- 12inch
Flair
Chasin' The Rain
Heels &- Cat No: HSREC006
- 2023-07-30
ポール・オークンフォールドがA&Rを努めていたUKのレーベル〈Champion〉からリリースされていた1988年産UK SOUL。シンセサイザーミュージック好きは是非。
Track List
Heels & Souls step back to 1988 for their sixth reissue, relicensing and remastering Flair's anthemic soul number 'Chasin' The Rain.' For the uninitiated, strap yourself in for six blissful minutes of heavy bass licks, soaring vocals, and infectious synth lines.
Consisting of Janet Rose (aka UK Soul queen JB Rose), Joe Matz, Peter Bielig, and Peter Shindler, Flair was a predominantly German affair, with Rose being the only UK band member and Bielig living in London during the late '80s. This is a curious detail considering 'Chasin' The Rain' is often lauded today as a UK Soul classic - partially due to its release on the prolific UK label Champion. However, it's squeaky-clean production values, and the fact it was mixed and mastered at the famous Jankowski studio in Stuttgart by three Germans, reveals a somewhat different story.
The track has that UK street soul heavy low-end, but with a synth-pop flavour sprinkled in the mix - swinging synth lines and gated snares aplenty. Yet from chatting to Peter Bielig, who's been instrumental in getting this record reissued, the sounds sweeping across the Atlantic from the likes of Jam and Lewis, who blended R&B, funk, soul and pop, were clearly a big influence too.
Those were heady days for four young twenty-something musicians, with Peter recalling cherished memories these tracks bring back, telling of his and JB's PA sessions at London's Gulliver's nightclub. However, while 'Chasin' The Rain' had all the hallmarks of a chart-breaking hit, Champion prioritised other projects and the record never broke. Sadly the group disbanded after only two releases, and this musical gem was consigned to the crates of those in the know. Soon after, Peter Bielig went to Jamaica to work at Tough Gong Studios, working on albums for Rita Marley Music. He now lives in Brazil, producing local artists in his studio in Salvador.
Unfortunately, the master tapes were nowhere to be found, so we had the maestro, Sean P, rip and restore a mint copy of the record, with award-winning mastering engineer Cicely Balston working her studio magic for that added punch.
A1Chasin' The RainB1Chasin' The Rain (Dub)
Genre(s)BalearicaSoulFormat12 InchFeatureGeneric SleeveHeels & Souls step back to 1988 for their sixth reissue, relicensing and remastering Flair's anthemic soul number 'Chasin' The Rain.' For the uninitiated, strap yourself in for six blissful minutes of heavy bass licks, soaring vocals, and infectious synth lines.
Consisting of Janet Rose (aka UK Soul queen JB Rose), Joe Matz, Peter Bielig, and Peter Shindler, Flair was a predominantly German affair, with Rose being the only UK band member and Bielig living in London during the late '80s. This is a curious detail considering 'Chasin' The Rain' is often lauded today as a UK Soul classic - partially due to its release on the prolific UK label Champion. However, it's squeaky-clean production values, and the fact it was mixed and mastered at the famous Jankowski studio in Stuttgart by three Germans, reveals a somewhat different story.
The track has that UK street soul heavy low-end, but with a synth-pop flavour sprinkled in the mix - swinging synth lines and gated snares aplenty. Yet from chatting to Peter Bielig, who's been instrumental in getting this record reissued, the sounds sweeping across the Atlantic from the likes of Jam and Lewis, who blended R&B, funk, soul and pop, were clearly a big influence too.
Those were heady days for four young twenty-something musicians, with Peter recalling cherished memories these tracks bring back, telling of his and JB's PA sessions at London's Gulliver's nightclub. However, while 'Chasin' The Rain' had all the hallmarks of a chart-breaking hit, Champion prioritised other projects and the record never broke. Sadly the group disbanded after only two releases, and this musical gem was consigned to the crates of those in the know. Soon after, Peter Bielig went to Jamaica to work at Tough Gong Studios, working on albums for Rita Marley Music. He now lives in Brazil, producing local artists in his studio in Salvador.
Unfortunately, the master tapes were nowhere to be found, so we had the maestro, Sean P, rip and restore a mint copy of the record, with award-winning mastering engineer Cicely Balston working her studio magic for that added punch.
Press / Radio:
NTS Radio play - One Glove w/ Stu Clark
NTS Radio play - Zakia
Kiosk Radio play - Lefto
Les Yeux Orange Premiere
DJ Feedback:
Antal - sounds very nice!
Lorem Ipsum - Dope reissue as always guys, classic one !
Zakia (NTS) - This is so nice!!!! Will play on the show this week :) Killing it as always.
Errol (Touching Bass) - Amazing stuff as ever! Will be giving this a runout!
Charlie Dark – Big tune
Biko Vledder - Another stellar release which I’m definitely gonna give a spin!
HOT TODDY/ CRAZY P
What a beauty.
HARRI HARRIGAN/ SUB CLUB GLASGOW
This very nice.
SOUL CLAP/ CHARLES LEVINE
This record is absolutely necessary! What a cut!
LEFTO
I’d like this if possible sounds great.
MAX ESSA/ BONOBO JAPAN
What a gem! Love it. I'll play this to death!
DANIEL BALDELLI
Sexy jam.
MASSIMILIANO PAGLIARA
What a Beauty!
KEVIN REYNOLDS/ TRANSMAT
So good! Love it! Perfect for summer vibes. The Dub is my joint!
MEDLAR
More killer stuff from Heels and Souls!
DAZ-I-KUE/ RADIO ATLANTA
Such a beauty.
ADRIANA VAN LEWEEN
Absolutely love Heels & Souls reissues, this one is a beauty as well. The dub especially.
TOSHIO KAWASAKI/ MULE MUSIQ
Very lovely reissue!
TOMOKO TAMURA/ HOLLIC
Super cool UK soul.
DAZ-I-KUE/ BUGZ IN THE ATTIC
Love this UK Soul re-issue
SIMON MORELL/ FINA
Ace love it. Perfect Pikes fodder for me.
MARCO GALLERANI/ HELL YEAH
The DUB sounds amazing.
DRAKER THAN WAX / MARCUS ROSARIO
This is super dope - I love reissues like this. Street soul is so great. Can't wait to share.
DJ ROCCA
Very nice boogie release good for summer
FEEL FLY / INTERNATIONAL FEEL
Romantic and sensual, Dub version for me!
ROCCO UNIVERSAL
This is killer, will definitely get plenty of P Head spins out of it.
EVERYBODY LOVES TO BOOGIE
Yes please! Another killer street soul reissue, these guys are on a roll! Perfect warm up or warm down vibes.
ROCCO FUSCO/ ROLLOVER MILANO
Sexy slow groove from the late 80s.
ANDY WILSON/ SONICA IBIZA
This is cool, always thought it was English track.
YOSHI ORINO/ UNKNOWN SEASON
Nice 80's groove for 4AM! Love it.
CAL GIBSON/ SECRET SOUL SOCIETY
Gracias sharon will whack into my next loose fm show and the art of tones mix from today also....
STEFANO TUCCI/ TANGRAM
I deeply appreciate the job made by Heels & Souls recordings. Another brilliant gem of UK street soul brought back to the light of day.
KEREM GOKMEN/ WYEP PITTSBURGH
As I’m listening to this scorcher I said to myself damn that early 90s sound is still so good, but I was off by a couple of years. Both versions crush it, especially the dub. Need to play this in the car at a nice volume with the windows rolled down. Would love a copy for the show.
Consisting of Janet Rose (aka UK Soul queen JB Rose), Joe Matz, Peter Bielig, and Peter Shindler, Flair was a predominantly German affair, with Rose being the only UK band member and Bielig living in London during the late '80s. This is a curious detail considering 'Chasin' The Rain' is often lauded today as a UK Soul classic - partially due to its release on the prolific UK label Champion. However, it's squeaky-clean production values, and the fact it was mixed and mastered at the famous Jankowski studio in Stuttgart by three Germans, reveals a somewhat different story.
The track has that UK street soul heavy low-end, but with a synth-pop flavour sprinkled in the mix - swinging synth lines and gated snares aplenty. Yet from chatting to Peter Bielig, who's been instrumental in getting this record reissued, the sounds sweeping across the Atlantic from the likes of Jam and Lewis, who blended R&B, funk, soul and pop, were clearly a big influence too.
Those were heady days for four young twenty-something musicians, with Peter recalling cherished memories these tracks bring back, telling of his and JB's PA sessions at London's Gulliver's nightclub. However, while 'Chasin' The Rain' had all the hallmarks of a chart-breaking hit, Champion prioritised other projects and the record never broke. Sadly the group disbanded after only two releases, and this musical gem was consigned to the crates of those in the know. Soon after, Peter Bielig went to Jamaica to work at Tough Gong Studios, working on albums for Rita Marley Music. He now lives in Brazil, producing local artists in his studio in Salvador.
Unfortunately, the master tapes were nowhere to be found, so we had the maestro, Sean P, rip and restore a mint copy of the record, with award-winning mastering engineer Cicely Balston working her studio magic for that added punch.
A1Chasin' The RainB1Chasin' The Rain (Dub)
Genre(s)BalearicaSoulFormat12 InchFeatureGeneric SleeveHeels & Souls step back to 1988 for their sixth reissue, relicensing and remastering Flair's anthemic soul number 'Chasin' The Rain.' For the uninitiated, strap yourself in for six blissful minutes of heavy bass licks, soaring vocals, and infectious synth lines.
Consisting of Janet Rose (aka UK Soul queen JB Rose), Joe Matz, Peter Bielig, and Peter Shindler, Flair was a predominantly German affair, with Rose being the only UK band member and Bielig living in London during the late '80s. This is a curious detail considering 'Chasin' The Rain' is often lauded today as a UK Soul classic - partially due to its release on the prolific UK label Champion. However, it's squeaky-clean production values, and the fact it was mixed and mastered at the famous Jankowski studio in Stuttgart by three Germans, reveals a somewhat different story.
The track has that UK street soul heavy low-end, but with a synth-pop flavour sprinkled in the mix - swinging synth lines and gated snares aplenty. Yet from chatting to Peter Bielig, who's been instrumental in getting this record reissued, the sounds sweeping across the Atlantic from the likes of Jam and Lewis, who blended R&B, funk, soul and pop, were clearly a big influence too.
Those were heady days for four young twenty-something musicians, with Peter recalling cherished memories these tracks bring back, telling of his and JB's PA sessions at London's Gulliver's nightclub. However, while 'Chasin' The Rain' had all the hallmarks of a chart-breaking hit, Champion prioritised other projects and the record never broke. Sadly the group disbanded after only two releases, and this musical gem was consigned to the crates of those in the know. Soon after, Peter Bielig went to Jamaica to work at Tough Gong Studios, working on albums for Rita Marley Music. He now lives in Brazil, producing local artists in his studio in Salvador.
Unfortunately, the master tapes were nowhere to be found, so we had the maestro, Sean P, rip and restore a mint copy of the record, with award-winning mastering engineer Cicely Balston working her studio magic for that added punch.
Press / Radio:
NTS Radio play - One Glove w/ Stu Clark
NTS Radio play - Zakia
Kiosk Radio play - Lefto
Les Yeux Orange Premiere
DJ Feedback:
Antal - sounds very nice!
Lorem Ipsum - Dope reissue as always guys, classic one !
Zakia (NTS) - This is so nice!!!! Will play on the show this week :) Killing it as always.
Errol (Touching Bass) - Amazing stuff as ever! Will be giving this a runout!
Charlie Dark – Big tune
Biko Vledder - Another stellar release which I’m definitely gonna give a spin!
HOT TODDY/ CRAZY P
What a beauty.
HARRI HARRIGAN/ SUB CLUB GLASGOW
This very nice.
SOUL CLAP/ CHARLES LEVINE
This record is absolutely necessary! What a cut!
LEFTO
I’d like this if possible sounds great.
MAX ESSA/ BONOBO JAPAN
What a gem! Love it. I'll play this to death!
DANIEL BALDELLI
Sexy jam.
MASSIMILIANO PAGLIARA
What a Beauty!
KEVIN REYNOLDS/ TRANSMAT
So good! Love it! Perfect for summer vibes. The Dub is my joint!
MEDLAR
More killer stuff from Heels and Souls!
DAZ-I-KUE/ RADIO ATLANTA
Such a beauty.
ADRIANA VAN LEWEEN
Absolutely love Heels & Souls reissues, this one is a beauty as well. The dub especially.
TOSHIO KAWASAKI/ MULE MUSIQ
Very lovely reissue!
TOMOKO TAMURA/ HOLLIC
Super cool UK soul.
DAZ-I-KUE/ BUGZ IN THE ATTIC
Love this UK Soul re-issue
SIMON MORELL/ FINA
Ace love it. Perfect Pikes fodder for me.
MARCO GALLERANI/ HELL YEAH
The DUB sounds amazing.
DRAKER THAN WAX / MARCUS ROSARIO
This is super dope - I love reissues like this. Street soul is so great. Can't wait to share.
DJ ROCCA
Very nice boogie release good for summer
FEEL FLY / INTERNATIONAL FEEL
Romantic and sensual, Dub version for me!
ROCCO UNIVERSAL
This is killer, will definitely get plenty of P Head spins out of it.
EVERYBODY LOVES TO BOOGIE
Yes please! Another killer street soul reissue, these guys are on a roll! Perfect warm up or warm down vibes.
ROCCO FUSCO/ ROLLOVER MILANO
Sexy slow groove from the late 80s.
ANDY WILSON/ SONICA IBIZA
This is cool, always thought it was English track.
YOSHI ORINO/ UNKNOWN SEASON
Nice 80's groove for 4AM! Love it.
CAL GIBSON/ SECRET SOUL SOCIETY
Gracias sharon will whack into my next loose fm show and the art of tones mix from today also....
STEFANO TUCCI/ TANGRAM
I deeply appreciate the job made by Heels & Souls recordings. Another brilliant gem of UK street soul brought back to the light of day.
KEREM GOKMEN/ WYEP PITTSBURGH
As I’m listening to this scorcher I said to myself damn that early 90s sound is still so good, but I was off by a couple of years. Both versions crush it, especially the dub. Need to play this in the car at a nice volume with the windows rolled down. Would love a copy for the show.
後にJB Roseを名乗り、MARC MAC(4 HERO)やDIESELのプロジェクトにもフィーチャリングされ、ブレイクするシンガーJanet Rose在籍。UK Street Soulの流れで、コアなディガーの間で人気の高かった1988年の「Chasin' The Rain」が〈Heels & Souls Recordings〉から再発。抑制されたジェントルな進行、ミキシングワーク。80sシンセサイザーサウンドの魅力。ヴォーカル・バージョン、ダブどちらも素晴らしい。オリジナルのマスターは損なわれ現存せず、UK屈指のディガーSEAN P所有のミントコンディションのレコードからリッピングして、2023 MPG Award受賞のエンジニアCicely Balstonがリストア、マスタリングを手掛けたとのことです。 (サイトウ)