Various - New York Soul 66The Big Apple had long been a leading centre of Afro American music, from the Tin Pan Alley days right through to the fifties and sixties. By 1966, when soul was the dominant musical form, New York was THE recording centre of the US, with more records produced here than anywhere else. And while there arent many hits represented here and you may not have heard of half of the singers, these tracks represent the sound of the city rather better than many

and Approximately Infinite Universe stands as a template for powerful female artists to follow in the years ahead

part personal discoveries

One of the few records Gottsching released under his own name

along with a re-working of Simon's 'Now Nothing'

and Gothy post-punk ("Dark Entries"

recorded and assembled by CHARLES BROOKS

they stuck with it

With that language

Norwegian singer songwriter Susanne Sundfor and Robyn

while others consider them elitists

The music parallels the sombre tone of the lyrics - focused and direct - and avoids the usual bombastic funk of many Fela compositions

the kind that inspire a million songs