Paradigmatic late-sixties, early-seventies Philly soul, recorded at Sigma Sound, with Thom Bell, Norman Harris, Earl Young, and full crew. Neglected but wonderful stuff.

All their fab late 60s recordings for Bert Berns and his Bang and Shout labels, and then RCA — classic girl group and soul both, with some dancers and northern anthems, lit upfront by the great belter Brenda Reid.

Fresh and new, but rough, layered and head-nodding like classic UK street soul, this is the fifth and for us the best-yet installment in Londoner EYE’s excellent, under-the-radar series.
Slinkily slippery and hard-to-pin-down as usual, but rooted in funk and soul connoisseurship.
Two-sided this time — boozier, dizzier and more spaced-out on the flip, smudged with echo and effects, and scraps of horns and singing.
Beautifully hand-decorated sleeves as per.

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“I’ve always loved those Motown duets with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and wanted to create a modern version of that… playing with the way those duets have this quite clear notion of romance, love and relationships…We’re subverting that a little to explore normativity in relationships. Musically, we’ve tried to put all of the beauty, excitement, and tension of modern day love into this song.”

The 1979 key-work of this eight-piece from Washington DC: high steppin’ rhythms, tight, funky arrangements, and gorgeous gospel-influenced vocal harmonies.
Produced by Wayne Henderson, with Bobby Lyle and Side Effect in the house.
Featuring the almighty two-step classic Hollywood Dreaming.

Deep soul from the Minaret label, out of Florida, with an early Candi Staton, and the great Doris Allen.