first single released before the album was released (but don't quote me) and Dodge from Dodge City Productions was called in for remix duty. The Soul Inside Mix gives a different slant to what is already a fair track but it don't raise it to essential. 

It is still a release worth having though and a promise of better to come.

Kymba says: I personally think Don-E gets better with age and his Try This album is near flawless. 

Back on track, this a wicked release. every track is good but Dodge's Soul Inside mix is the pick for me. There were also a set of "Crooklyn Dodge" mixes that I haven't got and would love to hear, if anyone out there has them?

Tracklist

1. Fakin' The Funk (Album Edit)
2. Fakin' The Funk (Soul Inside Mix)
3. Fakin' The Funk (Fakin' It Mix)
4. Tonight 

Discogs page 

Download: D-E-FTF.7z | Filesize: 46.2MB

Seanie T - S.O.S. - UK 12" - (2001)

Ill Flava Records – HGST001

Sean Theobalds aka Seanie T (also going by the name of Amedis), is a UK Hip Hop/Ragga emcee from South East London. He is also founder and head of Dark Horizon Rekordz, a UK hip hop label.

He was also in The Blacknificent Seven, a UK Hip Hop group featuring Estelle, Rodney P, Roots Manuva, Karl Hinds and more, but they only seemed active 2005 throuogh 2006.

S.O.S. (standing for Same Ol' Sean) is a straight banga produced by Amedis and Taipanic aka Tony Rotten from Black Twang, and features some nice backing vocals on the chorus courtesy of Blak Twang himself, Roots Manuva, Big Ted and our very own Karl Hinds.

Unfortunately never released on CD, this 12 is backed with a track called the Formidable, and there is an instrumental of both cuts, which may please you mixologists. Sadly there is no acapella, though.

Apologies for the audio quality, I'm not best placed to rip from vinyl any more. If anyone has a better rip they'd like to contribute I'd be happy to replace! (I also no longer work at the place with the A3 scanner so had to list the images from Discogs lol).

Enjoy this UKHH gem.

Tracklist

1. S.O.S. (Radio Edit) (Featuring Big Ted, Blak Twang, Karl Hinds, Roots Manuva)
2. S.O.S. (Instrumental)
3. The Formidable
4. The Formidable (Instrumental)

Discogs page

Download: ST-SOS.7z | Filesize: 42.6MB

Don-E - Peace In The World - UK CDS - (1992)

4th & Broadway – BRCD 256, 4th & Broadway – 864 091-2

I won't waste any time covering who Don-E is or what he means to me or the wider UK soul scene as that good stuff can all be found on previous write-ups by myself or Mick elsewhere on this blog.

Peace In The World is a beautiful, summery track and there isn't a bad version here.

The Urban Mix and Badboy Submix are my favourites, although if pushed, I'd probably go for the slightly more basic Badboy Submix. It's largely, vocals, beats and bassline, with minimal extra instrumentation, and song song really shines through (and that b-line is kinda nice, you know).

Again, 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.

Tracklist

1. Peace In The World (Radio Mix)
2. Peace In The World (Urban Mix)
3. Peace In The World (Badboy Submix)
4. Skip To My Lou

Discogs page

Download: D-E-PITW.7z | Filesize: 39.8MB

Don-E - Oh My Gosh - UK CDS - (1992)

4th & Broadway – BRCD 260, PolyGram – 864 829-2

Don-E has been well documented on here so I'll keep this relatively short. As many of you know, he is a true UK icon and should be regarded alongside Omar as one of our greatest.

As far as I know, Oh My Gosh was Don-E's first release, so maybe I should've posted this first? :)

While it isn't his best ever work, it is a confident, nicely done mid-tempo joint and is well worth having in your collection.

All the mixes are decent but I think the Original 7" and stripped back Thunderstorm Mix are my favourites, as they let his vocal performance shine, and so edge it for me, but your mileage may vary, as Mick would say.

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.

Tracklist

1. Oh My Gosh (R&B Mix)
2. Oh My Gosh (Original 7" Mix)
3. Oh My Gosh (Dancehall Mix)
4. Oh My Gosh (Thunderstorm Mix)

Discogs page

Download: D_E-OMG.7z | Filesize: 36.8MB

Bassomatic - Fascinating Rhythm - UK CDS - (1990)

Virgin ‎– VSCDT1274, Virgin ‎– VSCDT 1274

Wow! I'd put money on the fact that I'd already posted this a couple of years ago or more?

It seems not. What an oversight! Still, what better day to correct that than on my birthday, right?

An absolute BANGER from 1990 courtesy of William Orbit, which relies heavily on a Harry J All-Stars Liquidator (love that track) sample. This one is a UK urban classic so don't waste any more time reading my bollocks and go download it while it is still hot.

Now the best version of this track was always the Lisa Loud Mix, criminally overlooked in favour of a shortened edit. I've taken the liberty of fixing that mistake, and you can now find both versions here.

Trainspotters note: The artist name is also written as "Bass-o-matic" on the disc artwork and "Ba$$omatic" on the spine. I've gone with the front cover and Discogs.

Tracklist

1. Fascinating Rhythm (The Loud Edit)
2. Fascinating Rhythm (Soul Odyssey Mix)
3. Fascinating Rhythm (The Blue Mix)
4. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Bass (Va Va Voom Mix)
5. Bonus - Fascinating Rhythm (The Loud Mix)

Discogs page

Download: B-FR.7z | Filesize: 50MB

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

Don-E - Love Makes The World Go Round - UK CDS - (1992)

4th & Broadway 12 BRW 242

320 Re-up! Originally posted by Mick on 16/06/2008.

I LOVE Don-E, and I view him as one of the UK's finest artists. This one is a classic and better still would follow. While you're checking this, make sure to buy all the British Collective stuff you can get your hands on. They are comprised of Don-e, Junior, Leee John, Noel McKoy, Omar and Special Guests such as Carl McKintosh and other classic UK soul voices.

Here's Micky's original write-up (and yes, Don-E is from Brixton).

Kym x

Don-E came out of South London if I remember rightly, can anybody confirm that. A multi talented young lad with a good understanding of what was happening at the time. This debut release had a huge impact on the soul & dance scene with Don-E being proclaimed as both a genius and a Stevie Wonder sound-alike. Oh well, can't please them all but I'd take that as a compliment anyway?

Personally, I think the London Mix is blinding and Mystery is a cool track too. Grab the album if you can, there are some damn good tracks on it.

 

Tracklist

1. Love Makes The World Go Round (Radio Mix)
2. Love Makes The World Go Round (Extended Club Mix)
3. Love Makes The World Go Round (London Mix)
4. Mystery

Discogs page

Download D-E-LMTWGR.7z| Filesize: 43.7MB

Million Dan ‎– Dogz N Sledgez - UK CDS - (2003)

Gut Records ‎– CDGUT52

Million Dan, actual name Michael Dunn AKA Milli D AKA Million Dappa... AKA Mike J from the legendary Demon Boyz posse. Demon Boyz came from my home town (I should say 'ends' or 'manor') of Tottenham, North London and gained massive respect for rapping with Brit accents along with Lndon Posse back when most were imitating US rappers. Members included Mike J AKA Million Dan (born in Jamaica), Demon D (Almshouse Demon) and DJ Devastate.

They won a rapping contest run by Rebel MC (also from Tottenham) aged 14-15 and were snapped up by Simon Harris and Music Of Life, where they released all their material, up til 1992 when they were on Reb's Tribal Base Recordings label..

Anyway, that was all in the late 80s-early 90s but Million Dan resurfaced in a BIG way in 2003 with the awesome Dogz N Sledgez.

Maybe this cut is a little too ruffneck for the Soul Vendor, and perhaps it doesn't truly belong here, but I love it.

The two other mixes are pretty decent but I advise you to jump straight into the Freestylers produced Original Version for some high octane bad bwoy ruffneck bizznizz.

Tracklist

1. Dogz N Sledgez (Radio Edit)
2. Dogz N Sledgez (Demolition Man Remix)
3. Dogz N Sledgez (The RMen Remix)
4. Dogz N Sledgez (Original Version)

Discogs page

Download: MD-DNS.7z | Filesize: 35.3MB

Wayne Marshall ‎– G-Spot (Ooh Aah) - UK CD1 & CD2 - (1994)

Soultown ‎– SOUL-CD0032+1, Soultown ‎– SOULCDS-32+1

You know this one had to come sooner or later, right?

G-Spot reached No. 29 on the UK singles chart in 1994, and later reached a paltry No. 50 when it was re-released in 1996 - although you couldn't put on urban radio without hearing it around the time, so chart position isn't really a reflection of the impact it had.

I don't really have much to say about this release as it speaks for itself. You'll either love it or hate it. I'm the former! ;)

I do have a nitpicky issue with it though - the naming convention is all over the place. The version on 1994's Ninety Degrees & Rising album is called Your G-Spot, it was known by just G-Spot on the radio's back in the day, the single is titled "Ooh Aah" (G Spot) and the individual track names are all over the place.

For someone who likes thing neat and orderly, it's a nightmare!!

The album version "Your G Spot" remains the best but is sadly lacking from these CD's (I've added it to this .ZIP for sake of completion for you). My pick of the bunch is the Lighter In The Air Mix with the always excellent Top Cat bringing you some rudebwoy biznizz. 

The Borehamwood Mix is a slightly remixed, slightly resung version that isn't as good, and the Back In The Day Mix again, isn't as good as the original. 

Nothing on either CD is bad per se but, as I said, just not quite as good.

CD1 Tracklist

1. "Ooh Aah" (G-Spot) (Boreham Wood Mix) (For Those Who Know)
2. "Ooh Aah" (G-Spot) (Back In The Day) (With A Little Love Mix)
3. "Ooh Aah" (G-Spot) (Lighter In The Air Mix) featuring Top Cat

Discogs page

======

Soultown ‎– SOULCDS-32+2

CD2 now and once again, while nice, these tracks just aren't as good as the original version.

Wayne kinda comes off as a UK version of R Kelly, with his sex focussed output. I mean, look at these covers. They could be stills from a porno!

This feeling is reinforced with the track Ooh La La La featuring label mate Ebony (which also features on his Censored album). The story this song puts over comes off like the whole label were simply having sex with each other all the time.

Maybe they were, I don't know, I didn't work there. :D

CD2 Tracklist

1. "Ooh Aah" (G-Spot) Boreham Wood Mix (For Those Who Know)
2. Ooh La La La featuring Ebony
3. "Ooh Aah" (G-Spot) Night Bus Gangster Mix

Discogs page

Download: WM-OAGS.7z | Filesize: 54.7MB

Al Jarreau Feat. Phife ‎Dawg – In My Music (Dodge Remixes) - (2001) / In My Music (Remixes Promo) - (2000)

Al Jarreau Feat. Phife ‎– In My Music (Dodge Remixes) - 2001

GRP ‎– 158 568-2

My second birthday gift today is a two part post for you, Vendistas.

Musical heavywieght Al Jarreau is a legendary figure within the jazz and soul worlds. 

Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and musician. He received a total of seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more. Jarreau is perhaps best known for his 1981 album Breakin' Away. He hit the mainstream in a BIG way when he did the theme tune to the 80's classic TV show Moonlighting, starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis (Now there's a blast from the past for you!), and was among the performers on the 1985 charity song "We Are the World."

He had such an expansive and influential career that I really couldn't do it justice in a single post devoted to just one song of his, so please check out his Wikipedia entry for more info.

Malik Izaak Taylor was born November 20, 1970 and sadly passed in March 22, 2016.  Known professionally as Phife Dawg (or simply Phife), Malik was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest. He was also known as the "Five-Foot Assassin" and "The Five-Footer", because he stood at just 5 feet 3 inches.

Phife formed A Tribe Called Quest, then simply named Quest, with childhood friend Q-Tip and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad (also for a short time Jarobi White) in 1985. The band would go on to have a huge affect on the Hip Hop landscape, understandably frequently cited as many peoples' favourite Hip Hop band. 

The melodic Mix is nice, but I would suggest jumping into Dodge's Main mix immediately, as it's my favourite. They're both an upgrade over the original, although that one is great in its own right... but you know how I feel about my man Dodge!

Tracklist

1. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix Radio Edit)
2. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix)
3. In My Music (Melodic Mix)
4. In My Music (Original Album Version)

Discogs page

Download: AJ-IMM-CDS.7z | Filesize: 40.7MB

===================================

Al Jarreau Feat. Phife ‎– In My Music (Dodge Remixes) - Original Promo - 2000

Verve Records ‎– VERR-01049-2

And because I love you, here is the UK promo release on Verve Records from a year before.

It's 7 tracks with three variations on the Dodge Main Mix as well as three variations of the Melodic Mix, all topped off with the original album mix.

This is a good one for mixologists but it'd be nice if they'd put an acapella on there!

Thanks for your amazing music, Al! xx

Peace & luvizm, people!

Tracklist

1. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix)
2. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix Radio Edit)
3. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix Instrumental)
4. In My Music (Melodic Mix)
5. In My Music (Melodic Mix Radio Edit)
6. In My Music (Melodic Mix Instrumental)
7. In My Music (Album Version)

Discogs page

Download: AJ-IMM-P.7z | Filesize: 67.9MB

Shy FX & T-Power - Feelings - UK CDS - (2005)

Digital Soundboy Recording Co. ‎– SBOY001CDS

Before I start I just need to say how much I adore the art on this!

Anyway...

Maybe I am pushing the boundaries of what The Soul Vendor should be about with this and the previous cut, but at least I have the excuse of the Incognito Mix (just as I had the Venus Tribe excuse last time) which is as dope as you'd imagine, given their pedigree.

I grew up on Hip Hop, Soul and later Drum & Bass (in my raving days). Shy FX and T Power are both legendary in their own rights as producers on the D&B scene, but together they were spectacular! Check classics such as Shake Ur Body and this track, Feelings. They put out two fantastic albums and served up a bunch of wicked cuts for the raving crew.

This track is one that even non D&B fans will ask... 'What's that one song that goes "Yeah yeah yeah yeah" - I like that one!'. It even blew up to the degree that it surfaced above D&B only radio and was featured on many urban music stations.

And then there's the Incognito remix. Long term followers of this blog know that Incognito would be our house band, if that were possible. Here they bring a cool, summery downtempo vibe, and, amazingly for a track with a simple single vocal phrase, they work their magic and turn it into a full vocal affair.

Now, I won't judge you for not liking the original (even though you'd be wrong), as Drum & Bass isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you talk smack about the Incognito version you can take your ass back outside. ;)

Discogs page

Tracklist

1. Feelings (Radio Edit)
2. Feelings
3. Feelings (Incognito Mix)

Download: SFX+TP-F.7z | Filesize: 35.4MB

Venus Tribe - Slow Down - (2002)

So Urban Records - 673192 2

Re-Upping this classic piece of UK R&B

Any track produced by Dodge will automatically carry the Soul Vendor seal of approval, as the man really can do no wrong, and Slow Down is a perfect example of this.

A really cool slice of UK R&B soul released in 2002, this should have made more of an impact than it did. I dig the cheeky lil' Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians sample, evoking brand Nubians' classic Slow Down (see Love Thang by Intro for a different sample from that track).

Vocals are on point and courtesy of Dianne Joseph ("Di"), formerly of the UK R&B group Truce, who also supplied the excellent vocals for Drum & Bass dance-floor destroyer Shake Ur Body (the single release of which also carried a Venus Tribe mix which turned it from D&B to R&B - and which I posed on here a few days ago).

The Original Mix is such a classic that it is hard to look beyond it, but Tash (from one of my favourite West Coast Hip-Hop groups Tha Alkaholiks) brings his trademark flow to the w/Rap version, for two verses, which is otherwise the same.

The script gets flipped on the Bigshot Radio Mix, which is a full vocal UK Garage track with a nice enough vibe and decent bassline, if that's your thang.

However, there will be no prizes for guessing where my preference lays. Original styley!

In Dodge we trust.

Peace and luvizm x

Tracklist

1. Slow Down (Original mix) 
2. Slow Down (Original w/Rap Feat. Tash from Tha Liks) 
3. Slow Down (Bigshot Radio Mix) 
4. Slow Down (Vox) - BONUS alternate cut taken from Street Beats Vol 12 Series 4

Download : VT-SD.7z Filesize: 41.060MB

Shy FX & T Power - Shake Ur Body - UK CDS - (2002)

Positiva ‎– CDTIV 171, Positiva ‎– 7243 5 50693 0 6

I love it when my underground music blows up into the mainstream and enjoys some well deserved success - and here is a great example of just that that.

Shy FX and T Power are both legendary in their own rights as producers on the Drum & Bass scene, but together they were spectacular! They dropped classics such as this track and later, Feelings, which is to follow. They put out two fantastic albums and served up a bunch of wicked cuts for the raving crew.

Featuring the fabulous vocals of the hugely talented Dianne Joseph (Truce, Venus Tribe), and a nice latin inspired groove, they knocked this one out of the park.

I always lean more into the full length versions rather than radio edits, so I'd say jump right into the Original Mix.

However, if you're not feeling Drum & Bass, there is a UK Garage mix courtesy of Sunship (AKA Ceri  Evans from The Brand New Heavies), and, even better, The DJ Dodge produced Venus Tribe Mix (Di also supplied the sublime vocals for the Venus Tribe project), bringing you some tasty R&B vibes.

Tracklist

1. Shake Ur Body (Radio Edit)
2. Shake Ur Body (Original Mix)
3. Shake Ur Body (Sunship Vocal Mix)
4. Shake Ur Body (Venus Tribe Mix)

Discogs page

Download: SFXTP-SUB.7z | Filesize: 38.2MB

Mica Paris - My One Temptation - UK Mini CDS - (1988)

4th & Broadway ‎– BRCDP 85

Mica Paris (born Michelle Wallen on 27 April 1969 in South London) is an English soul singer, radio, television celeb, occasional actress and author who has featured here on The Soul Vendor many times - and this post continues that trend.

My One Temptation was Mica's debut track, and what an assured, cool debut it was, setting the tone for a career that's lasted over three decades now. A bona fide classic in every way, and still sounds great.

The Radio Mix is the classic best known version, but the Club Mix followed by Lee's Fave Bits are well worth your time if you like the original.

Rock together is a nice track but the title track is the one.

Enjoy!

Tracklist

1. My One Temptation (Club Mix)
2. My One Temptation (Radio Mix)
3. My One Temptation (Lee's Fave Bits)
4. Rock Together

Discogs page

Download: MP-MOT.7z | Filesize: 39.7MB