Symphonical Vinyl & CDs

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: A year after the first superb volume, The Key To Our Love Vol.2 again dedicates itself to the sweetest soul sounds of black and brown musicians from days gone by. The label say that each release is put together in direct collaboration with the creators, which is also important practice. And so to the sounds - they come from the late 60s onwards and were all put out on private press indie labels so have remained rather obscure. There is heart-aching material like Andre & Zero Plus's 'Sparkle In A Woman's Eye' with its sumptuous strings and vocal harmonies and more sentimental lullabies like Fred Moss's 'I'll Always Love You.' Perfection.