Rare (& Not So Rare) Street Soul Music Videos

Dazzle, Opaz, Jagdeep Singh, Lilith, The Affair, etc

Selected Works is a regular newsletter by the Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand) based freelance music journalist, broadcaster, copywriter, and sometimes DJ Martyn Pepperell. Yes, that’s me. Most weeks, Selected Works consists of a recap of what I’ve been doing lately and some of what I’ve been listening to and reading, paired with film photographs I’ve taken + some bonuses. All of that said, sometimes it takes completely different forms.

Over the last half-decade, I’ve become quietly obsessed with the late 1980s/early 1990s UK Street Soul scene. We’re talking about an era when a new generation of amateur producers and vocalists made use of D.I.Y recording innovations like the Tascam Portastudio, home computer systems and cheap synthesisers to dream up an era of white label soul records where sampled breakbeats, reggae and dub basslines, polished synths and girl/boy next door vocals came together like nothing else. In many ways, Street Soul, as commercially exemplified by Soul II Soul, paved the way for trip-hop/downbeat, which is very obvious when you listen back over early Massive Attack and Tricky records.

Since I started collecting Street Soul records, I’ve interviewed TSR recordings mastermind Robert Roper, penned press notes for the reissue of the cult classic ‘You’ve Gone’ feat Lorraine Chambers by Bassline, and explored the idea of a New Zealand Street Soul scene in mixes/playlists for NTS, Dublab and Low-End Theorists.

This week, I started looking through Youtube for some Street Soul music videos. Lo and behold, I found a few obscure ones. Big thanks to the youtube archivists who upload these things. Your service is very much noted. Anyway, let’s have a look at a few of them.

The Affair, ‘The Way We Are’ (4th & Broadway, 1993)

The chorus on this record is absolutely anthemic. I could imagine someone doing an amazing deep house or broken beat remix of it. I’d love to interview these two one day. I bet they have some incredible yarns.

Dazzle, ‘Dazzle You’ (Jam Today, 1989)

An incredible sister duo from the late 1980s/early 1990s. So stylish and cool. Dazzle started singing at the age of two for their parents, friends and family. They joined their first band when they were fourteen years old, then joined a group called Prediction, a school band that played lover’s rock. The band recorded ‘The Way We Were’, which was a reggae hit. When Prediction parted, they formed Dazzle. After recording two albums for Jam Today, they decided to concentrate on our education and raising our families. Sadly, Paulette passed away in 2007. Dazzle continues in her memory.

Opaz, ‘I Don’t Want It’ feat Ray Hayden (Opaz Records, 1993)

Opaz aka Ray Hayden was one of the scene’s real superheroes. When you look through discogs, you quickly realise he wasn’t just producing and remixing for everyone, he actually still is. Total legend. A leading UK producer, songwriter, and artist, Hayden created Martine Girault's soul classic Revival. Since that time, he has produced many other artists, including jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan, Mary J Blige, Incognito, and Swing Out Sister.

Martine Girault, ‘Revival’ (Opaz Records, 1992)

Like I just mentioned, Opaz aka Ray Hayden, produced this one. It’s so smooth and sultry, one hell of a late-night lounge groove. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Girault was already winning over audiences at age tweleve, having taken over from Stephanie Mills in the lead role as Dorothy in Broadway musical The Wiz. This led to theatre and stage work all over the world. In 1991, while she was touring in the UK, she met Ray Hayden from Opaz Productions during a recording with Amii Stewart. In 1992 ‘Revivial’ was voted best soul record of the year at the World DMC music awards, having entered the charts at number 1.

Jagdeep Singh, ‘Who’s Gonna Love You’ (More Protein, 1992)

This one is a live performance video from Channel 4’s The Word show. Bet they have some classic stuff in the archives there. Jagdeep, I would love to hear your story!

Lilith, ‘Todo Amor É Bom’ (Philips/Polygram, 1993)

How about some early 1990s Brazilian street soul? There’s actually a fair bit of this stuff floating around, enough so that in 2019, Hello Sailor Recordings issued a compilation, Street Soul Brasil (1987 - 1995). Someone link me up to interview this trio, please!

Fuemana, ‘Seasons’ (Deepgrooves, 1994)

When you talk about Aotearoa (New Zealand) street soul, the Fuemana family band (formerly Houseparty) really were the gold standard. Peter McLennan has done an amazing job of archiving a bunch of their music videos and songs on Youtube. His channel is well worth a deep dive or two. It’s probably worth noting that one of the younger brothers, Pauly, went on to have international success two years later with the mega-hit ‘How Bizarre’ as OMC. The stories here run deep.

Soul II Soul, ‘Keep On Moving’ (Virgin, 1989)

This one isn’t rare, but man, what a vibe. All the early Soul II Soul videos are so crazy. It’s so beautiful to know that this is something that really, actually, genuinely happened. Truly, dreams can come true!

Jhelisa, ‘Friendly Pressure’ (Dorado, 1994)

Back when I was a teenager, I used to spend a lot of time listening to this compilation album called Rebirth Of Cool: Volume Phive. I think that collection was what really primed my love of low-key drum machine soul music. Unsurprisingly, this song opened the collection up. I think the whole track is hard-wired into my D.N.A at this point. Love you, Jhelisa.

McKoy, ‘Family’ (Right Track Records, 1991)

At the end of the day, Noel McKoy (1961-2022) had one of the finest voices in UK soul music. He also understood that while the human condition is flawed and contradictory, we are capable of accomplishing great and beautiful things in our brief time on Earth. ‘Family’ is the song he’ll probably always be remembered for, but it wasn’t the totality of his musical expression, not at all.

Joyce Sims, ‘Come Into My Life’ (Sleeping Bag Records, 1987)

Pretty sure people know this one, aye. Like Martine Girault, Joyce is an American, but the impact this track had on lovers of smooth grooves is really just undeniable.

Loose Ends, ‘Love Controversy Pt 1’ (Ten Records, 1990)

This is a video of Loose Ends performing ‘Love Controversy Pt 1’ live at the Brixton Academy circa 1990. What else do you really need to say?

Dazzle (Source: Dazzle Facebook Page)

These days, however, you can hear radio shows devoted to street soul on most of the main internet stations around the world. Some of them run club nights dedicated to the vibe, and there are even some pretty spectacular modern street soul producers. A quick shout out to Heels & Souls, Seelie, Spaceghost, Teddy Bryant, Ruf Dug, Shy One, the UK Street Soul Facebook group, all the crew in Japan, and everyone reissuing this sort of music with such loving care. The vibes do not stop.

ADDITIONAL READING/LISTENING ON STREET SOUL:

Bandcamp Daily: A History of Street Soul, the Sound That Swept the UK Underground, by Andy Thomas - In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the UK was in thrall to the searing sounds of Acid House. But at the same time, another, more DIY sound was rising out of the Black inner-city neighborhoods. That sound was street soul—and as the history of club culture has been written over the years, it still remains unjustly overlooked.

Gilles Peterson Presents The 20: UK Street Soul: From Young Disciples to Soul Connection, Gilles Peterson breaks down his twenty definitive Street Soul records.

Discover UK street soul in this new playlist, Lover’s Walk: The sounds of UK street soul are explored in a new playlist, called Lover’s Walk: The Numero Guide to UK Street Soul.

10 Best: Street Soul Classics from Teddy Bryant - Proudly straddling a crossroads of street soul, soul and R&B, Teddy wanted to create a “dreamy concept of sonic realness, an ode to everlasting love, paying tribute to Sade, Marvin Gaye, Prince and Quincy Jones”. We couldn’t resist asking Teddy to dive into some street soul memories for us – enjoy this high-quality selection.

Who Is Toyin Agbetu? A Conversation With The Godfather Of Street Soul: Producer. Label owner. Scholar. Activist. Community organiser. Theo Fabunmi-Stone speaks to a man whose musical history is just one part of his extraordinary contribution to British culture and life. For Resident Advisor.

VF Mix 147: Street Soul by Ruffy and Randy - Manchester’s storied music history has a tendency to coalesce around one particular label and the club it called home. Talk about the city’s late ’80s – early ’90s underground, and you’d be forgiven for not reaching beyond the bucket hats and baggy trousers of acid house.

Forged In Steel City: Against the backdrop of Thatcherism and the post-industrial upheaval of Sheffield in the North of England, two friends, Winston Hazel and Richard Barratt, were at the forefront in connecting a soul- and jazz-dominated dance scene with a racially integrated culture of do-it-yourself electronic dance-music pioneers. Andy Thomas for Wax Poetics.

All Bad Boy & All Good Girl: Manchester Street Soul Soundtapes, 1988​-​1996 - A mixtape pulling together extracts from soundsystem tapes out of Manchester's storied street soul scene of the late 1980s to mid-1990s. Featuring DIY cassette recordings of sounds such as Broadway, Stereo Dan & Soul Control playing live at dances and blues parties in south & central Manchester from 1988 through to 1996.

FIN.