Nu Colours - Desire - (1996)

Polydor/Wildcard, LC0309

Well, Nu Colours have been well and truly covered on The Soul Vendor more than once. Mick's already put up Power, and only the other day I put up What In The World/Greater Love; Greater Love being one of my all-time favourite songs.

So that gets me out of having to write anything about the UK's premier gospel outfit.

Onto this track, then.

It's a decent track, second only to Greater Love in their repertoire (in my humble opinion)... but there was only one reason why I bought this CD single, and that was the excellent Linslee's Extended Mix - re-listening now it still stands out as much the best version.

The Ethnic Boyz version isn't bad, but it lacks the power-funk of Linslee's mix. The house mixes are... not my cup of tea. The Gospel Truth According to Mindspell mix is pretty nice, and takes the tune back to a live, stripped-down, purely gospel vibe - it's probably the best mix after Linslee's.

Peace and luvizm,

- Kymba :)

• Desire (7")
• Desire (Ethnic Boyz Main Mix)
• Desire (Linslee Extended Mix)
• Desire (Full Chorus London)
• Desire (Mindspell Classic Club Experience)
• Desire (The Gospel Truth According To Mindspell)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Desire.zip File size: 46.2 MB

Nu Colours - What In The World / Greater Love - (1993)

Polydor/Wildcard, CARDD 4

I'm going to start this off with a complaint:

WHAT THE HELL WERE POLYDOR THINKING MAKING GREATER LOVE A B-SIDE????!?!?!?

It's got classic stamped all over it, and, if only it had been supported and marketed it could well have made a decent splash on the pop charts, and seen the band get a bit more recognition than they did. It's an incredibly strong song, it's got beautifully sung vocals, and a nice, slinky, urban groove to it courtesy of producers par excellence Ethnic Boyz.

I honestly believe it is one of the UK's finest soul moments.

Not that there's anything wrong with the main track, What In the World. It's a really good guitar driven piece of soul, produced by a certain Robert Howard. I'm guessing it's the same Robert Howard (or "Dr. Robert") from The Blow Monkeys fame. Can anyone confirm? (edit: it IS Dr Robert - thanks, Frank!!)

There's a third track (fourth, if you count the Greater Love Remix - more on that in a moment) called Want Your Love 2 B Mine, which is a perfectly decent backup track, but with such a good main track in What In The World, and an even better one as the "B-Side", if you will, in the shape of Greater Love, it's easily forgotten.

As mentioned, there's also an Ethnic Boyz remix of Greater Love, which is odd really, as they produced the original version, and it's fairly similar, just a touch more dubby. I much prefer the original, but it's nice to have for completions sake.

So there you have it, one of my all-time favourite tracks, as a bloody B-Side! Amazing.

- Kymba :)

• What In the World
• Greater Love
• Greater Love (Ethnic Boyz Remix)
• Want Your Love 2 B Mine

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: What In The World.zip File size: 25.1 MB

Nu Colours - Power 1992

Wild Card Records CARDD 3

Nu Colours were the gospel group and looked likely to make a cross over into the mainstream. The Gospel group comprising Lain Gray (Lain provided some great vocals for Jason Chue a.k.a. Wookie on 'Battle' amongst many others), Lawrence Johnson, Sophia Johnson, Patricia Knight and the legendary Fay Simpson.

Fay is one of the most experienced singers on the UK gospel scene. She honed her craft growing up in the Church of God of Prophecy in Harlesden, north west London, and at 19 joined Nu Colours, who had a deal with a secular label. She left the group in 1995 and began song writing and vocal arranging.

After singing on the UK gospel circuit, Lain Gray was asked to join premier gospel outfit Nu Colours in 1991, Lawrence Johnson, founder member of the group, was calling Lain for auditions saying he was putting some band together. Later he said, 'Oh, in case you don't get this, would you be interested in being involved with Nu Colours?'

Power is written by producer Ian Green and group vocalists Lawrence Johnson & Fay Simpson with Monie Love writing and performing the rap. The Evergreen Mix is the Ian Green single release while the Garage Mix and Underground Dub are remixed by Paul Gotel, the dub is a Well Hung Parliament mix along with his sidekick, Spencer Williams.

Tears is the Frankie Knuckles Instrumental which is somewhat odd as it was originally a Frankie Knuckles & Satoshi Tomiie song and without Nu Colours vocals it still is, even though its produced by V Outfit.

• Power (Evergreen Mix)
• Power (Garage Mix)
• Tears (FK Instrumental)
• Power (Underground Dub)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Nu Colours.rar Filesize: 31.89 MB

TRUCE - TRUCE EP 1995

Big Life Records BLRD112

T.R.U.C.E. ('To Reach Universal Cultures Effectively') were one of the original UK R&B girl groups tipped for stardom in the mid ˜90s. Prolific producer Paul Waller took them to the brink on his independent Relevant label before a short-lived contract with Big Life. On this EP they work with a wealth of talent including Ian Green, Don-E & The Ethnic Boyz.

Michelle Escoffery was a member of girl R'n'B trio Truce, who were known for great tracks like 'The Finest' (1995) on Big Life records. She has since decided to devote herself to her songwriting and vocal production talents and has had many of the top producers and singers in London approach her for her scribe skills.

The singer and songwriter, who grew up in Streatham and spent her teenage years in South Norwood and won an Ivor Novello award in 2002. The songwriter, who has written for All Saints, Tina Turner and Beverly Knight and once sang with Stevie Wonder, began singing with her three sisters in her local Seventh Day Adventist church. They became The Escofferys and spent school holidays touring churches across Europe and the UK until they were signed by American label Atlantic. In 1993, Michelle was headhunted to join R&B girl group Truce. Her writing for the group attracted industry attention and she began writing for other artists including Hinda Hicks, Damage, Fierce and she enjoyed huge success with The Artful Dodger album 'It's All About The Stragglers'.

• Treat U Right (7" Edit)
• Celebration Of Life (7" Edit)
• Better Days
• Come Go Away
• Don't Give Up
• Treat U Right (Full Length Mix)
• Celebration Of Life (Full Length Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Truce.rar Filesize: 47.73 MB

Sounds Of Blackness - I'm Going All The Way 1994

Perspective Records 31458 7481 1

• Nuttin But Sõl For Ya Remix
• Nuttin But Sõl For Ya Instrumental
• Break Da Sõl Remix
• Classic Remix
• A Stompin' Good Time Dub
• Fierce Reprise Dub

Recorded at Skip Saylor studios by 'AJ' Jeffries, this Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis 'Flyte Tyme' production is taken from the 'Africa To America: Journey Of The Drum' album by the mighty Sounds Of Blackness. In case you were stranded on a desert island somewhere, The Sounds Of Blackness are a 52 piece Gospel group led by Gary Hines, which spawned Ann Bennett-Nesby. This was from their second album and for it's single release, a whole heap of remixes were commisioned. This is the less common Sõl Survivor & Frankie Knuckles collection.

Frankie Knuckles is one of my all time favourite remixers but his Classic Remix is most definitely not classic. It doesn't suit the vocal at all and was, IMHO, a sign that his star was beginning to wane (step forward David Morales, the servant becomes the master). The two Knuckles Dubs are far superior with Stompin' being a great full vocal (less dub) take. Personally, the Sõl Survivor mixes are what makes this 12" essential. Superb, rough R&B grind with the looping sound bytes that work in unison with the vocal. Nuttin' But Sõl For Ya!

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sounds of Blackness.rar Filesize: 52.11 MB

Ingram - Smoothin Groovin 1983

Streetwave Records WAVEL 3

• Smoothin Groovin
• D.J.'s Delight
• D.J.'s Delight Medley

Ingram were a family group that came from Camden, (NJ not UK). Siblings, Norman (bass and trumpet), James or Jimi (vocals, keyboards, sax, flute), Barbara (vocals), Billy (guitar, bass, trombone), John (lead vocals, drums, tuba), Timmy (drums, percussion, trumpet) and Francis, Edith, and Virginia Ingram (vocals) had their roots are in gospel as their father was a minister. Recording under various names such as Ingram, The Ingram Kingdom & The Ingram Family, they wrote, arranged, produced and published their own material and other artists. They were mostly active in the US during the 1970's but never really got the recognition they deserved.

Ingram resurfaced in 1983 for two more albums, Would You Like to Fly (1983) and Night Stalkers (1985). Smoothin' Groovin' (U.K. Top 75), and D.J.'s Delight came from the 1983 album and Streetwave Records licensed the tracks for the U.K where they enjoyed a measure of success.

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Ingram.rar Filesize: 30.59 MB

Be Be & Ce Ce Winans - Celebrate New Life 1989

Capitol Records 12 CL 551

This track from their Heaven album is remixed by Clivilles & Cole of C&C Music Factory fame. I liked a lot of their music and many of their remixes but, personally speaking, I think this one sucks.

However, the third track is an extended mix, by Jeff Balding, of the album title track. Heaven is one of my all time favourite soul tracks and this mix is simply more of the most gorgeous harmonies and sublime refrains. You can't teach this, it's God-Given. The Heavenly Mix: It does exactly what it says on the can!

• Celebrate New Life (Celebration Mix)
• Celebrate New Life Milkyway Beats)
• Heaven (Heavenly Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Winans - Celebrate New Life 12_.rar Filesize: 21.38 MB

Apple - Believe 1993

Ninja Tune zen cds 15

This is, to my limited knowledge, the only release by Apple, of whom I can find no information at all. Featuring the vocal talent of Marvin Springer. Springer has a wonderful falsetto voice and it's criminal that it has not been more widely used. This release is a Coldcut Production, with lyrics written by Springer, that is filed under Acid Jazz. A soulful house tune would be an unfair description but its more accurate than Acid Jazz. Think Deep Gospel House?

• Opus 1
• Opus 2
• funkjazztickle
• Radio Edit
  

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Apple - Believe.rar Filesize: 39.19 MB