Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Soul Associates Top 30 - 2023 Week 8 (w/e 26 Feb 2023)

Many moons ago we did a weekly Top 30 based on the number of views each post received over the last 30 days. This was rather cumbersome, as it involved manually checking the figures for each post. Also, figures got unfairly distorted when some were reposted on social media by artists/labels/promoters, so it was dropped. 

We have received requests to reinstate it, therefore, now that we are posting multiple radio show podcasts each week, we are in a position to use these to highlight exactly what is being playlisted on UK soul radio by presenters playing predominantly upfront new releases. We will use these, supplemented by blog views, to produce a Top 30 each week based on a rolling four weeks of playlists.

At present it is limited to the playlists received and invite any radio shows which play new releases to submit their playlists each week to improve coverage. The proviso is that a/ at least 50% of a show must be new releases and b/ tracks get frequent plays i.e. we are not interested in first play / one play playlists as these do nothing to indicate popularity and will only serve to distort the table.

This is not a chart as such, it does not claim to represent sales, downloads, streams or Amazon 'chart' positions, it is simply a barometer of what is currently being played on UK soul radio by several of the UK's main players and hopefully others will throw their hat in the ring to extend coverage.

Soul Associates Top 30
2023 Wk 8 

Pos Last Artist Title
1 1 October London The Rebirth Of Marvin LP
2 2 Will Downing Pieces LP
3 3 Kyle Jason The Right Place LP
4 4 Soulpersona Soulacoaster 2023 LP
5 5 Tyrone Lee Memoirs Of Brazil EP
6 6 Gene Moore & India.Arie Beautiful
7 7 Ché Sampson Walk With Me (The Break of Day LP)
8 8 Chelsea Nichole Love Letters LP
9 9 Danny Boy Black Heart LP
10 10 Jose James  On And On LP
11 11 Raheem DeVaughn,
Vandell Andrew,
The Colleagues
Love Euphoria LP
12 12 Ted Winn, Tweet & Elijah Blake Perspective
13 13 Tristan Seven LP
14 14 B & The Family
Feat. Antonio McLendon
Forever
15 15 Brian Power
Feat. Roachford
Got To Be (Soul Mix)
16 16; Celina Graves I Still Need Your Love (Truth LP)
17 17 Cruz The Dame What Have You Done
18 18 Gene Noble This Groove (Feel A Way LP)
19 19 Langston Lyric Never Get Enough Of
20 20 Mr Maph Sweet Dancer
21 21 Natasha Watts Brighter Days
22 22 Shaila Prospere Faith (Rickstar Mix)
23 23 Stanley Brown
Feat. Karen Clark Sheard,
Hezekiah Walker &
Kierra Sheard
God Is Good
24 24 Carlos Budd Ford The Way U Love Me (Across The Pond EP)
25 25 Crutchfield Jones The Crutchfield Jones EP
26 26 Evil Needle x Misha Summer Vibe (chillhop beat tapes EP)
27 27 Jane Handcock World Of Woman LP
28 28 Ledisi I Need To Know
29 29 Raquel Rodriguez Sunday's Best, Volume II EP
30 30 The Degrees The Day Out Of Time LP

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Lois Levin [2023] - Should I Stay Or Should I Go [Baltic Jazz Recordings]


A debut single for new Liverpool label Baltic Jazz Recordings which features Lois Levin on a song titled "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" which we posted from promo video last week and was officially released yesterday (27 Feb 2023). 

The label aims to showcase jazz and neo soul artists based in the north west of England.

Believe it or not, the song is a cover of The Clash song written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones and produced by Brit and Grammy award winning UK producer Steve Levine (Culture Club). It's barely recognisable to The Clash original.

Levin is a new talent emerging from the streets of Liverpool’s Birkenhead inspired by artists such as such as Marvin Gaye, Billie Holiday and Alabama Shakes.

Her first single, "Burden" (Jul '21) received national radio playlisting on Jazz FM, as well as BBC 6Music and she has recently performed shows on BBC Liverpool including a BBC Introducing Live at the world famous Cavern club. The new single will be her third following "You Don't Make Me Feel Good Anymore" from last Jun ('22).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

FacebookTwitterInstagramAmazonApple musicSpotifyDeezerBandCampSoundCloudYouTube Channel
Details
Rating: 8.2
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Soul Jazz / Blue-Eyed / Cover Version
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Baltic Jazz Recordings
Cat No: None
Date: 27/03/2023
Key/BPM: 12A/63
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Tristan [2023] - Seven [Isolde Records] (Album Samples)


Five-piece Dutch soul band Tristan are releasing their seventh album, aptly titled "Seven", on Friday (3 Mar 2023). Here's a little taster of what's to come.

The album will be available digitally as well as on CD and vinyl, available through Simply Soul.

A few singles have already been pre-released, the lead single "Something Like This" from it last September, the second single "Shadows In The Moonlight" on 27 Jan '23 and the third and final single "Diamonds" last Friday (24 Feb). It follows "What Could Possibly Go Wrong" from April 2021.

The line-up consists of Jaycilee Teterissa (vocals), Coen Molenaar (keys), Frans Vollink (bass), Sebastiaan Cornelissen (drums), Guy Nikkels (guitar).

There are several outstanding new tracks including "Tell Me", "Burned Chicken", "New Dawn Rises" and "Another Season" in particular.

The band will be touring Europe this summer with dates in The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Belgium and UK to promote the album. UK dates include:

7 Jun - London, Pizza Express
8 Jun - Southampton, The Brook
9 Jun - Ambleside, Zeffirelli's
10 Jun - Brighton, Verdict Jazz
11 Jun - Colchester, Colchester Arts Centre

28 Sep - Swansea, Jazzland
30 Sep - London, Hampstead Jazz Club

Full schedule with links to tickets available on Tristan website

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 


01 - Something Like This
02 - Shadows in the Moonlight
03 - Tell Me
04 - Diamonds
05 - The Soul of a Man
06 - Burned Chicken
07 - Another Season
08 - A New Dawn Rises
09 - Italian Shower
10 - Double Trouble
11 - Don't Skip This
12 - You Will Never Know
FacebookTwitterInstagramOfficial WebsiteAmazonApple musicSpotifyDeezerSoundCloudDiscogsYouTube Channel
Details
Rating: 8.6
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: New Soul
Format: Album
Media: Digital
Label: Isolde Records
Cat No: None
Date: 03/02/2023
Price: £TBC
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Tristan [2023] - Diamonds [Isolade Records]


Five-piece Dutch soul band Tristan are set to release their seventh album, aptly titled "Seven", on Friday (3 Mar 2023). The last single before then is "Diamonds" released on Friday (24 Feb).

Two other singles have been pre-released, "Something Like This", last September, and the second single "Shadows In The Moonlight" on 27 Jan '23.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

FacebookTwitterInstagramOfficial WebsiteAmazonApple musicSpotifyDeezerSoundCloudDiscogsYouTube Channel
Details
Rating: 8.4
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: New Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Isolde Records
Cat No: None
Date: 24/02/2023
Key/BPM: 10B/110
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Albums of the Month - 2023 Feb

After the usual slow start to the year, February has brought us some of the finest music for a long time. This year is already shaping up to be much better than last with several exceptional album releases this month.

Here's a list of 20 of the best for February 2023 with links to them if you missed any.


Artist Title Date Rated
October London The Rebirth Of Marvin 10/02 9.5
Luther Vandross Live at Radio City Music
Hall 2003 (Expanded)


10/02 9
Will Downing Pieces 10/02 8.8
Band Of Pockets Moving On Again 02/02 8.6
Nelccia From Me, To Me 22/02 8.6
Soulpersona Soulacoaster (2023)

03/02 8.6
The Groove Association
Feat. Georgie B.
Reflections 25/02 8.6
Jalisa I'm Not Really Sure... 17/02 8.5
Ria Take Me 31/01 8.5
The Degrees The Day Out Of Time 10/02 8.5
China Paige & The Jeromes Love Peace and Soul 19/02 8.4
Raheem DeVaughn Love Euphoria 10/02 8.4
reina You Were Wrong 22/02 8.3
Sabrina Claudio Archives & Lullabies 10/02 8.3
Chelsea Nichole
Feat. Jeff Lorber
Love Letters 14/02 8.2
Danny Boy Black Heart 14/02 8.2
JKabel Beige Living Room 14/02 8
30/70 Art Make Love 17/02 7.8
Ebony Riley ebony 10/02 7.8
Terrill Carter Feels Like This 17/02 7.8

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Binta [2023] - Do You Wanna [Mind of a Genius]


I'm not sure if you'd call this broken beats or afro beats (or a bit of both) but that's what the new single "Do You Wanna" from Binta sounds like. 

Binta Binnett Phatty is a 22yr old singer/songwriter born in the London with Gambian heritage. She released her debut EP/album "Limbo" in April 2020 after her first single "3rd.Eye" in Jan of that year. 

The current single is her fifth and is a departure from her others, although the last, "Stars & Moon", was leaning in this direction.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

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Details
Rating: 7.4
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Mind of a Genius
Cat No: None
Date: 29/02/2023
Key/BPM: 3B/80/160
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Y.O.J [2023] - Boundaries [Jubey Tunes] (Full EP)


A sophomore three track EP, "Boundaries", by Jubilee Hosanna-Praise Jackson who goes by the stage name Y.O.J (year of Jubilee) from Michigan and first appeared in April 2021. 

It's spoken word opposed to rap, with "Doing Me" doing it for me. I would guess that Jubey Tunes is her own label.

Another EP that doesn't seem to be available for sale (not on Amazon at least).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

InstagramAmazonApple musicSpotifyDeezerYouTube Channel
Details
Rating: 7.6
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Jubey Tunes / Self Released
Cat No: None
Date: 23/02/2023
Price: £not available
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved