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East Of Underground
East Of Underground
Vampisoul - Cat No: VAMPI 319
- updated:2026-08-06
Originally released as the first release on the discovery label of Wax Poetics—a magazine that continues to reign as a leading authority on Black music—and followed by a box set from NOW AGAIN that includes related rare tracks, this obscure 1970s U.S. soul album is now being reissued by Spain’s Vampisoul. It’s a miraculous sound—a snapshot of a moment in time.
Track List
East Of Underground was a band formed by unknown soldiers who won a contest held among U.S. Army troops stationed in Germany in the midst of the Vietnam War. This obscure recording was reportedly distributed in very limited quantities as a promotional LP for the military. An album that has been deified among rare record diggers. It features tracks by Curtis Mayfield, Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic, the Undisputed Truth, and even the closing track—the classic “Walk On By” by Dionne Warwick, written by Burt Bacharach and David. Featuring “I Love You”—which gained fame after being sampled in 21 Savage feat. J. Cole’s “a lot,” a track that has surpassed 700 million views on YouTube—this obscure soul album continues to be cherished through samples by artists like J ROCC and CUT CHEMIST. It is filled with joy, radiance, and hope. (Original Japanese text by Saito)