Over the last several months UK soul connoisseurs have been thrilled with new music from soul music veteran ERROL HENRY… the man who in 1989 founded the legendary Intimate Records and who went on to score hits with people like the Jones Girls, Anthony Drakes, The Affair, Chris Ballin, Richard Anthony Davis, Jaki Graham and Deni Hines.
Recently Errol’s been working on a new imprint – i2, which burst upon us with the remarkable ‘First Night’ from Everett earlier this year. In the ensuing months more gems were released – stuff like the Sound Principle’s ‘Because You Love Me’ and J Fly’s Frank McComb-featured ‘Love Song’.
Now in time for the festive party season i2 is bringing out a fab 12 track sampler which brings together all those previous soul sparklers alongside a plethora of new cuts that will please soul lovers right across the spectrum.
Everett’s ‘First Night’ still stands out – a proper anthem, as is that Sound Principle tune. Another that will be familiar to connoisseurs is LeVelle’s old school, ‘Bring Back The Love’.
The newer stuff includes a revisit to Teena Marie’s ‘I Need Your Loving’ from Karlito who’s helped out by Don E and Louise Labelle and a lovely tune from the oft neglected Chris Ballin, ‘Cry’. The cut is a typical Ballin smoocher, equalled in the romantic stakes by the totally gorgeous ‘Because You’ from Klymaxx’s Joyce Irby and someone called Howard Hewett. Mr H records so rarely these days (yes I know he’s on the new Shalamar single – see our news archive) but here he does what he does best…. nails the romantic ballad. This one cut is worth the entrance price on its own…. but you also get 11 other modern soul gems/future anthems… check this one out!
