| Retro soul | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Early 1990s–present, United States |
| Other topics | |
| Neo soul | |
Retro soul, sometimes written asretro-soul, is a post-modern and contemporary popular music genre that emerged years after the golden era ofsoul music. In style of singing, arrangement and recording techniques, this music attempts to offer new music in the tradition of soul music from the United States from the 1950s to the 1970s. This differs fromsoul music,Contemporary R&B andneo soul as it is intentionally produced in a vintage recording sound and style years after the original era.[1]
Retro Soul started in the late 1990s inNew York City, with the vintage focused recordings fromDesco (nowDaptone Records). Hip hop producers craved sampling material, and the small label presented vinyl recordings emulating the style of 1960s and 1970s soul and music. This music was initially released to represent that the music may be rare or lost recordings that were somehow unearthed, although they were technically brand new recordings. The popularity grew, finding the music being played frequently on US college radio. In addition, some of these recordings were used as material forsampling inhip hop and electronic recordings.[2]
This music was brought to mainstream popularity in the second album material of artistAmy Winehouse in 2006. HerGrammy Award-winningBack to Black record production included vintage soul style, and featuring the rhythm section and horn players fromSharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Subsequent releases by artistsSharon Jones,[3]Mayer Hawthorne,Adrian Younge,Raphael Saadiq,Lee Fields,Shoshana Bean andCharles Bradley continued in this tradition.[4]
The musical style is recognized by both the arrangements and instrumentation from classic soul music of the 1950s until the 1970s. It is largely non-electronic. The instrumentation includesdrum kit,electric bass,percussion,electric piano,electric guitar,Hammond organ,piano,saxophone,trumpet andtrombone. The music is both instrumental and with vocals. Therepertoire includes ballads, mid tempos and uptempos. The rhythms can includeMotown,funk, andSentimental ballad.[5]
Desco Records (Brooklyn, 1996–2000)
Daptone Records (Brooklyn, 2004–present)
Truth & Soul Records (Brooklyn, 2004–2016)
Colemine Records (Ohio, 2007–present)
Stax Records (Memphis, 2007–present)
Stones Throw Records (Los Angeles, 1996–present)
Now-Again Records (Los Angeles, 2002–present)
Big Crown Records (Brooklyn, 2016–present)
this is second record label Michels and Akalepse had built from the ground up.