Len ‎– Steal My Sunshine (US 2 x 12″)

Obscure band but a reasonably quality track from Canadian band Len, I’m guessing a manufactured STREET Collective.

It is that annoying track in a myriad of mixes (7!) from 1999. Fortunately mostly all don’t sound like the version in the video.

Based a sample taken from Andrea True Connection back in 1975/1976. It did make a bit of a ripple in the International charts. A crossover between Indie and Dance tune. The Skyjump Club Edit is closest to the regular track. Philip Steir (from Consolidated) adds Hip Hop beats, a real bass and vocoder on the “Steal My Club/ More And More” mixes.

London DJ / Production duo, Idjut Boys go all Deep House with added bass guitar resonating around.

Bettina Constanzo “Bougie Soliterre” goes a bit a Garage House, clap clap Handbag. Nothing like the original track.

Finally Neon Fusion gives a Broken Beat feel with jazzy, Sci-Fi psychedelia

https://www.sendspace.com/file/om6cca

https://www.mediafire.com/file/zp098thwyfzjjhw/Len_-_Steal_My_Sunshine_-_US_12%27%27s_x_2_-_1999_-_MP3.rar/file

Work ‎– OAS 42385

A1	Steal My Sunshine (Steal My Club Mix)	6:19
A2	Steal My Sunshine (Skyjump Club Edit)	7:19
B1	Steal My Sunshine (Steal My Club Mix Instrumental)	6:19
B2	Steal My Sunshine (More And More Instrumental)	6:30

Work ‎– OAS 41510

A1	Steal My Sunshine (Version Idjut)	7:51
A2	Steal My Sunshine (Bougie Soliterre Remix)	6:12
B1	Steal My Sunshine (Neon Phusion Remix)	5:24

Anything Box ‎– Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (US 12″)

Keeping obscure and going into the 90’s – it’s Wednesday remember!!

Anything Box from Southern California released this in 1990 on the major Epic Records. Pure Synth Pop with vocals similar to Marc Almond from Claudio Strilio. The other members were Dania Morales and Paul Rjinders.

Keith “K.C.” Cohen provides the first 2 mixes adding a Club edge to it. Great lead off mix, for fans of Erasure et al.

Early Mode is the flavour of the “Upstairs At Claudes” mix by Jon St. James, future retro sound.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/6lqkmi

https://www.mediafire.com/file/4ergqtf0gtuc2xh/Anything_Box_-__Jubilation_-_US_12%27%27_Vinyl_Mixes_-_1990_MP3.rar/file

Epic ‎– 49 73357

A1	Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (K.C.’s Camp Pendleton Mix)	6:32
A2	Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (The F Neosubtomic Mix)	5:57
B1	Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (Upstairs At Claudes)	4:37
B2	Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (The Face Mix)	4:37
B3	Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (Petite Filet Of Percapella)	4:21

M + M – Cooling The Medium (US Promo 12″)

When Martha And The Muffins became a two piece and got even more obscure with a name change. Martha Johnson and Mark Gane released three albums in this guise.

New Wave groover with punchy drums from session drummer Yogi Horton, Daniel Lanois adds his magic on production and effects.

Drum machines, funk bass and World music influences appear on the B- side. Very Peter Gabriel in places thanks to upright bass from David Piltch and some guitar from Lanois – there’s the Gabriel connection! This track appeared on their second album “Mystery Walk.”

https://www.mediafire.com/file/bxuyd9owj5ocqr1/M_+_M_-_Cooling_The_Medium_-_US_12%27%27_Vinyl_Mixes_-_1984__MP3.rar/file

https://www.sendspace.com/file/d4qidb

RCA ‎– JW-13920

A	Cooling The Medium (Remixed Version)	6:19
B1	Cooling The Medium (Dub Version)	5:47
B2	Come Out And Dance	4:46

Martini Ranch ‎– Reach (2 x 12″)

Novelty stuff from the late Bill Paxton (yes, him!) and Andrew Todd. Spaghetti Western and samplers galore. Released in 1988 and produced Greg Penny. The sleeve includes the message “Special Thanks To James Cameron” who did the music vid.

“Richard Cory” is very Space Rock and from the album “Holy Cow,” very chunky!

As a bonus is the single remix, that has “everything but the kitchen sink” production. I’m getting a Dead Or Alive vibe ???

Should have been a Sunday Silly Song!

https://www.mediafire.com/file/taje8m39e77s5n1/Martini_Ranch_-_Reach_-_US_12%27%27_Reg_%26_Promo_12%27%27_Mix_%28S.O.B.S.%29_-_1988__MP3.rar/file

https://www.sendspace.com/file/8alrpf

Sire ‎– 0-20868

A	Reach (Extended Dance Mix)	7:09
B	Richard Cory (LP Version/Edit)	3:34

Viva Lula ‎– Dad Sings The Blues (12″)

Art house UK New Wave stuff from the mysterious Viva Lula, released in July 1983.

From Wiki

Uropa Lula were a British pop group, consisting of David Lloyd (vocals and guitar), Allan Dias (bass guitar), Pete Fromm (keyboards), Andrew Edge (drums/percussion), Chester Kamen (guitar), and Carol Isaacs (keyboards). The group were managed by Hilde Swendgaard. The group signed a recording contract with Arista Records in 1982. This was a name change by the group who had toured extensively and at the time were opening for Big Country and their final single.

Pop Funk with some very strange vocals from David Lloyd, a bit Mighty Wah! in places with plenty Overdubs. It features Pepsi (from the duo Pepsi And Shirley) on backing vocals

A great lost 80’s song, enjoy !

B-side “Surely There Must Be Some Mistake” is a Waltz time instrumental with taped samples and a drum machines.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/na1arz

https://www.mediafire.com/file/zjennm3onn2vrf0/Viva_Lula_-_Dad_Sings_The_Blues_-_UK_12%27%27_Vinyl_-_1983__MP3.rar/file

Arista ‎– ARIST 12540

A	Dad Sings The Blues (Extended Mix)
B1	Dad Sings The Blues (Stutter Mix)
B2	Surely There Must Be Some Mistake

The Bongos ‎– Numbers With Wings (US Promo 12″)

Debut on the blog and containing plenty of Bongos !!!

American new wave / power pop group from Hoboken, New Jersey. The quartet were Richard Barone, (vocals, guitar) James Mastro, (guitars, vocals) Rob Norris (bass, vocals)
and Frank Giannini (drums, vocals) – No Bongo Player ?? Ed Walsh adds some synths

Plenty of E–Bow guitar and a driving beat, plenty of great guitar sounds and a forgotten classic. Produced by Richard Gottehrer and mixed by John Jansen (Hendrix, Meatloaf and Clapton)

B-side “Barbarella” has tribal beats, pots and pans and steel drums.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/y7t7782dy424g07/The_Bongos_-_Numbers_With_Wings_-_US_12%27%27_Promo_Vinyl_Mixes_-_1983__MP3.rar/file

https://www.sendspace.com/file/z3df5h

RCA ‎– JD-13578

A	Numbers With Wings (Remixed Version)	4:40
B	Barbarella (Remixed Version)	3:40

Various ‎– Foreplay #34 Feat. Y.M.O., Split Enz, Hazel O’Connor (US Promo 12″)

Keeping the compilation theme here is a single-sided promo released on A&M’s Foreplay label in July 1980. It features a couple tracks each from Yello Magic Ochestra, Split Enz and Hazel O’Connor. A Hit plus a more obscure LP track.

The Y.M.O. tracks were from the LP’s “Public Pressure” and “Multiples” –  “Nice Age” sounds a bit like Roxy Music with Akiko Yano on joint lead vocals. “Rydeen” is the one most people would have heard, instrumental and funky.

Split Enz have their classic from the album “True Colours” slightly 60’s in style with synths lurking in the background. “Nobody…” prove the Finn’s were at the top of their game, I love the wonky synth solo!

I love Hazel O’Connor! “Writing On The Wall” was a single and I remember hearing all the weird synth sounds. Produced by Tony Visconti and only her 2nd Single. “Will You?” was another single from “Breaking Glass” with the signature sax from Wesley Magoogan, the greatest saxophone of the 80’s ??

https://www.sendspace.com/file/4n30qn

https://www.mediafire.com/file/vbu7hv5bc27h4av/A%26M_Foreplay_Sampler_No.34_-_US_12%27%27_Promo_Single_Sided_Vinyl_-_1980__MP3.rar/file

A&M Records SP-17123

A1	Yellow Magic Orchestra	Nice Age
A2	Yellow Magic Orchestra	Rydeen
A3	Split Enz	I Got You
A4	Split Enz	Nobody Takes Me Seriously
A5	Hazel O’Connor	Writing On The Wall
A6	Hazel O’Connor	Will You