A Northern Soul classic – and one of Edwin's greatest cuts ever! The tune's got a hip, high stepping dancefloor beat, with lyrics by Edwin that are really cool, a soul take on James Bond, with a lot of twists and turns in the lyrics that are nice and clever, and which give the track a mod appeal that still holds true today! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really romping single from the lesser-known Connie Austin – a cut that's as funky as is soulful, with a set of backings that comes down right on the money, while a little conga line kicks things right back over the top! The approach allows Connie's vocals to really soar – giving the whole thing an unexpectedly righteous vibe! Charles Spurling steps out on the flipside – a storming Northern Soul number recorded in the 60s, but which appears here on a 45 for the first time ever! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A killer Mirwood bit of northern soul – solo work from Bobby Garrett, usually heard in a duo but plenty great here on his own – bringing this raspy charm that keeps the tune nicely down to earth, even when the arrangements and backing vocals really soar! Those elements get plenty of play on the flipside – an all instrumental romp that follows the groove of the main track! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Early brilliance from Burt Bacharach – 2 early soul productions for singer Lou Johnson! "Magic Potion" is great – a lesser-known track that steps along with percolated arrangements in an early Northern groove – alongside more of those great backing vocals! A real gem through and through. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two great cuts from 60s female soul singer Tobi Lark! "Challenge My Love" is a mid 60s Detroit groover from the hands of Dave Hamilton – nicely chugging beat underneath, sweet vocals by Tobi, and a bit of a brassy finish on the groove – all making for a nice midtempo dancer all around! "Sweep It Out" is a stone cooker from Tobi Lark – a romping Northern groove that has some weird harmony vocals shooby-doobing underneath Tobi's bold, raw lead – all on top of a rhythm that's completely infectious from the get-go! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Classic Chicago soul from Mamie Galore! "It Ain't Necessary" has a rolling party groove that fits Mamie's husky vocal style really well. Monk Higgins is leading the arrangements, and the tracks' got a soaring northern groove that's very nice! "Don't Think" shows off Mamie's work on a ballad number – with slow horns vamping behind her, and some additional femal vocals on the chorus. 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the greatest pop soul singles of all time! Even though we hear it lots of times on oldies stations, we still get a thrill from the great raw sound of "But It's Alright" – especially the great choppy guitar bit on the intro! Plus, this original Calla pressing of the track also features an amazing b-side – the hard storming "Boogaloo Baby", which is an incredible Northern Soul track with a groove that just won't quit! Pounding piano, great crowd sounds on the chorus, and a runaway groove that never stops! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A killer Northern Soul single from the Volcanos – a group who definitely earn their explosive name with "Gotta Be A False Alarm"! The tune runs off tight right from the start – with this mighty Detroit-styled groove, and rock-solid vocals that have the lead singer trading lines beautifully with the harmonies from the group! "Movin & Groovin" does exactly what the title promises – and kicks into gear with this wonderful horn part over triple-time drums – all instrumental, and delivered at a level that hardly makes you miss the vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the coolest cuts ever from Tommy Youngblood – a groove that's got this deep horn down in the bassline, which seems to darken the whole tune in a really great way – and bring out a fantastic raw quality in Tommy's vocals! "Nobody But Me" is another great tune – and even more upbeat than the main cut – almost funky, with riffing guitar and a Northern Soul tempo, and sweet horns that soar over the top while the vocals take off! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two rare gems from Westbound Records – both of them great! "Ain't No Telling" has a groove that's partly the Northern Soul of Detroit in the late 60s, mixed with some of the headier sounds that Westbound was starting to craft during the early 70s – all topped by fantastic soaring harmonies from the group! Those harmonies are maybe even better on the flipside – a cut that has a mellower vibe, but a sound that's maybe even more righteous overall! 7-inch, Vinyl record