Soul Strutter: 02/01/24

Thursday, 1 February 2024

Blue Soul Ten [2024] - The Moon And The Stars [Greenehouse Music] PROMO

The first new music from Washington D.C.'s Blue Soul Ten since his single "Waiting For You" in Nov '22 feat. Dennis Lorenzo which was recorded for, but not included on, his album "This Is Worth It" released earlier in Jun '22 and featured in our 2022 Albums of the Year.

It's "The Moon And The Stars" and is the lead single from a forthcoming new album "The Legend of Blue Soul Ten" due later in the year. The single is due to hit digital platforms on 8th Feb.

He tells us it's a different vibe from the songs on "This Is Worth It" and you may immediately recognise a riff/sample, call it what you will, that's been used on many releases over the last couple of years. We did a feature on songs using it in Dec '21 (some of the songs are no longer available) and there are several more used it since.

He makes his twist on it to great effect.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Greenehouse Music / Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	08/02/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

SoulStrutter Selections Jan 2024 Wk04 (with playlist)

This week's hot ones! Essential listening if you are into upfront soul music, most released last week, many on Friday (26 Jan).

You can catch up with earlier releases of 2024 in last week's mix. (now with full playlist)

Moorea Masa & the Mood - Distraction [26 Jan]

Lily Massie feat. Amanda Perez - So Good [26 Jan]

Leanah - Running Back [13 Jan]

Amoré The Songstress - Abandoned [26 Jan]

Prima Facie - Closer [27 Jan]

Nariah Taylor - Cash Flo [24 Jan]

Paul Simpson Uniquity Introducing Simone G. - It's Your Love [26 Jan]

Zaria Hall - IDONTLOVEYOUANYMORE [7 Jan]

Kera Ioane - Better Day [26 Jan]

Olivia Kuper Harris - Just Call Me [16 Jan]

Maurice Mahon - Church Girl lover [22 Jan]

Sy Smith - Summer Of '93 [26 Jan]

Sade Adu x Donny Hathaway - I Love Luv You More [18 Jan]

Igor Gerzina & Anya Alu - Georgy Porgy [19 Jan]

Sky Santana - Show Me The Money [26 Jan]

Erica Falls - Good Time [23 Jan]

Sy Smith - slide [26 Jan / 13 Oct '23]

Hiatus Kaiyote - Everything’s Beautiful [23 Jan]

Cool down selection...

Mavis Swan Poole - Every Man Ain't the Same [22 Jan]

occochill - Mine... [23 Jan]

Jacob G. - I'm In Love With You [12 Jan]

Soultown Revivalists - So In Love with You [26 Jan]

Valentine Romanias - HELLO FEVER [19 Jan]

Geneivah - Dreams (Acoustic Live Session) [26 Jan]

Sy Smith - Remember How To Fly [26 Jan]

Blue Lab Beats feat. Farah Audhali & Amber Navran - Wait A While [26 Jan]

Russell Thompkins Jr. [2024] - Could It Be I'm Falling In Love [Self Released] PROMO

The Detroit Spinners (as they were known in the UK) evergreen "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" just missed out on a UK Top 10 pop chart position peaking at #11 on 2 Jun 1973 and spent a total of ten weeks in the Top 40 having first entered on 21 Apr 1973.

The song is the vehicle for a lead single from a forthcoming new album "Riding Solo" by Russell Thompkins Jr. the former lead singer of The Stylistics. Thompkins left the group in 2000 and released his first solo album in 2002. In 2004 he formed Russell Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics. The single will be available on 9 Feb and is a radio edit removing the spoken intro.

The song was written by brothers Melvin and Mervin Steals (aka Lyric & Maestro) who have written literally hundreds of songs but this one is their biggest hit, and produced and arranged by the late Thom Bell.

It has been covered many times with the most credible versions from the UK's David Grant (Lynx) & Jaki Graham in 1985 (which reached #5 on UK pop chart) and Regina Belle in 1995. Even Donny Osmond had a crack at it in 2002, Vesta Williams in 2007 and Boyz II Men in 2009 are amongst many of the cover versions.

The Stylistics were formed in 1968 out of two Philadelphia groups, The Monarchs and The Percussions, Thompkins coming from The Monarchs. They released their first single in 1970 on local label Sebring, the label's only release. They were signed by Avco who also released it on the label and it climbed into the lower echelons of the Hot 100 but made top 10 R&B. Avco teamed them with an up and coming Thom Bell who was having some success with The Delfonics and the rest is history. They went on to have 13 R&B top 10 hits with five of those also crossing over to top 10 on the Hot 100: "You Are Everything" (#9 1971), "Betcha by Golly, Wow" (#3 1972), "I'm Stone in Love with You" (#10 1972), "Break Up to Make Up" (#5 1973), "You Make Me Feel Brand New" (#2 1973). Bell ceased working with the group in 1974 and by 1976 the hits began to dry up with only two later singles breaking into the R&B Top 40 "First Impressions" (1978) (not the same songs as recorded in the 70s by The Impressions) and "Hurry Up This Way Again" (1980) recently covered by Raquel Rodriguez.

A great piece of Philadelphia music history in the YouTube interview below. It's almost two hours long so buckle in!

Details

Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	09/02/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

Aaron James [2024] - KEEP IT CASUAL [Poe Ville]

A single, "KEEP IT CASUAL", released today by Cleveland,'s (OH) Aaron James Young today, uses a sample that we've heard before on ZIO "Meant To Be" last year..

The backing has also been used on several other songs such as Liv Averie "Flowers In Jun" (Jul '22), THEHONESTGUY feat. Zenesoul "Sunday" (Feb '21) and Menoosha used it as backing for a cover of Nina Simone's "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" (2020) and probably others.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/02/2024
Key/BPM:	4B/83
Price:	£1

Sanpriest [2024] - Come Here Baby [Black Unicorn Entertainment]

We first came across Sanpriest, the musical alter ego of Charlotte, NC, actor/singer Marktavious Patton, last July with his debut single "She's Bad" co-written with Jeremy Turgeon (aka Brass Man Reptiles and trumpet player with Doobie Powell and many others).

His sophomore single "Come Here Baby" is out today.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.1
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Black Unicorn Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/02/2024
Key/BPM:	11A/83
Price:	£1

DJ EPIK [2024] - High Flyin’ [Self Released]

DJ/producer, DJ EPIK from Sacramento, CA, takes on a Marvin Gaye classic track, "Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)", from "What's Going On?" retitled "High Flyin'".

Available on Bandcamp only.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul / Remix
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	31/01/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	$1