Club Classics Vol. One

I hesitate to even imagine how boring Vol. Two must become by the end of its runtime

Sounds like an important influence for things I really like

i like!

A nice little preview of the late 80s combination of dance and R&B. Beats are groovy and vibey. Not sure why this album didn't originally have the hit single but the acapella version, which also still slaps. Reminds me of some proto-Bjork dance rhythms that would be in her debut.

Um disco insignificante de PopSoul. Música de fundo para atividades manuais, não para se ouvir atentamente.

Club Classics yet not a single track from Houmous & Chutney? 4.0 7/16 Feel Free

uglavnom dosadno ko proljev. na dijelovima kad ovaj repniga pjeva ili pokušava repati ili šta već naginjalo mi je prema kečini, no sve u svemu nije tolko loše. bezveze

Mediocre then, mediocre now.

It feels good to revisit this, and it still sounds great. It’s soulful, life-affirming, house-influenced dance music that sounds like a sweaty London warehouse party packed with all manner and colors of people, and that matters a lot in a time like 2026.

Dull 2 dull once you get beyond the two singles I remember.

Yeah it's fine, UK R&B

Good record. There’s a worldbeat element to this which is interesting, though this album is clearly at its best with the more straightforward dance tracks. This is especially true when Caron Wheeler is leading, as her voice is excellent. Not amazing, not bad. Surprised this is lower than 3. It’s materially better than that, especially Back to Life (the big hit), Keep on Movin’ (especially the Big Beat Accapella version), and Feel Free. 3.5 star album, though giving it 4 to build its average back up a bit.

flute on a club track is crazy this never landed for me

I've always been a fan of Nellee Hooper and Back To Life. I'm glad to finaly listen to this album. I love the style even though it gets slithgly repetitive, but the groove takes a hold of you through the whole album. Great stuff.

Definitely some funky songs but the album has a whole felt too disjointed

I really liked it smooth studying music tho

Yawn

vibe

Ugh. Two songs in and I'm already wondering why I'm wasting my time on this. The music is generic, bland, uninspired.

This isn't a bad album, but there's nothing that stands out here besides Back to Life, and I'm not sure if I only know that song from Masters of the Sun Vol 1, or if it's even sampled on that album. It's just relatively forgettable.

This was just too boring.

Excellent. Every track is masterful.

Undoubtedly influential and enjoyable enough to listen to but there is a lot of other house music which I prefer to this. This is probably deserving of a 4 but I'm going more on personal enjoyment here.

Solid groove music. Had it on while mowing the grass. Pleasant experience. Probably not a lot of stuff I’d gravitate to for a road trip or casual listen, but I enjoyed it.

Listened to this one whilst meeting a future babysitter. So I can’t say I paid detailed attention. Sounded good overall though and would keen to listen to it again.

Last DnB song was the best one on the album

I feel like I've heard about this being connected to Massive Attack, vaguely? It's amazing, Blue Lines came only two years after this but it rendered it totally obsolete immediately! This is still solid nevertheless, but it clearly feels like it belongs to a previous era.

These are some funky little tunes Fave track: Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)

Not sure it really lives up to its name. 2.5/5

Bien.

great soul music

Didn’t make much of an impression on me but it’s enjoyable enough. Gotta respect the influence this had on the burgeoning UK soul, rap, and trip hop scenes, so I’m still glad I gave it a listen.

Sound's like a cheesy 80's island movie soundtrack. It is a bit boring but has a couple gems to find amongst the trash.

1.5

2.5

Not awful, but boring. 3.5 stars

I thought this album was quite mid. In some ways, it kind of forshadows some 90s stuff -- it's proto-Trip Hop in some ways -- but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The rapping is especially rudimentary for 1989. The singles are alright, but that's about it. 2.5 stars.

3.5

With guest reviewer David Baddiel… David Baddiel: Ohh ey, take a load of this. He’s got a pineapple on his head! “Back to life. Pineapple on his head!”. MANY YEARS LATER ON THE SOUL II SOUL PODCAST Jazzie B: You know David, you really made it hard for me when you said what you said about me all those years ago on your Fantasy 1001 Albums show. It really insulted me, my religion and my identity. David Baddiel: I only said those things about you because I respected you from all my years watching you DJ at the Club Classics Volume One club. It’s what lads do, poke fun at each other. I was trying to big up your profile.

Love this, a mix of so many genres across the album but remains cohesive in my view

Keep On Movin' is such a classic (some might say a club classic), but the rest of the album does not fulfil the tone which was set with some notable exceptions (Back To Life being one)

Really easy listening. Telling that the deluxe version has a lot of remixes, which give the songs punch for other environments.

Cool. Hip. Remember it well. 👏

Aww 19 year old me dancing with a never happened crush at the student union to Keep On Moving. Aye kid, keep on moving right along. A shame the single version of Back To Life isn't on the album but that's my only quibble.

First Listen; 2.5; Perfectly fun, easy to listen to, 90s club music. Some catchy hooks and lyrics, but those are pretty few and far between. The songs set a vibe and some are worth listening to for that reason, but as a whole I don't think the album ranks all that highly. Favorite Track: Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)

Um… this is an odd mix. I actually had no idea going in (except that generated by the album cover.) And at first, well, it wasn’t ANYTHING that cover seemed to indicate. As it went on, it got more interesting. But it certainly wasn’t getting me out on the dance floor. Actually it had me scratching my head, more often than not. I kept wanting to like it. But… it just didn’t grip me. 3 Boolean: True? Not really sure

Що це таке? ))) Не погано)

Very much of it's time. A couple of classics alright but most of it is very much background music

Pretty funky. I wouldn't actively choose to listen to this but it was fun

(Light 7/10) Even though it's a tad dated, there were a couple tracks that stood out. "Feel Free" had a really poppin' bass line and groove that really caught me off guard, the whole production aspect of it also was fantastic. "African Dance" also had a wonderful groove and the Pan Flute (?) was really ear catching. The majority of the album is fine, but it just kinda felt a little too "of it's time" for me to fully get into it. I can definitely see how this would be considered influential though.

An album that I always wanted to like more than I did, and one of the main drawbacks was that it was an acapella version of Back to Life that was included in the original standard release, rather than the full hit band version. Why the heck would you do that? So elsewhere Keep on Moving (the other big hit) is an excellent starter and there's some other enjoyable tracks like Fairplay, Jazzies Groove and Holding On. Overall the sound has aged pretty well after 37 years. Sure Jazzie is not a rapper, he's more of an old style toaster on a sound system. Due to the white boy ratings and lack of black urban music music represented on 1001 albums it's a four for me. Especially as (for once) I'm pretending that the streaming version with the full Back 2 Life is part of the normal album!

Review - a quintessentially early '90s British R&B album for all that entails. It's not a substyle that needs remembering particularly. A singles band not an albums band. Score - 4.5/10 Need to listen? NO

The structure is a bit confusing (especially with the bonus tracks), but I think it's actually a great album. I was surprised by how badly it was reviewed. It's a really chill, enjoyable listen.

Dancefloor emptiers

had an absolute blast. great mixing

Not really my thing but I'm enjoying it. One or two tunes overstay their welcome but maybe that serves a particular audience (I'm guessing dance floors). All in all a really nice listen. Not something I'd put on regular rotation but definitely would put some of the songs into a playlist.

Indifferent, no real substance or anything to get excited about, do remember that one popular track from very early 90s clubbing - which is depressing 😆, ⭐⭐⭐

I got the gist and then bailed after a few tracks. Pretty lame Milhouse.

Another album that has no business on this list....it's not bad, it's just whatever.

Happy go lucky that I actually have time for, good album

Long, boring, useless to the point of becoming irritating.

Feel Free 🌟

3.5/5

Taas tällasta vaatekauppamusiikkia ja ei oikee iske

Eipä tämä nyt suututa, mutta ei kyllä annakaan mitään, perushuttua.

Ihan ok lötköttelyä.

Pakko myöntää että nyt jäi kyllä levy kesken. Ihan saatanan löysää paskaa, ei vaan yksinkertaisesti jaksa tuhlata loma-aikaa tämmöiseen. Vihaan ihan kaikkea tämmöstä musaa.

Hard to see it as an album, it's variations on the same themes and 2 same songs... But I do like these 2 songs.

Many of the songs had a nice groove.

Classics? Well, I guess you can call them classics, but this album really sounds dated, and not in a particularly good sense. The songs are very 90's house with not much musical interest. Sure, some of the songs are enjoyable, and very danceable, but some are really tiring, not to say to listen to with no intention to move. Sure, there is music made for dancing, and many of this music is really good, but this is not the case neither. It is just an album with repetitive music that may function at a club, but that are pretty plain even if you will to have a nice time and have it in the background. There is not much there, to be honest.

It’s fine for what it is, nothing I will need to revisit again

The type of album that you'd hear in a clothing store while you have to wait for your mom to pick out her shopping. Dreadfully boring, but it's fun to jam with at least.

How much can you milk two snippets of vocals? The rest of it is sparse, giving the sort of beats I'd like to have some furious rapping over but instead we get trite messages about unity, the way your stoned buddy would. Ultimately this album sounds like it's of a different reality that is willfully ignorant of what is out there. Back to reality I go.

Hadn't heard of this one before listening, and had a great time with it! Not sure what to say about it other than "good vibes." 😊

This one was okay, I suppose. It's production was probably my favourite element of the album, it has a nice overall tone to it. The vocals were fine, nothing too major or noteworthy. The name of the album fits quite well I do have to say! Though overall I don't think the album was enjoyable enough to return to it. Highlight Song/s: "Holdin' On (Bambelela)" and "Feel Free"

Some songs are cool, some I recognize, some aren't. That's all I have to say.

Bit o’ funky fun. Bit repetitive in parts however and a bit reminiscent of my siblings and I using the preset melody functions on the piano keyboard to muck around with our own beats. African Dance and Dance were my highlights. Coupla boogies round the kitchen. (3.5 stars)

Not the kind of club classics I would listen too

I think I can hear Björk getting some inspiration from this, notably in Big time sensuality. This is overall kind of bland early 90s club music. Don't love it that much.

Somewhat soothing long elevator ride until the very end, which got better. Certainly not offensive, so a forgettable three stars.

This was headed towards 2-stars, but gets an extra star for “Back to Life” and its overall influence.

I can smell the High School dance. Fun, if dated, club album. I enjoy it more now than I didn't back in the day, but still not my jam.

Wasnt really my cup of tea. not bad, not great.

The vibes are fun and the songs aren't very memorable

Very good

Love it

Not really my thing but pleasant enough with a couple of particularly enjoyable tracks.

You know, I thought that this was going to end up being a total load of mid, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I mean, I don't love this album or anything, but I had a good enough time with it for me to call it a good album. Soul II Soul are not an act that I knew anything about prior to today, but now I know that this album of theirs is pretty solid. The group has this style that blends genres like R&B and dance music with a bit of a "world music" flair to it. It's not bad. I think the first two songs "Keep On Movin'" and "Fairplay" are pretty good. The presence of multiple vocalists keeps things somewhat interesting, though I definitely enjoy some vocal performances more than others on the album. The pacing has some weird moments though. Like, in the middle of the album, there's this 6-minute instrumental track called "African Dance." Okay, nothing wrong with that. It's not my favorite on the album, but it's fine being here. But then it's immediately followed by the song "Dance," which is basically the same song but with vocals and 2 minutes shorter. Why? I don't know. That's kind of weird to me. The album has its moments where it feels a little dated, but it's not horrible in that regard. Club Classics Vol. One is, admittedly, not filled with club classics. Then again, I've never been to a club, so I wouldn't know. What I do know is that this album has a very feel-good energy to it that I respect. I'm not huge on this album, but I don't dislike it at all. It's nice, okay? 3/5.

Decent enough a bit samey - feels a little dated, but a big album and sound at the time

Of its time, decent enough.

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to name your debut album not just “Club Classics” but “Volume I” to boot. So, does it do what it says on the tin? The answer is kind of, if the club in question is one of those impossibly trendy London clubs of the 80’s, full of black leather sofas and chrome fittings, inhabited by uncannily beautiful people who spend their time checking each other out to see who is coolest, and (most importantly) not really listening to the music. This album does have its moments and it’s fine to put on as background music, but it’s just not very exciting. There are some very posh sounding bits of narration in places which sound like they’ve drafted in a minor royal or a BBC presenter to pronounce “dance” to rhyme with “trance” with elongated vowels. The highlight, apart from the best known hit “Back to Life” is probably “African Dance” which flirts with some Afrobeat rhythms. Jazzy-B-tastic!

This takes me to back in the day watching Electric Circus on Much Music on Friday nights. Mind you I only caught the very tail end of Electric Circus waiting for whatever followed it to come on (probably MuchLOUD or The Wedge, or something along those lines). All that to say, this is not my thing. PS: That last track, Jazzie's Groove? 100% giving Flight of the Conchords. If anyone tells me that's not Jemaine Clement I will flat out refuse to believe them.

Fun album! Listened a few times.

I remember the band name and remember they had a relatively big hit. but nothing stood out for me to remember, unless it was back to life, but I think i know that because it has probably been sampled heavily. Overall this album was VERY dull. Africa dance was probably the standout track. 2.5 stars

Bland elevator music.

Good album art - it was very of its time

3.6 Roentgen.

Quite disappointed with this one, no idea why its on this list there are better albums from that time

Normal. Estuvo bien.

None of these are classics. Just some forgettable 90s club records.

Best Track - "Back To Life"

More of an anthology than an album. It has its moments, but there are definitely moments of repetition. The hip hop oriented tracks tend to be the weakest tracks.

Ugggh. Even if there wasn't a mercury prize you can still feel it. Also it takes brass balls to release an album with this title and then make that music happen

No clue what to expect, but the title seems promising. Oh so this is soul! Oh I'll be ok First song goes on just a bit too long, and with that lenght you need some further development, but it's cool! Fairplay gets more electronic and, while sometimes cool, the two genres don't mix that well here. Holding On gets almost gospel with its chorus. Love the message, and the electronic elements fit in well here. Feeling Free is nice, but feels more like a background song. The instrumental cut is fun but too long and some elements don't fit. Next couple tracks are fun and all, but nothing out of this world. So! I know Back to Life! As I'm sure most people do. However, I was not familiar with the version that started with two minutes and a half of a cappela vocals, before a beat came in for a minute and a half. So this is how I find out this is one of the most sampled songs in history. I have to say though, I prefer whatever other songs I've heard that use it. It does transition nicely into the Jazzie's Groove though, which is a nice closer to the album. Overall this was fine. No bad moments, and the album itself wasn't too long. However, little here impressed me that much. Oh well, i've heard (much) worse.

Not really into club music so I give them a lot of credit for letting me know from the jump that this wasn't going to be for me. Back To Life is a banger, though.

Cool beats. Definitely sounds like classic 90s R&B music.

this fire

Otrasné

WHAT🤯😱🫨🫪

Hotel lobby music.

Great album! Great mix of genres with a unique sound.

Has a very Different World vibe to me. Its good dance music. 3.

Club Classics Vol. One or otherwise known as Keep On Movin' is the debut album from Soul II Soul and is yet another album I know nothing about that has slipped into the 1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die list for me to hear. Other than this being a nice view into the early House scene in the UK back in the late 80s, this project serves very little value in the grand scheme of this list. Maybe there is some cultural significance to this project I may not understand as an American in the 21st century but I am struggling to find any reason why this was picked over some actual classics that were snubbed. Favoritism be damned but it ain't working on me. It is good, but that's about all I have for compliments.

Really strong instrumentals and vocals but very dull and boring

Grooving grooving like a snake on the dance floor

Músicas boas de ouvir. Tranquilinho. Mas voltou a uma categoria de não me impactar tanto. Bem background pra fazer outras coisas, nada WOW. Voltamos pra média.

The singles are decent but nothing spectacular and the album in full is dull. Maybe just not my scene.

Solid jam.

Didn't really like it

Flashback to the beginning of the 90s/late 80s. I recognized a couple of the hits here, and some other tracks that were remixed in house tracks. Kind of cool, not sure I'd listen to again though. 3/5

it’s fine. couple standout tracks but another one where I’m scratching my head over its inclusion

Why would anyone title their album like a cheap Clubland compilation? The songs on "Club Classics Vol. One" were brand new at the time of release, so they wouldn't be "classics". As for its content, it's your average late 80s tunes. There are no thrills to be had on "Club Classics Vol. One". It has a lot of late 80s musical tropes, like bland electronic piano keys, which were done to death at this point. 2 stars for "Club Classics Vol. One".

Blind album and artist. Honestly this album dragged and was uninteresting between meh vocals and styles and instrumentals. Got old fast. 1.

"Nice, nice, nice- wait they made that song??"

Enjoyed this album more than I thought I would after listening to the first song.

Unfortunately a little boring, despite some nice ideas. Still, has its moments. I was hesitant between 2 and 3 stars but this kinda seems like an album for cool people, so I'll go with the latter.

The album was.. interesting? I didn't really enjoy it, but didn't necessarily dislike it? Firmly in the middle for me, it was fine, 2.5?

Oh man, this has to be list man's favourite album. I think he springs out of bed in a half-trance each night and spasmodically genuflects and gesticulates obscure symbols of reverence towards a poster of this record. AS if possessed by a will not his own, author man comes to, covered in sweat with "Feel Free" skipping on the record player. It's British, electronically driven and R & B/Funk influenced. I mean the only way to make it more esoteric and cool for the psycho whose bible dictates my life these days, is if a white guy were pretending to be black. Alas, even when your standards are THIS low, still, the brass ring of perfection remains dangling beyond a glass ceiling; ever taunting, but infuriatingly out of reach. What do you want from me? This fucking sucks like I thought it would. I won't begrudge anybody enjoying this, as it's not completely hateable, but come on. Do we have to include every record from the UK? Do party/club records have to be on the list? They're really not meant to be listened to deeply. How many different ways can I express discontent with this particular list? I suppose that is the true 1089+ weekday journey I have embarked upon. Another brain dead diatribe incoming tomorrow. 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Hey, I know I'm doing the DJ thing, but I can sing too!

R&B

뭐라 쓰지

outstanding rnb project, very recommended

Funky, old school, R&B dance. It was fun!

Not really interesting although not everything is bad

Not sure what to make of that exactly

Got very bored with this very quickly

Why? It wasn't good then and hasn't aged well. If anyone tells me Holdin On is a good song I'm going to ask if you are alright and ask if they have hit their head recently. I chalk this up to the author LOVING him some British electronica. I also move to have this removed from the Soul genre as it's messing up my stats.

I would have liked it if it was shorter.

not bad but boring after a point.. picks: back to life, african dance

Besides the overplayed Back to Life and the lesser played Keep on Moving, I was unfamiliar with all of this. But there isn’t much to the rest of it. Just a bunch of half-baked ideas that meander nowhere in particular. It has an undeniable summer feel, but while the pre-programmed drum machines provide the spine to each song, Jazzie B’s preachy rapping, and the jazzy flute (that suffers from too much jazz noodling), are irritating. So I know this is a reputed classic, but I just didn’t get why.

Umm... some of this is really not good at all.

has not aged well...

I bought this album as a teenager as it was the latest cool thing and instantly regretted it. I fucking hate this record.

this was an eclectic album where there really wasn’t a cohesive piece. kind of felt like a bunch of random singles put together but each song was pretty good on its own

Good to work out to, but overall meh

Smooth, poppy, funky, and very very danceable. Caron Wheeler's vocals are fantastic, although the drop in quality is a bit jarring when Jazzie B steps in to sing. Not my genre as a rule, but it's good stuff if you need to move your body.

Too easy-listening.

Gear: ZMF Auteur Classic LTD Shedua Artwork: 😎🌴🟨 Production: ♨️🥵💦 Music: 🔊🚫🤮 Rating: 🪩/5

Fantástico!!!

Back To Life was something I remember and I think Keep On Movin' but this was a 2 star album for me.

The opener was a bit of a mid-tempo slog. The second track has a pretty cool, funky bass line. This would be a killer funk song with a real drummer doing something more interesting. 3rd track was similar in that it had some cool bass going on, but let down by the simplistic drum machine programming. 4th track was a slog. Sing-song-y rap over a just-slower-than-mid-tempo groove. 5th track is essentially an extended jazz flute solo over a two-note vamp. It was actually pretty refreshing. 6th track takes the same vamp, relegates the flute to being part of the vamp, then has spoken-word verses with sung choruses. So weird. Back To Life is slower than i remember it being. It is a bit of an encapsulation of the rest of the album: drum machine programming is lacking, bass groove is good, female vocals are good, tempo is slower than feels right. Closing track uses some horn samples from some soul/funk song I can't place. The drum programming here is actually much improved over the rest of the album. Bass still doing interesting stuff, but then spoken-word over the top. With all the spoken-word on this album (not rap, though there's a decent amount of that, too) it tends to come across as a soul/rnb version of Mike Meyers' hipster bullshit in How I Married An Axe Murderer. which is hilariously awful (and quotable) in the movie, but is just annoying in the real world. 2 stars

very easy to listen to, very bright and vibey. lot's of musical genre influences. but once it's done you're thinking "that's it?" and kinda wish it was a bit more powerful

I guess this is meant to swing and be smooth, and its beats have some style, but the songs are more confectionary than nutritious

Going into this, I had only ever heard "Back to Life", which is a song I love. This album didn't necessarily hit the level of the song, but I wasn't really surprised by the sounds of the other songs. This was alright to listen to, but nothing special to me.

not my favorite but fun and definitely of its time

(4/7) good music for a pool party

Not bad but not amazing either

I love 80s music and dance, but this is not one of the essential albums from the 1980s. Not even among R&B, Hip Hop, or Neo Soul. Everything, with exception of the one hit wonder "Back to Life" is pretty weak. It it crazy hubris to call this CLUB CLASSICS VOL. ONE. Lyrics and male vocals are tedious AF. Most bearable: "Back to Life"

Yes to this. Female vocals preferred over the male, but mostly I likey. African Dance got saved..that flute.

Background grooves with some nice instrumental bits. Could do without the guy singing, but the female vocals are good.

Good beats. Back to Life and Keep On Moving take me back and are solid singles. Feeling like I need to be a little more generous with my ratings after seeing that I’m a “Perfectionist” rater, LOL (4)

Solid album, solid grooves. Some true club classics. Does exactly what it says on the tin.

RATING: 7/10 HIGHLIGHT: Holdin’ On LOWLIGHT: Feel Free

This is a funky, groovy, and melodic album that’s perfect for chilling or moving. While listening I felt relaxed and happy — some tracks make you want to dance, others just pull you into a nice laid-back groove. The singers are great, the basslines are thick and addictive, and the production is warm and polished. It’s an easy album to listen to from start to finish, full of that classic late-80s/early-90s soulful British club energy. The whole record has a smooth, summery vibe that feels joyful and effortless. It’s not trying to be overly complicated — it just delivers good music that makes you feel good. A proper chill summer groove album that still sounds fresh today.

I thought it was good

Just kinda boring

Lowkey didn’t care about this at all

5/10

Some good vibes here but idk, overall wasn't what I was looking for. Back To Life is still a banger tho

Este álbum la verdad es bastante mid. No tiene nada de malo, es bastante entretenido para ambientar. Pero no me parece sobresaliente en nada, no me genera nada del otro mundo. Igual sí es bastante funky groovy, es divertido para escuchar un poco pero no te cambia la vida. 6/10

It's my birthday today. 🎉 After reviewing 266 albums, I was hoping the algorithm would have somehow learned what I like and don't like, and would have “decided” to serve me up something nice for the day that's in it. Some amazing album I've never heard before, that would end up being a five star discovery and something I'd talk about for years to come. Or, a classic that I already know and love, a familiar favourite that I'm given a nudge to revisit, sit with, and just enjoy for the day. Turns out that Soul II Soul’s "Club Classics Vol. One" is how I'll be ringing in my 43rd year surviving the challenges of life on this planet. Oh how well you know me, oh mighty algorithm. 🙄 At least it's not another Morrissey day. This collection of repetitive soul house piano melodies seemed to go on forever. It's not just the melodies that are repetitive, the tracklisting is too. It seemed like the songs “Keep On Movin'” and “Back To Life” came up six or seven times, with slight variations each time. I think the version of “Back To Life” that we all know is actually omitted from the original album, included here as a bonus track. That’s the one positive about the album. “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” is a proper tune. The harmonies are great, but it's the big beat that really makes it. I quite liked “Jazzie’s Groove” too, keeping that big beat alive and adding in some sounds and mixing that feel a little more from the world of Run DMC than Soul II Soul. The rest of the songs on the album though feel very stuck in their time period. This is late 80s, early 90s Top of the Pops fodder through and through. I think it's funny that they named the album “Club Classics Vol. One”. It sounds like a compilation but instead it's as if Soul II Soul had decided themselves that not only are these a collection of absolute classics, but there would definitely be a need for a second volume to contain even more classics. And I hate to break it to them, but despite the name, this is not the classic album I was hoping for on my birthday. Happy birthday to me. I took a little break from this project due to a flurry of concerts (that's the correct collective for concerts) and some unexpected health issues. But now it's time to get back into this and see what the algorithm has in store for me next. Or in the wise old words of Soul II Soul, I'll get back to life, back to reality and keep on movin’ (don't stop).

Soul II Soul's debut album, *Club Classics Vol. One*, is more than just a collection of hits; it is a foundational text in British dance music. Released in 1989, the album captured the euphoric, multi-cultural energy of London's late-80s underground scene, offering a sophisticated, bass-heavy alternative to the pop and R&B that dominated the airwaves . Led by the visionary Jazzie B and producer Nellee Hooper, the collective created a seamless blend of soul, hip-hop, reggae, and Afrobeat that remains timeless . ## 🎵 Music & Production: The "Amalgamation of Good Dance Music" The most striking aspect of *Club Classics Vol. One* is its revolutionary production. The foundation of the sound lies in its drum programming—specifically the pitched-down, heavy-breakbeat loop sampled from Graham Central Station's 1975 song "The Jam," which drives both "Keep On Movin'" and "Back To Life" . This created a slow, "thumpin' bass" groove that was both hypnotic for the club and relaxed enough for home listening . The production team layered this with a wide range of textures: **sweeping string orchestrations**, **jazz flutes**, **African percussion**, and the **gritty samples of hip-hop** . This fusion was so distinctive that it is credited as a direct precursor to the **trip-hop** movement that would emerge from Bristol in the early 90s . ### 🎤 Lyrics & Themes: Positivity and Self-Determination Lyrically, the album moves away from the bravado often found in hip-hop or the melodrama of new jack swing, focusing instead on **resilience, community, and emotional clarity**. - **Empowerment:** "Keep On Movin'" is a mantra of perseverance, encouraging listeners to push through hardship . - **Relationship Clarity:** "Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)" explores the vulnerability of seeking commitment and clarity in a romantic relationship, framed as a journey "back to reality" . - **Community:** The spoken-word interludes, such as the manifesto on "Jazzie's Groove," explicitly define Soul II Soul as a "sound system" and an "amalgamation of good dance music," emphasizing a collective identity over individual stardom . ### 📝 Track-by-Track Highlights - **Keep On Movin' (feat. Caron Wheeler):** The perfect opener. Wheeler’s "caramel" vocals glide over a funky bassline and that signature heavy beat. It captures the feeling of a euphoric 5 AM sunrise leaving a club . - **Back To Life (However Do You Want Me):** The album's centerpiece. Interestingly, the original album pressing featured an **a cappella version**, as the full instrumental had not been completed yet. The later full version adds the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra and a bouncing piano riff, turning it into a global smash . - **Fairplay (feat. Rose Windross):** Grittier and more urgent than the preceding tracks, this song showcases the harder edge of the London sound system, driven by live bass and a "feral, funky vocal" . - **African Dance / Dance:** These instrumental or semi-instrumental tracks highlight the collective’s genre-fluid ambition, fusing house music with Afrobeat rhythms years before "Afroswing" became a trend . ### ⭐ Pros and Cons #### **Pros** - **Genre-Bending Innovation:** The album created a blueprint for British R&B and electronic music, bridging the gap between the US hip-hop production and UK club culture . - **Timeless Singles:** "Keep On Movin'" and "Back To Life" are undeniable classics that have never lost their relevance . - **Vocal Excellence:** The rotation of singers (Caron Wheeler, Rose Windross, and Do’reen) provides a rich variety of textures while maintaining a high standard of soulful delivery . - **Cohesive Vibe:** Despite the variety of influences, the album maintains a consistent, relaxed, and positive "Funki Dred" atmosphere . #### **Cons** - **Uneven Depth:** While the singles are masterpieces, some deep cuts ("Happiness" or the dub versions) feel more like functional club tools or filler compared to the lyrical and melodic heights of the hits . - **Original "Back to Life" Mix:** For fans who bought the album at release, discovering that the massive hit single was only present as an a cappella track was reportedly frustrating . - **Dated Production Elements:** For modern listeners not versed in late-80s production techniques, some of the synth pads and digital reverb may sound slightly dated compared to the more organic sound of later trip-hop . ### 🌍 Influence & Legacy The influence of *Club Classics Vol. One* is immense. In the UK, it revitalized black music on a mainstream level, providing a template for acts like **Massive Attack** (through Nellee Hooper's involvement), **Jamiroquai**, and **M People** . In the US, it offered a sophisticated, "gutsy alternative" to the dominant New Jack Swing sound of artists like Guy, proving that the UK could export soul music back to America, not just import it . The beat signature from "Keep On Movin'" was directly influential on hits like En Vogue's "Hold On" . ### ⚖️ Verdict *Club Classics Vol. One* is essential listening. While it has minor flaws in pacing and track consistency, its strengths are monumental. It is an album of pure "edutainment"—music that moves both your feet and your spirit. It perfectly captures a specific moment in London's history while offering a universal message of "a happy face, a thumpin' bass, for a lovin' race" . If you only know the singles, the deep cuts provide a rewarding journey into the foundations of British dance music.

I bought this when it came out and loved it. Excited to revisit it.

Some absolute classics in here that I know and love and had no idea where they came from - they were just part of the sonic landscape and permeated everywhere. It's cool to find the source.

I didn’t get on with this. I find this kind of 80s hip-hop so dated and cheesy sounding. Nothing excited me.

There are those albums that when you see it’s an anniversary release or a remastered release you immediately run for the Wiki so you can see the original track release so that you can bail early if the album sucks. And then there’s albums like this one where are the extra tracks are still not enough to satisfy you. An eclectic mix of music styles, smooth vocals, and a general feel good vibe that leaves you wanting to cue it up for a second listen. Good stuff here.

I'm flipflopping between 3 and 4. Just good solid club rhythms. I miss this being the soundtrack to pop culture.

Why is this getting so much hate - fun easy listening. Love hearing the English voices against a classically American hip-hop sound.

Effortlessly cool. Super smooth album. Just so evocative of its time. 3.5 for me.

This was pretty fun and chill actually. The grooves were nice.

Enerverende og kjedelig. Melker sin ene hit. Burde ikke vært på listen.

This didn't catch me when it came out originally (if it didn't lead with guitars I wasn't very interested at that point) but glad to have had a chance to relisten now.

In theory I feel like I would like this. I like vibes music, I like dub/downtempo and R&B for the most part, but this, man, it just kind of bored me. There's only one song I can really remember anything about. None of it's bad by any means it just didn't move me. And that could be down to my mood, which is probably going to affect all these ratings come to think of it. But why was listening to Parklife good, even better in a bad mood while this wasn't? I guess I'd say that Parklife in a bad mood is like a friend coming over to hang out, make stupid jokes to distract you, offer to take you to the rubbish tip to smash some plates and let you cry on your shoulder at the end, while Club Classics Vol 1 by Soul II Soul is like being at a picnic as someone's plus one, and it's very sunny and there's a boombox with people sort of lazily grooving, but you just want to go home.

Good listen

A bit tiring.

I spent the entire album waiting for a song to actually start.

Nice!

Pas mal en background en soirée

Snore II Snore. This is an uninteresting hour of the exact same drum machine beats with a different lead instrument taking a turn. The songs do have that club appeal of making you groove to them, but there is zero substance here. There is nothing here you need to hear, especially not be devoting an uninterrupted hour to listen to it.

Insubstantial and uninteresting. Inoffensive, though. No more than 2.5?

Fine for what it is but not my taste

This was a cool album, can definitely see how it would just have been banger after banger in the clubs in the 90's. With that said, not my style. 5/27/26

That was an album and I listened to it and am not dead yet… so I guess? Not terrible but not remarkable either. “Back to Life” is a great song, “Keep On Movin’” is a good song. About half the album is good. The other half just kind of is. I wanted to like this more than I do.

Repetitive and boring. Apart from the two big hits, which are good songs but also repetitive, the rest of the album didn't go anywhere. Really didn't like the flute improv solo. Didn't realise the original Back to Life was acapella. 2/5

Not bad. But I found it a bit Hard II Care.

I was going to give this a 3 because Back to Life is a stellar groove but the proper version isn’t even in the actual album and without it this is fine, unremarkable, the kind of pleasant slightly innovative in context product of its time I’m fine forgetting where we left it

When I go to the club I want to hear those club classics. Club Classics Vol. One by Soul II Soul. The dance version of Back to Life isn’t even on this album so I was a bit disappointed at the end

"British neo-soul" et bah non hein.

Aside from "Back to Life" it's mostly just a slow, trudging mush.

The songs with the female singers were good, the rest was not really my jam. Not necessarily bad, just a little boring for me. 2

Back to life. Back to reality!

80’s Hip Hop

2.5 rounded up

Great!

Helt ok men trist i längden

Chill men det var också tråkigt.

Chill utan att vara tråkigt.

Soul II Soul ist ein britisches Kollektiv aus London, angeführt vom DJ und Produzenten Jazzie B, der seine künstlerische Identität in der lokalen Sound-System-Kultur der späten 1980er-Jahre entwickelte. Das Debütalbum Club Classics Vol. One entstand 1988/89 in mehreren Londoner Studios – hauptsächlich in den Britannia Row Studios, ergänzt durch Aufnahmesessions in den Addis Ababa Studios, im Lillie Yard Studio sowie im Westside Studios – und erschien 1989 auf dem britischen Independent-Label 10 Records. Jazzie B und Produzent Nellee Hooper verdichteten Soul, Hip-Hop, Reggae und Rare Groove zu einem Klang, der so spezifisch britisch war, dass er die internationale Popkultur dauerhaft neu ausrichtete. Die Singles „Keep On Movin'" und „Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" – letztere mit Caron Wheeler an den Vocals – definieren das Album nach außen, doch seine Stärke liegt im Zusammenspiel der rotierenden Sängerinnen, der lebendigen Live-Band-Elemente und einer Rhythmusarbeit, die Tanzbarkeit nie gegen Tiefe ausspielt. Dass das Album in Großbritannien auf Platz eins der Charts kletterte und dreifaches Platin erhielt, überrascht rückblickend wenig: Es traf einen gesellschaftlichen Nerv. Die Botschaft – „A happy face, a thumping bass, for a loving race" – war politisch, ohne je agitatorisch zu klingen. Club Classics Vol. One ist eines jener seltenen Debüts, die zugleich Zeitdokument und zeitloses Artefakt sind. Wo viele Alben dieser Ära heute vor allem als Nostalgieobjekte funktionieren, klingt dieses Werk schlicht noch – als hätte es nie aufgehört zu laufen. Wer den britischen Soul der späten Achtziger verstehen will, beginnt hier und nirgendwo sonst.

cant tell if its a roland drumbeat but its definitely electronic. very soul. the vocals are super warm. love the latin piano this was definitely made around the time sampling got big and you can tell. kind of lotus juice (SORRY) im pretty impressed at the diversity of sound and genre in this album ohhh! its beatnik that makes sense highlights: dance, jazzies groove

Got respect them for calling their debut album Club Classics Vol. One. But it lives up to its name, this album is club banger after banger. Great beats, crisp production and smooth vocals.

Alright, well this album really fuels my nostalgia. I had a choir teacher in middle school that was obsessed with this album and would play it on repeat between albums. We also sang the (remixed) version of Back to Life and that is a core memory with my best friend. With all that saccharine nostalgia, how could I hate this album? Is it my favorite; no, certainly not. But it has a solid and constant groove the whole way through and I can totally see this put on at a party for cooler people than me. I really enjoyed the listen through, but I don't think I'll be putting on much other than Back to Life - club music just doesn't capture me as someone who is a dedicated introvert. That being said, I can hear a lot of influences that have come after this album and appreciate the groove that is just infectious. Playlist Pick: Back to Life (However Do You Want Me). I know it's the remix and not on the og but I love it.

This gon’ be fire, just wait. It's gon be... it's... okay so it's just okay. The first two songs start us off REAL strong with some bangers that really give you some relaxation, but also some dancey vibes. And then this guy Jazzie starts talking... and rapping... and he just has no flow. No flow and no charisma. He's just TALKING! That is NOT what you want in an album that's flowing well! I don't dislike much of it but Caron's vocals are frankly subpar, the beats get repetitive, and most importantly, it's not really designed to be scored or evaluated critically. These are "CLUB CLASSICS." You're not supposed to really listen in. It's mid for sure, but only as a focused album experience. It's great as a collection of dance songs. 6.3/10

A couple of good tracks, but a lot of bland drawn out songs. Sure they would have better remixes

I just realized I listened to volume 2 for some reason??? Gonna go listen to volume one now

pleasant first listen. makes you dance

Feel Free to Keep On Movin’ listening to this album. Just Dance

Bel ritmo, chill, musica da bar la mattina alle 7:99

Non fa per me assolutamente

Outstays it's welcome massively and you're telling me that the best version of the best song isn't on the original album? I'm not giving this a consolatory star for the anniversary edition having a worldie bonus track

Absolute banger

incrivelmente bom. coisas novas e boas estão sendo de muito bom agrado

I enjoyed listening and working to this album

A solid ok. Not really my kind of thing.

Just a bit dull, nothing grabbed me

Boring.

4/5

Pretty forgetful album. Didn’t speak to me in any way.

Apart from the very well known singles, this was new to me and after a few songs I feared I wouldn’t find much enjoyment here but it did pick up, particularly with Feeling Free and African Dance. Still, I can’t see when I’d return here in all honesty.

I don't know... usually, hip-hop with jazz elements isn't something that would ever bother me... but this album feels like you're sitting in a nice café where there's live music, but the band doesn't care that they're playing way too loud because they're so absorbed in their lyrics and rhythms. The female vocals are the best part.

First few tracks this was heading straight to one star territory. I didn’t enjoy it at all. Then African Dance came on and I really liked it so that bumps it up to a two. Overall it was just kinda background music, not for me at all.

chill house music from the uk. say what you will about the brits but they sure know how to make good electronic music when they want to. carefree and real laid-back, this album is a good representation of nightclub music right at the tail end of the '80s. with a lot of these dance tracks, sometimes the vocals make it, sometimes the vocals break it. i feel like some of these tracks would hit more if they didn't have vocals, but maybe that's just me. another record that ideally should be in rotation at the coolest parties, both public and private.

One good song with several different versions. Outside of this, a good but average 90's dance album.

Nice and housey

As advertised, sounds like a club in the 80's. I could get down to this.

This album was just fine? Wasn't really enthused.

In a nutshell: the roots of British R&B There is something uniquely British about this album. The sound, the style, the vocals. It’s not my thing but I can see some merit in its importance. Overall: 2/10

A pleasant surprise. Needs red wine and wintery Sunday.

A fun trip down memory lane!

I knew one song. It’s a good song. Thank hod there’s like 4 versions of that one song in this album ….

Truthfully, I can't say I get it. I can see that the repetition in the lyrics is an attempt for the voices to be used more as part of the instrumentation, but I'm so lyric-focused that I find it quite difficult to actively pay attention to the album and still enjoy it.

This has some fun beats, and I found myself bobbing along throughout. But none of the tracks really stick, everything kind of blends together. It ends up feeling like fairly bland ’90s dance music overall.

Nice but why are they forcing me to listen to a singular song 3 times? Enjoyable enough. Low 4

I like the way this flowed, like an actual DJ set with the tracks mixing and callbacks to songs within songs. Far less pop/commercial than I expected, given like most people I only knew “back to life”.

What a wonderful album. Besides Back to Life, there are many more great songs on it.

It was alright 😐. It makes good background music 🎵, but other than that, it was meh. Overall, I would give it a 3.4/5!

Pretty enjoyable

Tant mieux pour les pistes de danse du Royaume-Uni si ça a fait danser les gens dans les années 90, mais la soul et le R&B de cet album sont vraiment pas venus me chercher.

Honestly? I jammed out. Some solid background noise

Super fun listen. More interesting layers and progressions than I expected

Ah nice...like balm for my soul. Funky, laid back, smooth. Had me grooving and dancing the whole time. A lot of people complaining about this album, but does everything have to be so serious all the time? Can't we have something light to just vibe to every once in a while? I really liked it.

decent

Good stuff to groove to. Solid 4 Stars.

It’s just a 3. I like R&B. I like house music. I like both when it’s done well together, like Janet Jackson’s “Together Again”, Robin S’s “Show Me Love”, practically anything from the cheesy as hell Sonic R soundtrack, & this album’s very own “Back to Life” (the non-acapella version). This album, sadly, does not do them very well together. This is titled “Club Classics Vol. One”, and I would make the argument that there are perhaps 2 classics at most. Realistically, this album is “Club Classic” & then a bunch of other tracks that occasionally feel better than others, but for the most part, just kinda disappointingly fizzle out after strong starts. The other classic in contention here is “Keep on Movin’”, which lines up given Caron Wheeler’s involvement. She’s got a great voice. You know who doesn’t? Jazzie B, whose spoken word approach on the majority of his tracks has absolutely no tonal match to the instrumental energy at hand here. He’s out of place, and while something like “Holdin’ On” is a bit endearing for the first time you hear him, but after that, the lack of melody & flow in his approach just wears out its welcome. He becomes a hindrance to a lot of strong beats, and his presence feels like a net negative by the end. You know who’s got a decent voice that feels out of place on this album? Do’reen, who sounds like she’s doing the Alanis Morissette vibrato at the end of every single line she does. Alanis got away with it on “Jagged Little Pill” because she used it sparingly & it felt like it was viscerally coming out of her. Do’reen… well, “Feel Free” is probably the most boring track here, so if you want an example, just go listen to that. You’ll hear what I mean. Not worth typing out anything about it. She’s a little better on “Happiness”, at least. This album would be at more of a 3.5 (albeit still getting bumped down to a 3) if the instrumentals had a little more spice / progression behind them, but this album’s fatal flaw as an attempt to blend R&B & house music together is that it finds its peak of each track way, way, way too early, and just settles into that for most of the track. It speedruns the layering & progression that house music is supposed to have that keeps a listener engaged, and as such, a lot of these tracks just flatten out. The persistency of instrumentation that feels like it’s not moving is a constant throughout this album, and it makes those 45 minutes really drag on far longer than they should, especially with longer tracks here. The vocals (save for Caron Wheeler’s) don’t have enough behind them to save it, and the lyricism flattens out just as quickly as the instrumentals usually do. It’s a recipe for… not disaster, since this album never hits any kind of egregiously bad point, but it feels like going to a restaurant where the food peaks at the first bite every single time. It’s just not savory / satisfying enough to really justify itself, despite being a decent meal. “African Dance” does rip though. Maybe this album just needed more instrumentals, I dunno. Hence, a flat 3, and that’s probably where the ceiling lies here for me. If someone wants to go for a 5, I wouldn’t side-eye it that much, but they’d clearly have more of a palate for this album than I did. It’s not bad at all, and on a good day, these tracks could click way more nicely (or perhaps in a club), but I still don’t think the entire package would ever go higher than a 3 for me. I can’t say you NEED to listen to it before you die. At the very least, “Back to Life” (non-acapella) will do the trick.

If you're playing this at the congregation you're out. This type of music has aged really poorly. There's a decent beat but then none of the songs built up from that or create something interesting to further keep you engaged. It slides into the background, which sounds intentional but doesn't really feel like it was intentional. Back To Life is an 80's guilty pleasure and does save it quite a bit, but I wish the rest of the album was more of that and less of whatever else was going on.

Good "club" beats I suppose - if you like that sorta thing.

Really cooool. Enjoyed it A LOT

Didn’t love this, even though I have been in my EDM / dance music bag lately. Playlist add: "Holdin' On"

Plenty of good stuff.

Ritmo cansino

I wouldn’t call it bad, but it’s just not anything I’m interested in.

Some bops

Litt som å være på Selskapssiden, men nå er jeg edru og det er tirsdag

Real fun, not what I would have gone out to listen to

Grote hit met Back to Life, maar verder wat eentonig en gedateerd

Just reading the 33 1/3 Trip Hop book, which coincidentally mentions Soul II Soul. I'll listen to this on my vinyl copy. Pure bliss.

I had a feeling this artist sounded familiar. I knew I knew a song of theirs, "Back To Life"

Had a ton of fun classics if a few too many remixes I was particularly thrilled to wade through.

This was a lesson in not judging a book by it's cover. When I first pulled this and saw it was R&B, I thought it was going to be something I don't like that will be a chore to get through, but I actually enjoyed it a lot. This is very much on the funk side of R&B and I have been really getting into funk recently. Favorite Track - African Dance Least Favorite Track - Feeling Free ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I did not need to listen to this before I died. I see in some other reviews they mention a drunk uncle. I get that but he also gave me Flight of the Concords vibes. I was laughing through much of the first half of the album. It's more comedy than soul. This album did not age well.

alright

Not bad, really. I enjoyed most of the instrumentals but the vocals weren't exactly my favorite in most songs—and some felt too extended despite my love for long listening. Favorite tracks were Keep on Movin' and Back To Life (However Do You Want Me).

Heard Before? Nope. Not at all. Notes: - bold move to unironically call your debut album "Club Classics". - sequencing is very odd. the second time through I found it made a lot more sense to start at "Back to Life" (obviously the best track) and then let it loop back to "Keep on Movin" after "Ambition" (which gives the album some valuable context). I just found it made a better and more exciting narrative than starting with an endless slow jam. - drum programming is simple but effective. - the mix is the weakest point for me. funky basslines and cool synth parts get buried under too-loud, repetitive vocals. this is dance music mixed like pop music, which makes the clichéd lyrics stick out terribly. Verdict: Good for a nostalgia-bait dance party and not much else. I preferred the remixes - this is music that you want to make something interesting out of, rather than just listen. Listen Again? Not bad, but no thanks.

I was apparently in college when this came out and I have zero recollection of its existence. There's some slick productions, nice beats and some good vocals but it doesn't blend together well and lacks anything beyond the technical aspects

Just okay

Not for me

Is this AI? (checks date) Nope, I guess it just sucks. This music sounds like it was created in a lab by people that had only ever read a description of what music is.

Rap, R&B, Soul

It's never a good sign when the most boring parts of the album are also the best parts of the album. I thought this stuff was cheesy when I was 12 years old and I still do.

This was a pretty fun album that exist somewhere in the intersection between dance music, hip-hop, and R&B, slightly leaning towards dance. As such, I think this was intended for listening to live and dancing at a club or something, so it's a bit harder to rate as an album being streamed from home. That being said, I liked the production, there were many cool drum samples, many funky bass lines that I liked, and I liked a lot of the female vocal accompaniment and harmonies. Considering that repetition is the nature of this kind of music, I would prefer to listen to this album than many others in the space, because it combined elements from several African-American musical traditions

Like De La Soul's '3 Feet High and Rising,' this album came out in early 1989, and I bought it not too long after that. But I don't think it has aged as well (or was ever as good as '3 Feet' - so I don't think you'll be asking why I didn't play this for you more (but who knows?). (The answer to that question will probably always be: there's sooo much music! and I own too much of it!) It might be hard to imagine (but maybe not), but this album (before I bought it -- from maybe having heard 1 song?) seemed like the cutting edge of cool. And I'm pretty sure if you heard it in a London club in 1989, you'd have thought so, and so would I. But, although I do still have the album, I do also (vaguely) recall being (vaguely) disappointed in the album. Didn't hate it (not at all); just didn't love it as much as I'd hoped I might. I was pre-disposed to like it, I guess you could say. Curious to know what you guys think (as always!). I'll give this one 3 stars, and might sell the record -- unless 1 of you would like to have it, lol. ;)

and the club goes mild the thing about styles, trends, fashions is that they go out of style. Most of the vocal styling on this is very grating, now favorite track - African Dance

Not everything was for me, but it was interesting throughout, and Back to Life is pretty nostalgic

Vibey, really enjoy keeping this as background music.

Club classics if you want to chill instead of actually going to the club

Not sure this was meant to be listened to as an album rather than as a set of dj tools and some songs. Fun nonetheless.

not my jams, but it was fun

Kinda weird to listen to as an album

This album is way too long. It's got a couple interesting songs, but overall isn't enough to justify every listening to it ever again. It's very 80s electro-soul, but the beats are pretty generic. The male vocalist on a few of the tracks was not very good, but he was trying really hard to sell it. Standouts were "Keep On Movin'" and "Feel Free" It's a 2 for me. Not my thing. Was very repetitive and I was glad when it was finally over.

This album was ahead of its time at the time and people could sense the 80's sound fading and a 90's sound was forming. As a former college DJ working at a bar with a dancefloor this was a must have CD in 1989. "Keep On Movin'" and "Back To Life" had that beat for moving the body and were both radio hits. Caron Wheeler had a smooth voice that just worked on these late 80's classics. The rest of the album, maybe because I rarely played those tracks, just doesn't have the same polish and smoothness as the two hit songs. Rose Windross ("Fairplay"), Do'Reen ("Feel Free") and Daddae Harvey/Jazzy B male combo ("Holdin' On", "Feeling Free", "Dance") just aren't the same caliber of singer that Wheeler is. Honestly, it's like the knew they had two great songs and the rest is filler (see "African Dance", "Jazzie's Groove" & "Happiness") to round out the album. 3 stars because they absolutely nailed it on the two hits.

Meh

Not interesting

It's easy to listen to and the songs feel cool. You can listen to this on any day.

Why did people listen to this?

Very unlike any of the dingy clubs I ever went to. But, still, perhaps the club of the title is the best place to experience an enjoyable enough collection, but decidedly not an album. 1.5 I hear Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) on the radio most days. A classic, no doubt. Apparently it isn’t actually on this album - which put me in mind of how frustrating it is that Björk’s original mix of All is Full Of Love isn’t on Homogenic. On that album too, a very powerful track is omitted in favour of its rather wishy washy a capella version. Of course Homogenic, positively stuffed with terrific music anyway, gets away with it. Club Classics Vol One, on the other hand, is pure rubbish and could really use having that genuine classic on it. I’m giving Soul II Soul a 1 here. Is part of that rating me lashing out because Homogenic isn’t on the list and this naffness is? I will inspect my conscience. 1/5

Thought it was gonna be shite, turned out to be not all that bad. 3/5

I mean, I’m sure this does sound great in a club. Maybe a bar with a mirror and dim lights. Cold outside but hot in here, you know? But I’d expect something more humid and loose for that purpose - this is pretty polished and almost buttoned-up. It’s clearly well made but I wasn’t swept away during my listen. I was leaning towards a higher rating out of respect for the craft on display, but I was tired of it by the end and must rate accordingly. Call it a strong two, I guess.

Mmmm tasty grooves good. Not really life-changing tho.

Pretty awesome album. Love this late 80s disco electronica. The slower and glitchier the better. The groovy shit is even better. My big beef with this album is the remixes at the end are better than the originals. Such a shame when that happens.

Two stars is being generous - this is generic bullshit with absolutley no soul. Should be Soul - Soul equals zero

Even if it fits into my tastes I did find it quite plain overall

I love this, so chill and vibey