click each image above to enlarge

I haven’t played this record in over 23+ years.  When I put this record on the deck last night, I was shocked at how bad the sound-quality was.  The bad sound wasn’t from the result of degradation of the vinyl over the years. In fact, the record is still in MINT condition. But the bad quality came from the original recording of either the original tape-master itself and/or the pressing.  The sound sounded like a low-resolution MP3.  UNACCEPTABLE!   By today’s standards, of course.

Then all a sudden  –like an enormous & powerful flashback shooting out like a bullet from the back  area of my deepest recessed memory, fully taking over all my five senses– the Spirit of Vinyl-Past sucked me into a worm-hole and travelled me back in time to the year 1986… to the same exact point of day and time as to when I bought Electro-15 record from a store in London or Uxbridge … went home and played it for the first time… but upon my first impression after listening to it, I had actually thought back then about the recording quality sounding awfully worse than all of the previous Electro releases.  Disappointed then.  Disappointed now even.

However……. now……… I just love how last night was like listening to Electro-15 for the first time again >> but this time with a genuine worm-hole-deja-vouz. Surreal!

Only this time I was blessed to do quick EQing, compressing, reverbing and simple mastering to the overall sound to an acceptable & reasonable state of being compatible to the 12st Century human ears.

With my dirty-hands, I accentuated the ghetto beefness … I widened the stereo-field … I brightened the upper end … I added some depth with room-dimensions via Lexicon reverb (with careful programming of all parameters; no presets were chosen!  And, as a matter of fact, every Electro recording of mine has different reverb-settings which I’d programmed each very meticulously) … I left-alone some of the record’s dirt & scratches … and, most importantly, I wanted the sound/feeling of an actual vinyl-record to be pushed-in-your-face for the meditative experience of listening-purposes (which might be great to expose the new generation of listeners/collectors to what it really and SHOULD HAVE sounded like for them back then).     The GRIT just had to stay!

I could have mastered Electro-15 so clean like a digital CD-master, without anybody else being able to tell the difference between whether the recording coming from a vinyl or not.  But that would be no fun. HELL NO!  >>>>> I like sticking it in to ya:  RAW BEEF sound with my own STAMP on it.

StreetSounds Electro-15  (Side A)…

Title: Electro-15  (Side A)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-15  (Side A) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• A1: Duke Bootee – “Broadway”
  Produced by Duke Bootee
• A2: Skinny Boys – “Awesome”
  Produced by Mark Bush
• A3: Kurtis Blow - “The Bronx”
  Produced by Kurtis Blow
• A4: DJ Scott La Rock, Blastmaster KRS One & D-Nice – “South Bronx”
  Produced by Boogie Down Productions

StreetSounds Electro-15  (Side B)…

Title: Electro-15  (Side B)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-15  (Side B) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• B1: Just-Ice - “Cold Gettin’ Dumb”
  Produced by The Lord High Ruler & Emperor Of The Beat
• B2: Faze One – “Layin’ Down A Beat” (Censored Version)
  Produced by Dave Ogrin
• B3: The Move - “Greedy Girls” (Extended Version)
  Produced by Cozmo D, Chilly B, The Move
• B4: Captain Rock – “Bongo Beat”
  Produced by Taharqa Aleem & Tunde-Ra Aleem

click each image above to enlarge

StreetSounds Electro-14 (Side A)…

Title: Electro-14  (Side A)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-14  (Side A) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• A1: Awesome Foursome – “Monster Beat”
  Produced by Gregory Marius & Teddy Riley
• A2: Tricky Tee – “Leave It To The Drums (Here Comes The Drums)” (Club)
  Produced by Sam Sever
• A3: T La Rock - “Breaking Bells” (Club)
  Produced by Mantronix
• A4: Mixmaster Gee & The Turntable Orchestra – “The Manipulator” (Extended Version)
  Produced by Greg Royal

StreetSounds Electro-14  (Side B)…

Title: Electro-14  (Side B)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-14  (Side B) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• B1: Divine Sounds - “Me And My Posse”
  Produced by Jerry Bloodrock & Michael Dowling
• B2: Fresh Force – “She’s A Skeezer”
  Produced by Charlie Casanova & Fresh Force
• B3: MC Chill (guest appearance by BeatMaster T) - “Downbeats”
  Produced by Mike Nice
• B4: Skinny Boys – “Rip The Cut”
  Produced by Mark Bush

click each image above to enlarge

StreetSounds Electro-13  (Side A)…

Title: Electro-13  (Side A)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-13  (Side A) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• A1: Grandmaster Flash – “Style” (Peter Gunn Theme)
  Produced by Joseph Saddler & Vincent Castellano
• A2: Afrika Bambaataa & Family – “Bambaataa’s Theme” (Assault On Precinct 13)
  Produced by Rae Serrano, Leroi Evans & Afrika Bambaataa
• A3: Hashim - “UK Fresh ’86″ (The Anthem)
  Featuring MC Devon
  Produced by Paul Phillips
• A4: Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde – “Fast Life”
  Produced by Kurtis Blow
• A5: Aleem - “Get Loose”
  Produced by Tunde-Ra Aleem, Taharqa Aleem, Leroy Burgess & Sonny Davenport
• A6: Masquerade - “(Solution To) The Problem” (The DEFinitive Dance Mix)
  Produced by Paul Phillips
• A7: Sir Mix-A-Lot - “Square Dance Rap” (Power Mix)
  Produced by Sir Mix-A-Lot
• A8: Captain Rock - “Return Of Captain Rock”
  Produced by The Fantastic Aleems
• A9: Information Society - “Running” (“The Nest” Remix)
  Produced by Paul Schwitters
• A10: World Class Wreckin’ Cru - “Mission Possible”
  Produced by Lonzo & Dr. Dre

StreetSounds Electro-13  (Side B)…

Title: Electro-13  (Side B)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-13  (Side B) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• B1: Lovebug Starski - “Amityville”
  Produced by Kurtis Blow
• B2: Joe Ski Love – “Pee-Wee’s Dance”
  Produced by Vincent Davis
• B3: Just-Ice - “Latoya”
  Produced by Biggy Rat & Itchy Brother
• B4: MC Chill – “The Prophecy, Part 1″ (The Beginning)
  Produced by Mike Nice
• B5: Eric B & Rakim - “Eric B. Is President”
  Featuring Rakim
  Produced by Eric Barrier
• B6: MC Boob aka Steady B - “Bring The Beat Back” (Vocal)
  Produced by Lawrence Goodman
• B7: The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie Tee - “(Bang Zoom) Let’s Go Go Go”
  Produced by Full Force
• B8: Roxanne Shante - “Queen Of Rox (Shante Rox On)” (Street Version)
  Produced by Marely Marl
• B9: Easy Mike - “The State We’re In” (Vocal)
  Featuring MC Sure Shot
  Produced by Easy Mike
• B10: Mantronix - “Ladies”
  Produced by Mantronix
• B11: Family Quest - “Sleep Walking”
  Produced by Paul Phillips, David Toop & Steve Beresford

click each image above to enlarge

StreetSounds Electro-12  (Side A)…

Title: Electro-12  (Side A)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-12  (Side A) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• A1: Grandmaster Flash – “Fastest  Man Alive”
  Produced by Joseph Saddler & Vincent Castellano
• A2: Fat Boys – “Beat Box Is Rocking”
  Produced by David Orgin, Garry Rottger & Darren Robinson
• A3: Sir Mix-A-Lot - “Square Dance Rap” (Rodeo Drive Mix)
  Produced by Sir Mix-A-Lot
• A4: Ghetto Style (with the 2 Live Crew) – “Trow The D. And Ghetto Bass”
  Produced by L.S. Walker & D Hobbs

StreetSounds Electro-12  (Side B)…

Title: Electro-12  (Side B)
Mixed by: Herbie ‘Mastermind’ Laidley
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-12  (Side B) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• B1: Ultimate III - “Ultimate III Live!”
  Produced by Isaac Wright & Adrian “Tank” McRae
• B2: MC Chill – “MC Story”
  Produced by Mike Nice
• B3: Celebrity Club - “Girls (Rulin’ The World)”
  Featuring Royal Silk
  Produced by L. Brown & R. Ahee
• B4: Whodini – “Funky Beat”
  Produced by Larry Smith

click each image above to enlarge

StreetSounds Electro-11  (Side A)…

Title: Electro-11  (Side A)
Mixed by: The Frog & Mad Dog Harris
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-11  (Side A) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• A1: Roxanne Shante – “Def Fresh Crew”
  Produced by M.M.E. Ltd.
• A2: Awesome Foursome – “Monster Beat”
  Produced by Gregory Marius & Teddy Riley
• A3: Captain Rock - “You Stink”
  Produced by Spyder “D” & T&T Aleen
• A4: Disco Four – “Get Busy”
  Produced by Gregory Marius & Teddy Riley
• A5: 12:41 – “Success Is The Word”
  Produced by David Eng & Kenny Beck

StreetSounds Electro-11  (Side B)…

Title: Electro-11  (Side B)
Mixed by: The Frog & Mad Dog Harris
Year: 1986
Label: StreetSounds
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

StreetSounds Electro-11  (Side B) (mp3)

Tracklisting

• B1: The B-Boys - “Girls – Part 2″
  Produced by Vincent Davis
• B2: Stetsasonic – “Just Say Stet”
  Produced by Tom Siverman & Stetsasonic
• B3: The 2 Live Crew – “What I Like”
  Produced by The 2 Live Crew
• B4: Hashim - “Primrose Path”
  Produced by Hashim
• B5: Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde – “Butt Naked”
  Produced by Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde

Egyptian Lover – “Freak-A-Holic” (12 Inch Long Versionl)..

Artist: The Egyptian Lover
Title: Freak-A-Holic (12 Inch Long Version)
Year: 1986
Label: Egyptian Empire Records

Egyptian Lover – “Freak-A-Holic” (12 Inch Long Version) (mp3)

Music Video: The Egyptian Lover – “Freak-A-Holic”…

Cultural Vibe was created by Winston Jones in the mid 80′s. Its track Ma Foom Bey [watch video below] was one of the biggest and most successful dance track back in 1986. To this day, Ma Foom Bey is still getting played and continuing to stand the test of time. And I do love that track. However, I also really do love Cultural Vibe’s other track Mind Games just as much. Mind Games was also released in 1986 but failed to see any success, overshadowed obscurely by Ma Foom Bey‘s ongoing success and popularity. Ma Foom Bey was purely a legit tribal/house track for the dance-floor. But Mind Games was a deep/house, electronic and emotional VOCAL dance track for the music-listener.  Fantastic rare gem with overall good & clean production with some raw dirt in there, although not as filthy as Ma Foom Bey.  Melodic bassline, synth stabs and echoey/delayed synth marimba-ish chops.  Slightly minimal but hardly crowded nor drowned with a lot of layers.  Solid beats from a Roland TR-707 drum machine.

On side-B of this 12″ particular single of mine is Mind Games (Zans Games) which was later re-titled to Mind Games (Dub Games), thus both of them being and sounding exactly the same as each other.

Cultural Vibe – “Mind Games” (Club Vocal)…

Artist: Cultural Vibe
Title: Mind Games (Club Vocal)
Year: 1986
Label: Easy Street Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Cultural Vibe – “Mind Games” (Club Vocal) (mp3)

Cultural Vibe – “Mind Games” (Zans Games / Dub Games)…

Artist: Cultural Vibe
Title: Mind Games (Zans Games / Dub Games)
Year: 1986
Label: Easy Street Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Cultural Vibe – “Mind Games (Zans Games / Dub Games) (mp3)

Music Video: Cultural Vibe’s most popular track “Ma Foom Bey”…

Killer synth-R&B-dance track from 1986.     Rumors… I can still take more more!

1986 was a great year for electronic R&B which incorporated the new urban sound, hiphop, funk, soul and dance music — a sound that later became known as the New Jack Swing in the late 80′s. New Jack Swing was pretty much hijacked by Teddy Riley [watch video] who took that genre to a whole new level. But Rumors was one of the very first tracks with that sound — a sound so poundingly raw, with a spine that keeps the drums, baseline and overall groove fused together as one. I remember this track hitting the top of the charts around the world. I bought a few different copies of the 12-inch records from Canada, USA and England.  I’ve also bought Rumors on Canadian-issued maxi-single cassette tape.  Why?  Because I liked the different artwork covers!

Almost every artist of this genre was utilizing the very latest electronic and groundbreaking musical instruments at that time.     E-mu SP12 [watch video] and Linn-9000 [watch video] were just the revolutionary sampling drum machines used in the industry. Their factory sound/samples that came with those two machines were legendary — practically used on thousands of tracks out there.  The SP12 had 24 onboard drum sounds plus 8 additional memory allocations for loading custom/user samples. Since the SP12 had no built-in floppy drive for backup, I am not sure how the user samples were stored. However, the SP12 was quickly superseded by SP1200 in 1987 which had a built-in 3.5″ floppy drive and more sampling memory.

Almost all the drum sounds on Rumors were from the SP12/1200. I recognize that snare very well to be from E-mu Systems’ factory sample collection. Just that snare alone could be heard on Jody Watley’s – Looking For A New Love,  Janet Jackson’s – Control by the two big-time producers Jam & Lewis, and even Kraftwerk’s – The Telephone Call… just as few examples.

The TR-808 drum sounds on Rumors, to my belief, were samples of the real 808 drum-machine loaded into the SP12/1200.  Most of the synth sounds, particularly the main melodic/stabby one, was from a Roland Juno-106 [watch video]. I know that Roland sound, because I, too, own a 106 and few other kinds.

Read more information on Timex Social Club here (wikipedia) –and– here (TSC official site).

Timex Social Club – “Rumors” (Social Club Mix)…

Artist: Timex Social Club
Title: Rumors (Social Club Mix)
Year: 1986
Label: AM Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Timex Social Club – “Rumors” (Social Club Mix) (mp3)

Timex Social Club – “Rumors” (Social Club Dub)…

Artist: Timex Social Club
Title: Rumors (Social Club Dub)
Year: 1986
Label: AM Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Timex Social Club – “Rumors” (Social Club Dub) (mp3)

Timex Social Club – “Vicious Rumors”…

Artist: Timex Social Club
Title: Vicious Rumors
Year: 1986
Label: AM Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Timex Social Club – “Vicious Rumors” (mp3)

Ah, this is one rarity from an outstanding, legendary British artist: Peter Gabriel. There was an actual 12″ record of In Your Eyes which featured the Special Mix. But what made this particular record more special was that the track In Your Eyes (Special Mix) was also featured on the B-side of a Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush 12″ single Don’t Give Up.

I have never opened nor played this record before. Thus, after nearly 25 years, I’ve unsealed it and recorded the track on the B-side to digital.  Therefore, a triple special indeed!

Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes” (Special Mix)…

Artist: Peter Gabriel
Title: In Your Eyes (Special Mix)
Year: 1986
Label: Virgin Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes” (Special Mix) (mp3)

Desireless is French singer Claudie Fritsch-Mentrop who’s voice is one of the most beautiful in the world. Her track Voyage Voyage was released in 1986 and hit number-one in many European and Asian music single charts, selling more than 5 million copies. It still remains to be one of the most sought-after tracks on the playlist of countless radio stations (on the airwaves and internet) around the world. Every year, it seems, Voyage Voyage is still being discovered by new listeners who hear it for the first time. The track is a perfect blend of emotional French singing/song-writing and Italo-disco that drives and carries the song to a whole new level of synth-pop, becoming essentially a romantic and electronic dance. Personally, I prefer the Britmix version over the 12″ Mix of Voyage Voyage. The lead/front vocals are dryer and not as drenched in reverb, thus adding more warmth and depth with closer presence of emotions to the overall delivery and feel of the tune. The same goes for the background vocals, hearing more clearly all the “aah” and “voyaaah voyaaah” vocal layers. The tight, melodic bassline and its underlying syncopated synth chord chops/stabs also have more presence than the 12″ Mix … not only fitting perfectly around and under the vocals & drums but also driving the entire Britmix with more oomph … making the track more serious and groovy. Voyage Voyage is one of those rare successful synth-pop tracks that is true through and through. It always makes me close my eyes and sing passionately along with Claudie.

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (Britmix)…

Artist: Desireless
Title: Voyage Voyage (Britmix)
Year: 1988
Label: CBC Records

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (Britmix) (mp3)

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (12″ Mix)…

Artist: Desireless
Title: Voyage Voyage (12″ Mix)
Year: 1986
Label: CBC Records

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (12″ Mix) (mp3)

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” Lyrics (French)…

Au dessus des vieux volcans,
Glisse des ailes
Sous les tapis du vent,
Voyage, voyage,
Éternellement.
De nuages en marécages,
De vent d’Espagne en pluie d’équateur,
Voyage, voyage,
Vole dans les hauteurs
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l’océan…

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l’espace inouï de l’amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l’eau sacrée d’un fleuve indien,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Sur le Gange ou l’Amazone,
Chez les blacks, chez les sikhs,
Chez les jaunes,
Voyage, voyage
Dans tout le royaume.
Sur les dunes du Sahara,
Des îles Fidji au Fujiyama,
Voyage, voyage,
Ne t’arrêtes pas.
Au dessus des barbelés,
Des coeurs bombardés,
Regarde l’océan.

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l’espace inouï de l’amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l’eau sacrée d’un fleuve indien,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l’espace inouî de l’amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l’eau sacrée d’un fleuve indien,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Plus loin que la nuit et le jour
(Voyage, voyage)

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” Lyrics (English translation)…

On top of the old volcanos,
Slip of the wings
Under the carpets of the wind,
Journey, journey,
Eternally.
Clouds in marshes,
Of wind of Spain in rain of equator,
Journey, journey,
Fly in the heights
On top of the capitals,
Fatal ideas,
Look at the ocean…

Journey, journey
Further that the night and the day,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
In the space of the love.
Journey, journey
On the crowned water of an Indian river,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
And never does not return.

On Ganges or the Amazon,
At the blacks, the sikhs,
At the yellows,
Journey, journey
In all the kingdom.
On the dunes of the Sahara,
Fiji islands in Fujiyama,
Journey, journey,
Do not stop you.
With the top of the barbed wires,
Bombarded hearts,
Look at the ocean.

Journey, journey
Further that the night and the day,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
In the space of the love.
Journey, journey
On the crowned water of an Indian river,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
And never does not return.

Journey, journey
Further that the night and the day,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
In the space of the love.
Journey, journey
On the crowned water of an Indian river,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
And never does not return.

Further that the night and the day
(Journey, journey)