Carlos Dafé – Pra Que Vou Recordar
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I-Level – S.T.
I-Level
S.T.
Style: Soul
Label: Epic
Catalog Number: BFE 38793
Released: 1983
Before Loose Ends, The System, Soul II Soul, and even Sade, there was I-Level… The short-lived but influential group was comprised of Essex-born musicians Duncan Bridgeman and Jo Dworniak along with singer Sam Jones, who hailed from Freetown, Sierra Leone in Africa and previously toured Europe with a reggae group called Brimstone. Blending a wide range of influences from jazz to boogie and new wave to dancehall, I-Level released just two albums that are now certified Brit-Funk cult classics before disbanding in 1985. Their 1983 debut opens with some of the darkest lyrics to grace a street soul track, “Minefield,” is an upbeat song written about England’s war with Argentina. The track was immediately banned from radio play. The entire album is great, but we have to point out “Give Me,” an incredibly smooth slap bass driven boogie track along with the mellow Spanish-tinged balearic ballad “Heart Aglow.”
Recommended – Full Listen
Tags: Cult Classic / Street Soul / UK Soul
Tracklist:
A1 Minefield
A2 Treacle
A3 Heart Aglow
A4 Stone Heart
A5 Woman
B1 Give Me
B2 No. 4
B3 Teacher
B4 Music
B5 Face Again
Credits:
Arranged By [All Horn Arrangements By] – I-Level, Hugo Delmirani*
Arranged By [All String Arrangements By] – Graham Preskett, I-Level
Art Direction, Stylist [Styling] – Karl Adams
Conductor [Horn Section Led By] – Hugo Delmirani*
Conductor [Strings Led By] – Graham Preskett
Engineer – Duncan Bridgeman, Jo Dworniak*
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards, Drums – I-Level
Lacquer Cut By – Herbie Jr*
Lead Vocals [All Lead], Backing Vocals [Background Vocals By] – Sam Jones (2)
Management [Exclusive Representation] – Karl Adams
Music By [Music Written By] – Duncan Bridgeman, Jo Dworniak*, Sam Jones (2)
Performer [I-Level Are] – Duncan Bridgeman, Jo Dworniak*, Sam Jones (2)
Photography By [Photograph] – Gered Mankawitz*
Producer – I-Level
Soloist, Trumpet [Trumpet Solos By] – Eddie Thornton*
Written-By – D. Bridgeman* (tracks: A1 to A5, B2 to B5), J. Dworniak* (tracks: A1 to A5, B2 to B5), S. Jones*
