late 80s/early 90s uk streetsoul (bass and breakbeats and r&b vocals)

through the wonder of Youtube and its recommendations algorithm this is all I seem to ever listen to these days. Everybody knows Soul II Soul and Massive Attack but it was this recent reissue of Bovel's "Check 4 U" that really switched me on to this stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyi2pqXDp30

there's a whole ocean out there of stuff like this: thick house basslines, slowed-down breakbeat grooves, unpolished soul divas with the sweetness of lovers rock reggae. Some of it is cheap and easy to find through the usual channels, some of it seems rare and prohibitively expensive. It's the story of Smith & Mighty and The Wild Bunch, but also all the anonymous and forgotten 12" singles and overpriced Discogs compilations that were bigger in Manchester than in London. This stuff was being released when I was barely a toddler so I have no sense of it as a "scene" or how it figured in club culture but I know that I like a lot of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhETbyU8wo0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzsrBaRoiL8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgPkq1780vo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWqp3C0hFg0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppKK42zKRo0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVfenMeCTR0

thinking of it as a reaction to US r&b, not so much an imitation but a distinctly British take on styles, and seemingly undergoing a resurgence if you're reading the same articles and listening to the same radio shows as I am

so, this is a thread to post your own recommendations and so forth

garden of life is GOAT

Hard to find 12"s in this genre have been getting reissued a lot lately, which is likely where the chatter / airplay is coming from. Be With records maybe?

This has a big overlap with what was labeled ‘acid jazz’, no?

Yeah, does Jhelisa count? Friendly Pressure sounds like these songs to me.

https://youtu.be/YAMtlnvJeo4

Deluxe - I've got a feeling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHBPpDfojg0

I love this sound. Check:

Alison Williams - I Need Your Lovin'

Fresh Four - Wishing on a Star

The Chimes - 1-2-3 (UK Raw Mix) / Heaven / I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Beats International - Dub Be Good To Me (Smith & Mighty Remix)

Diana Brown & Barrie K Sharpe – Blind Faith (Brixton Bass Mix)

There's also a lot of stuff that feels like it fits even though it's not from the UK, such as The Family Stand's "Ghetto Heaven" (which also and appropriately got an amazing remix from Soul II Soul).

i like this stuff too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUpP_a8vAjA

i guess i know more about the acid jazzier end of the spectrum, which tends toward a more polished sound

i'd never heard that bovel track, it is pretty incredible and i'd love to hear more stripped down tracks like that

Innocence - Natural thing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHSPzry7cH8

Fresh 4 feat. Lizz-E • Wishing On A Star

Smith & Mighty DJ Kicks is U&K

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UCIxA2qpKg

Ah, Tim F already mentioned the Fresh 4 track. (Alyson Williams was/is a US singer, btw)

Love the Bô’vel track, don’t remember ever having heard it before. Is there an actual Dennis Bovell connection or is the name a homage to “Silly Games”/UK lovers rock?

Yeah I should have specified with the Williams that I meant the extended version produced by Soul II Soul.

I manage to seperate this stuff from acid jazz in my mind purely by how this stuff uses minimalism and bottom-end - to me, acid jazz is radio-friendly and home-listening whereas this is much more club-functioning. There is a lot of crossover and I can imagine this stuff was played alongside acid jazz and post-disco 80s boogie but there's a distinct sonic framework to this stuff that excites me more.

I have no idea about who Bovel is or where the name comes from, I'm not sure I even want or need to, really

Loafs of good recs here though! I didnt know S&M had done a DJ Kicks.

In terms of US stuff that fits I have a huge soft spot for Chante Moore's "Love's Taken Over"

https://youtu.be/wH39-zajFtE

A lot of this stuff, other than the obvious, seems to have been written out of history a bit, perhaps because there was so much else going on at the time, so this is a real blind spot for me. Looking forward to digging through this thread.

People quickly realized the instrumentals were better than the vocals and Trip Hop got the fame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG8BVCCjTOw

Jill Francis - Make Love To Me (Gangster Mix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1-GrHZSCbo

Irini ‎– 24/7 Love

Love that Jill Francis!

People quickly realized the instrumentals were better than the vocals and Trip Hop got the fame

This is probably true except for me the vocals are what take a lot of this stuff from enjoyable to excellent.

https://www.discogs.com/Various-Choice-FMs-UK-Pressure-Vol-1/master/359554

This compilation I snagged for cheap recently is good, has both of NickB's selections, but everything on it has been edited down from a full-length mix.

oh i didn't know about that comp, looks like a good launchpad for further investigations

i knew about the bovel cos they've been hammering it on nts

sorry that the sound on that irini YT is so fucked, it's a good one though

maybe a precursor for this sort of thing is mantronix's productions for joyce sims?

that stuff was 1987-ish i think

or Sly & Robbie producing Gwen Guthrie with Seventh Heaven, which came up in a mix I was listening to earlier, would be another good precursor

just an excuse to post that fantastic track really

ok lol turns out the one i posted is american too

I would be remiss in not mentioning Carlton's album 'The Call Is Strong' from 1990, produced by Smith & Mighty, which I consider the overlooked pinnacle of this sound. One of my great music tragedies is losing my copy of this.

Also "Any Love", the early Massive Attack single with Carlton on vocals and S&M on co-production, fits in this thread in a way their subsequent work doesn't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDZM4xXy17I

Rosaline Joyce - I Will Never Be Your Lover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcQTOQIlKHY

Fresh Cut ft Ann Cain - Don't Rush (Remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=yiWghyFnasU

FM Inc. Call Me Anytime .. Dub is good too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCngWcH0GAg

Joanna Law / Soul 2 Soul connection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzftzlfi36U

... meant to post another Sarah Winton but the whole LP is top notch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh2tFYgiIuU

Dazzle - Dazzle You. (Haul & Pull Up mix) 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPMyV7SOgxk

Fifth Of Heaven - Just A Little More

https://youtu.be/KaA7kt5DLLE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zGXKBRT1gk

Carla Thomas - Things Ya Make Me Do (Summer Remix) (1994)

big tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVBTrudXcs8

Rick Clarke - Perfect Lady

don't think the importance of these guys can be overstated...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdKdnCSeJwQ
Loose Ends - Slow Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5rqP8QTAbU
Loose Ends - Don't Be A Fool

^ when I saw this thread Loose Ends came to mind immediately but I couldn't remember any of their songs so wasn't sure if I was on the right track

I've got a Fresh Four 12", not mentioned yet it's this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIF7HFEYYXY

(nearly, the 12" I've got is the Smith & Mighty remix, not the version in the youtube)

Diane Charlemagne should get a mention. Cool Down Zone ‎– Lonely Hearts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgIZJnMSjqY

when I saw this thread Loose Ends came to mind immediately but I couldn't remember any of their songs so wasn't sure if I was on the right track

Hanging On A String is the obvious one and that exact same drum pattern appears in about half the clips i posted above tbh

thanks for posting these Herb. I started buying UK Soul 12's and comps from 1992 onwards so missed some of the earlier ones. Occaisional trips to Unity and Blackmarket records armed with lists from Blues and Soul magazines and scraps from Kiss FM.

Bygraves - Do the Right Thing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lwt1qzypBQ

When I first saw this thread the first thing that came to mind was Sweet Harmony by Liquid, but the more I listen to these the more I feel like it marks the end of this subgengre, so not what you're looking for at all. Is that right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo4B8uo55nU

Everis - Love Has Arrived

:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdJlJh6zWOs

^ Did this ever get posted here? Probably not, because it really isn't very street at all tbh, but it is an absolute jam. Classic late 80s wine bar vibe, should be on a million comps but i've never even been able to find a decent rip of it. what a song though

I love when NickB bumps this thread <3

this bangs and is only buttons on the cogs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0_iA97Asps

Angels And Images – Hold Me Tight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi10mI0RTqc

Shades of Rhythm going streetsoul in 1988

This is one of my best finds, but the video here seems pitched down a little compared to my 12"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWJZ87gzdVU

Or maybe this more boogie? Too early?

nice find, sounds a bit like 52nd Street

tbh it was the similarity with 52nd st that led me to post that one, but playing much of the other videos here it's a little out of sync

Oddly, the b side is Lovers Rock and it seems from discogs that their earlier single is too

yeah was looking at their discogs, they do seem to be coming from a lovers/reggae background. producer was mark lusardi (linda's brother!) who worked on loads of reggae things and was also in jah wobble's band for a while. you can actually hear kind of a reggae bassline in the tune you posted, wonder if they tried it out as a straight reggae number first and then thought fuck it, lets get the synths in!

If I ever start a cult our mission statement will be "fuck it, let's get the synths in"

not exactly sure where to put this Mr. Ho track I’ve been obsessed with recently. The beat seems really streetsoul-y to me and it’s got reggae vocal samples so idk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg2repuHhOo

it's such a good track. the beat is of course the soul ii soul beat aka the ashley's roachclip break.

Gold In The Shade reissue coming out on Heels & Souls:

https://heelsandsouls.bandcamp.com/album/over-you-shining-through-hsrec004

cheers for the heels and souls link — lot of other great stuff to look into there!

nothing to add, just another quick thank you for this thread. feel like i owe you guys money or something for all the jams. also lol "simple solution" is tagged with artist name J DILLA on spotify. even with my novice experience, that makes my inner librarian feel physical pain.

Ashaye - Dreaming (Jungle Mix)

― the creator has a mazda van (NickB), Friday, September 27, 2019 3:50 PM

according to my last.fm-
first listen was 1 april 2022 11:33pm and have registered 62 plays total. probably one of my favorite song discoveries of the past several years.

thread delivers once again.

big up all the sunshine crew

amazing song, no doubt about it

hardly on the same level, but have been enjoying this one a lot, even though the bass sounds like pure mud:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAiqInbHmJI

Yolanda Warrington - Is This Love

this is pure beauty:

https://deathisnot.bandcamp.com/album/all-bad-boy-all-good-girl-manchester-street-soul-soundtapes-1988-1996

this is fantastic. thank you. DINTE always hits

That label totally rules

flair's "chasin' the rain" getting a reissue via heels & souls:

https://www.phonicarecords.com/product/view/189158?mc_cid=987253cda0&mc_eid=f1ee688a08

fantastic news! absolute bliss tune

did i ever post this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LzotzSlNFk
Julianne - I've Been There

(there is a remix with a breakbeat but it's a bit on the busy side imo)

New comp coming out on AOTN:

https://aotns.bandcamp.com/album/just-a-touch-pre-order

tracklist:

Bovel - "Coming Back"
Sam - "Life" (club mix)
Marcelle Moncrieffe - "Take Me There"
Kofi - "Step By Step"
Pure Silk - "What You Do For Me"
Jenny B - "Sexy Eyes"
Sonja Ryshard - "Step Back"
Cavalier - "Don't Touch"
Purely Fizzycal - "Straight To The Top"
Dennis Planter - "I Still Dream Of You"
Taffy - "Passion"
Weekend In Paris - "Hold Your Head Up"

...which handily crosses off a whole bunch of things on my wantlist.

The Taffy one is great (and yes, it's *that* Taffy!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFiOrrjB68Q

AOTN killing it as per

hi.💙

thank you to nick and bj and donna and everyone who posts in here. i lurk frequently and sometimes feel like a spongey poseur type for just taking all this wisdom and smiling to myself for hours on end. threads like this are a public service and we are indebted. this is me bowing down.

i wanted to make a post with some sidebar relevance to the main theme here. am sorry if this is not a good place for this post. please redirect if so.

lately, we've been digging into what i would relate as a kind of contemporary equivalent to the main topic of discussion here... kind of dub/step beats with r+b vocals. i am a novice when it comes to this stuff, but i wanted to share some examples of what i'm referring to (because i may not even be using these terms and labels correctly; again- novice). here's some big favorites recently—

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naB3CgNpGdI
von d+phephe — "show me" (2009 — i think?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIRzAWk8nwA
geoim feat. marita — "reminissin'" (2008)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJPdQaX7Xsw
andreya triana — "a town called obsolete (mount kimbie remix)" (2010)

i stumbled onto these just by wandering around playlists and threads like this but i can't get enough lately. is there a compilation or something where i have more? please?

Those are cool I like them! Do you know this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlw_edzvCS0
Nat Home ft Ms Ray - Witching Hour

(bit more recent, bit more housey)

nope, don't know this! it's kind of... acid-y??!?! very cool stuff. thank you!

that andreya triana mount kimbie rmx is the prototype i'm looking for right now; lowkey wonky beats and pensive crooning. fuck yeah.

smokin' hottt...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ButOd7iZQbI
Sisters On The Groove - Weekend Love

quite a strong freestyle influence there, sweet tune

bit of pricey one though :(

Ruf Dug has taken the gig of being Roisin Murphy's 2024 EU tour DJ :/

yeah i saw that, very disappointing ruffy mate

Doesn’t surprise me. Is Ruff Dug on the street soul bandwagon now?

How have I never seen this thread before?!? I'm utterly unfamiliar with this genre but I'm completely obsessed with this era of pop music (been contemplating a thread dedicated to the hundreds of freestyle and freestyle-inspired songs churned out over this handful of years) and this is like a huge missing chunk that I didn't even realize was missing. Gonna need some time to properly digest.

hi sorry if lame newb question, but in terms of revival, do you guys know ms ray? some other things on streaming, but the wow is now ep from a few years back is pure money. highly recommended.

here's a highlight-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iibXbmYemGU
ms ray - "how they shine" (2020)

her most recent thing from last summer-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB2wS3rGR6c
ms ray - "broken heart still beats" (2023)

I only know her from the vocal she did on 'Witching Hour' which is upthread a few tunes ago. Hadn't thought there might be other stuff so thanks for that!

https://firstwordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/love-purpose-volume-one

Looking forward to this!

What else is new in the world of streetsoul reissues?

not sure how i missed this one till now but daaamn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCIv4xklZxo
Pinky – I Wanna Be The One

^ that's the dub mix btw, vocal version also great and also has the 303

only cost me two quid but that one's still relatively cheap atm

oof, the instrumental groove version is even sweeter...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BZKylPy8XM

Backatcha reissuing this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_RXgiQj65U
U-Bert & Co. - Got To Make Sure

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-_EJ__gL-z/

https://www.juno.co.uk/products/the-way-u-make-me-feel-uk-vinyl/1081205-01/

new street soul compilation coming in May. What else is going on?