Skimming Stones ... twice

The cover star of Skimming Stones, the special issue of Your Heart Out which can be downloaded for free here, is Sylvia Tella and the image is borrowed from the cover of her wonderful debut LP, Spell. It's a little different from other lovers rock recordings of the time, as you can tell by the title track which is somewhat removed from the diy London schoolgirl approach. But then Sylvia's career path was a little different anyway. She may be best known in the pop world for her showstopping collaborations with Dr Robert and the Blow Monkeys (e.g. on the great hit single Choice), but there's a lot more to explore. Sylvia as well as having a great voice over the years has been involved with the production and writing side of music. She, for example, had a number of songwriting credits on Akabu's Warrior Queen LP on On-U Sound. Among the musicians on that LP is Caroline Williams on keyboards. If that name seems familiar, then have a quick look at the credits for Massive Attack's One Love. Caroline is also known as Rhythm Queen, and with Horace Andy she made the fantastic Elementary LP in 1985 for Rough Trade. And anyone who thinks Massive Attack dragged Horace into the digital age needs this record ...

Skimming Stones ... once

Skipping Stones, the latest edition of Your Heart Out which can be downloaded here for free, starts with a confession about getting the London reggae outfits, Akabu and Abakush confused. I suspect I am not the only one who is not an expert on these great collectives. Akabu started out as African Woman Abroad, recording a great LP with the Mad Professor in the early '80s featuring tracks such as the fantastic Same Situation. They would then make a pioneering electro record, Watch Yourself, with Adrian Sherwood and Steve Beresford, edited by Double Dee and Steinski, and released on Body Rock, an off-shoot of Tommy Boy. This was the start of an enduring working relationship with the On-U Sound set-up. Abakush (or Abacush) were from the other side of London, who also had a couple of tracks on a compilation for Misty's People Unite label, including the great Batta Dem. Over the years there would be a series of releases from the Abakush collective, including the gloriously poppy Sunshine Island, and they would be a driving force behind the Sista organisation which features prominently in this edition of YHO, along with Akabu who are featured here in some rare footage from 1990.

Skimming Stones

Skimming Stones, a special edition of Your Heart Out, is available to download for free here. After some revealing romps in the archives of The Pop Group and the Mad Professor’s Ariwa label it’s time to explore some related roots and branches. So, if you’ve even a passing interest in, for example, On-U Sound, Jah Wobble, Disco Dub Band, Dennis Bovell, lovers rock, afro rock, pub rock, The Fabulous Stains and Snatch, you will have a lot of fun exploring this particular pop tract.

Lonely Clouds - Sounds of Japan

Lonely Clouds is a special mixtape of vintage Japanese sounds available for you to download for free here. The mix covers folk, jazz, psych pop, and whatever, but the prevailing mood is a deep blue aloneness. It’s a perfect soundtrack for desolation angels everywhere, and contains some incredibly beautiful performances. Featured among others are Meiko Kaji, Morita Doji, Haki Yamasaki, Maki Asakawa, and Kimiko Kasai. The fantastic cover art is by Per-Christian Hille. And here's a suggestion of the treats in store ...

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #8

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. The mix closes with a fantastic track by the remarkable roots singer Sister Audrey, who is captured here performing at the Ariwa 12th Birthday Celebrations. She is singing Africa Is Zion, which Tony benjamin (ex-Reggae Regular) had recorded for Ariwa several years before.

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #7

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. One of the stars of the mix is Aisha who is captured here performing live at a celebration for Ariwa's 12th birthday. What a priceless piece of film!

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #6

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. I would argue that part of the enduring success of Ariwa is down to the excellent in-house pool of musicians the Mad Professor has used over the years. The Robotiks has been at the heart of the label's sound, both in the studio, and live as seen here in the early '90s. At the end of the clip is the great Trilla Jenna who really should have been on the Lovers And Technology mix ...

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #5

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. One of the stalwarts of the Ariwa label is Macka B who appears in our mix with the wonderful Unemployment Blues which appropriately he appears performing the conclusion of in this live video from Germany in 1989 which showcases the live dub sound of the Robotiks. He also cautions against the wet perm look, which is sound advice ...

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #4

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. Among the stars of the mix and fanzine is Kofi, one of the legends of lovers rock. Here she is captured on film in 1988 performing at the legendary Dougie's nighclub in Clapton.

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #3

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. Here continuing our Ariwa on film series is an early '90s clip of Sandra Cross in Norwich revisiting some of the old Wild Bunch numbers with the great in-house Ariwa group the Robotiks making a glorious sound.

Lovers and Technology ... On Film #2

Lovers And Technology is a special mixtape of tracks from the archives of the Mad Professor and his Ariwa label, which you can download for free here. There is also a special Lovers And Technology edition of Your Heart Out to download (and print off) free for all here. Among the highlights is Sandra Cross performing as part of the trio Wild Bunch. This Wild Bunch was not connected to the Bristol scene. They did, however, produce one amazing LP with the Mad Professor for Ariwa, and Dick Hebdige singled out the track Indestructable Woman for praise in his book Cut 'N' Mix. Here, continuing our series, is a fantastic clip of the Wild Bunch performing the song Creation live ...