Myles Sanko is a self-styled retro UK soul man who débuted last year with ‘Born In Black And White’, an EP which picked up plaudits and brickbats in equal numbers. This fresh long player boasts ten new songs (eleven tracks, if you count the instrumental version of one of ’em) and all were written by Myles and his long-time writing partner, Thierry Los. It’s clear that the duo have been listening long and hard to lots of old school soul because ‘Forever Dreaming’ is a decent attempt to recreate the sounds and emotions of the classic soul era.
The album opens with its title cut – a bright and fresh dancer that’s as good a Northern soul pastiche as anything recorded after the genre’s heyday. The tune rides along on a great James Jameson style bass line and, unless I’m mistaken , the drum intro is lifted from the Temptations’ ‘Ain’t To Proud To Beg’. There are more Northern flavours on ‘Shooting Star’, ‘Take A Look At Me Now’ and ‘To My Surprise’ which is already finding favour amongst the more discerning Northern and Modern soul jocks… and in best Northern soul tradition, the album offers the instrumental version of the tune too.
Oddly for a vocalist’s album , there’s another instrumental… a short and moody, ‘Lonely Dreamers’ which features some Herbie Mann style flute.
Best of the ballads is the stark and churchy ‘So Much Indeed’ while the pleading ‘Where We Need To Be’ shows that young Sanko boasts a good set of pipes. Little wonder that Speedometer used him as vocalist of choice while soul sister Martha High was always keen to collaborate.
‘Forever Dreaming’ is released on P-Vine Records (Japan) and on Légère Recordings (Europe) and the release will be accompanied by a UK and small European promotional tour.
(BB) 4/5
