RIPPLE レコード& CD

Review: It can be hard to keep up with the different days devoted to recorded music, from Record Store Day to Album Day to Black Friday, but two really cares so long as the tunes keep coming. And they don't come much finer than this - Ripple's self-titled album was originally released in 1973 and soon became known as a rare groove, funk and deep soul classic. Some 50 years on and it has been remastered to sound as good as ever and remind us why the band were right up there with peers such as Funkadelic, Kool and the Gang and The Blackbyrds, all of whom served up equally brilliant mixes of rock, soul, photo disco and funk. The is the first time this one has been back in print for some 30 years.

Review: Izipho Soul is having a busy time at the moment, and that's music to the ears of soul lovers, literally. Here we have two of Ripple's finest and they are real golden cuts. The legendary 79s band migrated from the Mid-West to Atlanta and soon hit the big time with their debut single. Two cuts that were never released at the time are now presented here - the lush falsetto of Maybe It's You' with all its jazzy soul. Then comes the fusion sound of 'Sweet Lady' which mixes up funk, Latin and soul. Both come with lush keys, catchy rhythms and proper seductive vocals.