Earth Angel

The street soul sound of the UK in the late ’80s — bringing together the 808 percussion of US producers like Kurtis Mantronik with the soundsystem stylings of dancehall and lovers rock — is rarely discussed as a historical cultural force. But thanks to its influence on the likes of Soul II Soul, Massive Attack and Smith And Mighty — even Sade — it in fact had enormous international effect, and it remains an important nexus of connection. Richard Barratt aka Crooked Man was there as DJ in Sheffield’s pivotal Jive Turkey club when it originally happened — and for his Earth Angel guise, starting in 2023, he has revisited it. This isn’t just ’80s throwback though: the soul-funk-boogie songwriting is certainly authentic, but the production is innovative, psychedelic, modern — and the huge sweep of the dub versions included has to be heard to be believed.