London's full of bountiful record oasises (is that a word?) and if you know where to look for, you don't have to pay the Soho prices in the city that's probably the world's most value-conscious when it comes to ripping off record collectors. Here are a bunch of £0.5-£3 range nuggets I picked up from my secret North London locations:
Eric B - I Know You Got Soul 12" An all time classic needs no intro, curiously Rakim is not mentioned in the cover, what's the deal?
Wee Papa Girl Rappers - The Beat, The Rhyme, The Noise 2LP The key here is the "Free 4 track 12" featuring Heat It Up (Adonis Chicago Remixes)" with some pant-wettingly killer acid/hip house tracks. Make no mistake, the album itself too has few hip house and new jack gems. Producers include Teddy Riley.
Jellybean - Rocks The House 2LP Madonna's ex boyfriend, dj turned dance producer extraordinaire; it's a beautiful gatefold double album of John's mixes. For all the Azari & III and Tensnake fans, check out how it was done back in the days with tracks like The Real Thing (West 26th Street Mix) and Coming Back For More. Was Dog a Doughnut mix alert!
El Bee & Tee - Over Like A Fat Rat ('88 Mix) 12" Leroy Burgess, 'nuff said. The hook will play in your mind for days afterwards. Cover of Fonda Rae's '82 classic. You prefer male or female vocals? Take your pick.
Hazell Dean - Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) 12" Think Hi-Nrg/Blue Monday. For me personally the vocals are too much but the dub mix on b-side hits the spot with some weird chopping and delaying of the vocals.
Earlene Bentley feat. Sylvester - Stargazing 12" The Queen and the King of hi-nrg, or should I say the two queens? Some awesome synth action on a pretty boring track.
Sylvester - Rock The Box Super awesome production with (surprise) not a 4-to-the-floor beat. Much respect to drum track and dub version (from which I'm fairly certain DMX Krew interpolated a stab to his Bad Sector II)
Sylvester - Take Me To Heaven/Sex 12" Exactly what you expect from the guy. Very nice hi-nrg, not his best not his worst. B-side takes the pot with killer percussions and crisp synths.
