GOLDEN RULES is a German boutique label and online record shop. Based in Leipzig, the set up is headed by self-confessed “soul nerd”, Johannes Riedel Herr Riedel is a real multi-tasker; he runs his own labels and a studio with vintage equipment and is a multi-instrumentalist in a long list of projects. He works as a booker and promoter for contemporary funk and soul acts and has his own radio show on Soho Radio London. Helping him out is Fabian Schuetzes and between them they keep the rare. obscure soul flag flying high in Germany!
The team’s mission statement is to “bring soul back to the people” and to that end they regularly release esoteric, rare soul and funk compilations and the latest one, ‘Originals 4’ is due for a vinyl release in mid-October.
Liked all Golden Rules releases the music on this one is wide-ranging in both flavour and origin with tracks sourced from all over the place – from Nancy, France, via Alabama, USA through Osnabrück, Germany to Tel Aviv in Israel and plenty elsewhere! Equally the artists aren’t that well-known. Many are up and coming wannabees, others have tried (and failed) to make it; the connection is that they all want to deliver raw, honest music!
The best known name on offer here is Okonski. Mr O, of course, is Steve Okonski, keyboardist with Durand Jones and the Indications who also leads his own ambient soul and jazz trio and his offering here, ‘Summer Storm’ is just that – a laid back, ambient jazzy chiller. The NCY Milky Band’s ‘Lynx Theme’ offers something similar but with an added garnish of psychedelia. Elsewhere there’s various shadings of funk (try JJ Whitfield’s instrumental ‘Moon Walk’), sombre country-flecked soul (Tommie Harris with ‘The World Must Change’), finger-clicking soul (Miles King’s ‘A Good Day’) and a whole lot more. Thus is you like your soul and funk rare, raw, esoteric and a little different you may want to take ‘Originals 4’ for a test drive. Learn more @ https://goldenrules.de/?srsltid=AfmBOorhZMGHQrnef-2LhknSm5kavrwUlG2poQkDDTKJOAmvMjC76vjg
