Juno Recommends Soul: July 2023

Review: With some of the best DJs and selectors, there is a certain mysterious sound or underlying feeling which unites the music they play, regardless of genre, year or tempo. British DJ, producer and music maestro Luke Una is a master of telling a story through music and this compilation is a perfect example of his musical alchemy in action. The second volume in his E Soul Cultura series, Una's intriguingly woven pattern of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world became the soundtrack to rejuvenated positivity and won him favour with record outlets.
The compilation isn't just peacocking his crate diving ability, but it's a sonical narrative that engages the ebbs and flows of salsa, nu-disco, psych rock and Balearic. It's a grab bag of sounds, and each one is as intriguing and groovy as the last. Here's to a hopeful trilogy.

Review: Founded by Roy Ayers in Cincinnati in 1976 as a vehicle for his songs and productions - though, interestingly, he was never a member of the band RAMP recorded and released one album, 1977's sun-soaked jazz-funk opus, Come Into Knowledge. This fantastic 45 from South Street Records' new South Street Soul offshoot showcases two of the set's most admired and in-demand cuts. Edwin Birdsong and William Allen share production credits with Ayers on 'Daylight', a shuffling, dewy-eyed, afternoon-ready delight whose slow groove, meandering synth solos and blissful female vocals recall another Ayers' classic 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine'. Fittingly, RAMP's fine, soft-focus take on that tune can be found on side B.

Review: Here comes a meltingly powerful 7" split single by Monophonics and Kelly Finnigan, a psychedelic soul band and a singer from California respectively. Monophonics' contribution is a classic: 'Love You Better', a catchy, soulful belter concerning a formerly broken relationship, and the sacrifices it takes to pick up the pieces. The flipside, meanwhile, is a newer one from Finnigan; 'The Shape Of My Teardrops', which reckons with grief in the form of a surreal, rimshotting slow jam.

Review: Soulful pop trio Gabriels hail from LA and the UK and make gospel-tinged electronic music that takes you to a higher plane. After some epic singles and a recent standout performance at Glastonbury which got everyone talking - not least because of the magnificent outfits of the lead singer - they have finally put together a debut album. The first part was widely acclaimed and this seance part is no different. The music has been produced by Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar collaborator Sounwave and as well as lead single 'Angels & Queens' this is a treasure trove of warm, soul fuelled sounds that draw on the sounds of legends like Prince and Luther Vandross to cook up a throng record that will blow you off your feet.

Review: GC Cameron was born and raised in McCall Creek, Mississippi, and by the age of 22 he was already famous having joined Motown Records. He was signed up as lead singer of the legendary group The Spinners and had several web recover tunes and a few hits such as 'It's A Shame,' which was co-written and produced by Stevie Wonder. After that, Cameron left the group and went solo and teamed up with Harvey Faqua, Greg Crockett and Elgie Stover to record his best-ever work, which now makes its way onto this fine four-track EP courtesy of Soundway.

Review: Collins & Collins were 'At The Top Of The Stairs' back in 1980 when a collection of their best bits of lovely 80s soul was put together under this title. Now the titular cut is pressed up on both sides of this new 45rpm. Northern Soul heads and anyone who danced in Southport back in the day will know this is very much a staple of those times. Written and originally recorded by Ashford & Simpson, this pair gave it a new vibe that still reinstates to this day and is almost impossible to find in its original 7" format.

Review: If a record goes for around $3000 on the second-hand market then you know it's something special. And that is the case with New York vocal soul group The Topics' gold-standard and one-and-only album 'Giving Up'. Now you can own two of the best tunes from it on this new 7" from P-Vibe for a much more reasonable price. The tunes selected are indicative of the heart-achingly sweet and yellow soul sounds explored across the whole album. You get both 'God And You' and 'At Last It's Over' which have some utterly next-level vocal harmonies. Do not sleep on this one.

Review: For those in Detroit and Toronto who follow the sound of boogie and electro funk, the name Wado Brown should already get you feeling groovy. Schooled by The Clark Sisters and honing his craft in church, Brown has been on call from the likes of Roger Troutman, Quincy Jones and Aretha Franklin over the years. Now he's been tapped up by Love Touch to deliver a single with two original tracks, and he's more than delivered. From the immaculate boogie production to Brown's honey-coated croon, this is on a Luther Vandross level of sophistication, and every bit as warm. As well as the anthemic 'Turning Round', on the flip we're treated to the smouldering end-of-night cut 'Moment To Moment'. If you love 80s boogie and crave more of that sound, this is as good as it gets, and this edition comes housed in a picture sleeve cast in the hottest of hot pink.

Review: Timmion is one of our favourite labels out of anywhere, let alone Finland. 'here comes another golden soul cut from the frozen north with Jonny Benavidez back in collaboration with the ever delightful grooves of Cold Diamond & Mink. The A-side is a heart melting soul ballad in the form of 'My Echo, Shadow and Me' which manages to pay homage to the classics while bringing something new. On the flip is a more dreamy and mid tempo soul sound in the Mandells'esque 'Playing The Fool' which carries you away to a better place.

Review: Miles Away Records are proud to introduce their latest single to land on the label: the cosmic soul gem 'Super Star' by Ruth Waters and the State Of Mind Show Band. Ruth 'Silky' Waters was best known for her two disco-infused albums Never Gonna Be The Same and Out In The Open, produced by the late, great John Davis. 'Super Star', however, was released on the tiny independent KMBA Recordings label in the late 1970s, and draws on the twin wells of modern soul and gospel, lending both a touch of cosmic goodness. On the flip, there's 'Super Star Pt.2', which plunges deeper into the cosmic essence of the track by way of both extended guitar and synth solos; both tracks are stupendios in their own rights, making this a hotly versatile release for a far-and-wide DJ demographic.

Review: "It's a little bit of all of me, my travels, my life," says Meshell Ndgeocello, speaking of her latest album The Omnichord Real Book. Referring to the 'first real book' she ever read - the experience of life after her father's passing - the album is a testament to free-flowing, lived sensoriality in time. An antistatic rip-roar through memory and decay in blue, this is a stunning two-sided jazz-esque album packed with features and far-flung stylisms. In the artist's words, the LP slippily rails against the confines of the word 'jazz' itself. And if you can pull that off, well...

Review: Eight-piece soul unit Stone Foundation have been turning out their own distinctive brand of soul for a full quarter of a century now. They have dropped plenty of albums in that time and have a new one to mark the occasion on the way - Standing In The Light: 25 Years Of Stone Foundation, which features all of their greatest tunes, including some originals such as this one, which is also getting its own limited purple vinyl 7" release. As always this is all new but with an authentic vintage aesthetic that makes it impossible to date. The noodling guitar work and funky bass is irresistible with fat synths up top and the playful vocals add further layers of funk.

Review: Colemine continue their 7" singles charge with this new one by Tre D'Ambrocia, a budding contemporary soul singer - to say their future prospects are "promising" would be an understatement. Sullen but no less emotional, A-sider 'Closer' is a nighttime, g-funk-whistling exercise in soul, with D'Ambrocia's vocals seeming to span both soul and r&b as it cuts through the mix like a beckoning finger, urging us to "come closer". The B-side, meanwhile, hears D'Ambrocia cover the Toots And The Maytals original, for an initially dispiriting yet ultimately cleansing new leaf in song form.

Review: Cairo Records have been serving up a whole host of compilations that focus on great American soul music across several specific eras. This double album, which includes a booklet featuring lots of great context, delves into the music of the mid fifties and on to the early seventies, or 1955-1972 to be exact. As such it is raw and passionate material, often with a lo-fi edge and fuzzy warmth to its from the driving headache of Lee Moses's opening two to gems from the likes of Baby Huey and gorgeous slow motion soul like Betty Lavette's 'Let Me Down Easy'.

Review: Wade Brown was raised in Detroit and learned his chops from such legends as The Clark Sisters before becoming an intrinsic part of the Midwest gospel community. Having since spent his time in Toronto holding down a weekly A-Team residency and working as a gigging musician for the likes of Quincy Jones, Roger Troutman and Aretha Franklin, now he's been invited to record two fresh new tracks which keep the 80s boogie flame flickering. If you love the sound of vintage Luther Vandross, you're going to love this record, no questions asked. Brown's voice more than matches the kings and queens of slinky electro funk, and the production on the track is as legit as it gets. Do yourself a favour, slip into something comfortable and get this one pumping on your stereo.

Review: American psychedelic soul band Monophonics, together with lead vocalist Kelly Finnigan, are back once more with the single version of their most recent album highlight, the vocal hooker-inner 'Love You Better'. The band's tight instrumentation are laid down rather effortlessly, and come as testament to their ability to shine through a strongly warm, lo-fi sound. Lyrically, the song is bittersweet, with both Finnigan's solos and choral backing vocals pining after what could've been, despite the song commanding a new-leafy, life-goes-on mood of confidence.

Review: Symphonical's The Key To Our Love series has proven exceedingly popular with soul lovers and this third volume shows there is still plenty of mileage in it yet. As always there is an in-depth exploration of black and brown American artists here who are the foundations of the sound. Most of those featured will be obscure to many - but not for long, as their music makes a lasting impression. There is the vulnerable lo-fi sound of Laurene Lavallis's 'Love Don't Change,' Delbert & The Stewart Sensation's sentimental swooner 'How Far Can Our Love Go?' and Carrie Riley & The Fascinations offer up some lovely harmonies on 'Living In A Lonesome House Without You' amongst many other standouts.

Review: Spice does everything from buttery sweet soul to disco that makes you want to move. They are a firm favourite with those cultured crate diggers and their Let There Be Spice album is about as good as it gets. This fresh 7" from P-Vine features two of the standout tracks. First up is 'The Last Time' with some expertly penned choruses and a vocal turn that will have your mouth open in awe. Flip it over and the quality does not drop - "I'm So Glad To Say' is a high watermark for modern soul with staccato guitars over a persuasive bassline and gentle drums to make for a perfect captivating and mellow groove. A real must-own 45rpm.