VA - Black Magic Treats, A Collection Of Northern Soul [1999]

SOUL

VA - Black Magic Treats, A Collection Of Northern Soul [1999]

Black Magic Treats, A Collection of Northern Soul is a compact yet vibrant showcase of Northern Soul’s underground pulse, blending rare grooves with cult favorites across 20 tracks.

Released by UK label KRL, this single-disc compilation taps into the genre’s deep vaults, spotlighting lesser-known artists whose recordings have long circulated among collectors and club DJs. Tracks like “Love You Baby” by Lorraine Chandler and “Blowing My Mind to Pieces” by Bob Relf exemplify the emotional urgency and rhythmic drive that define Northern Soul’s appeal. The Sharonettes appear multiple times, anchoring the set with girl-group harmonies and Motown-inspired arrangements, while cuts from Jimmy Soul Clarke, The Chantelles, and The Soul Fox Orchestra add stylistic breadth—from stomping floor-fillers to moody mid-tempo gems.

What makes this set notable is its emphasis on obscure UK and US pressings, many of which were rediscovered through the Northern Soul scene’s crate-digging culture. The sequencing favors variety over cohesion, but that’s part of its charm—it feels like a DJ’s personal stash, designed for surprise and movement. Though liner notes are minimal, the music speaks for itself, raw, heartfelt, and danceable.

For collectors and newcomers alike, Black Magic Treats offers a snapshot of Northern Soul’s enduring magnetism—where rarity meets resonance on the dancefloor. (B)

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Track list

01 Sharonettes - Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow 2:40

02 Lorraine Chandler - Love You Baby 2:53

03 Russell Harness - At the Disco 2:38

04 Gary Jackson - Sugar Dumplin' 3:16

05 Jimmy "Soul" Clarke - Sweet Darlin' 2:33

06 Bob Relf - Blowing My Mind to Pieces 2:15

07 Jill "Baby" Love - My Way or Hit the Highway 3:26

08 Mylestones - The Joker 2:47

09 Sharonettes - Going to a Go-Go 2:56

10 Creation - I Got the Fever 2:59

11 Cheyanne - Promised Land 2:17

12 Chantelles - Runaway 2:55

13 Sharonettes - Broken Hearted Melody 3:14

14 Soul Fox Orchestra - Thumb a Ride 3:00

15 Soul Fox Orchestra - Ain't No Soul (Left in These Old Shoes) 2:17

16 Paula Roussell - Blowing My Mind to Pieces 2:16

17 Jimmy "Soul" Clarke - (Come on & Be My) Sweet Darlin' (Inst) 2:19

18 Sherley Mathews - My Sugar Baby 2:45

19 Charades - Dreamin' Up a World of Fantasy 2:16

20 Floorshakers - Six by Six 2:30

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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