(January 4, 2023) Since the mid-eighties, Expansion Records has lived up to its name, embracing soulful music that bridges jazz, disco, and funk. The abundance of the U.K. company’s catalog has benefitted us with a treasure trove of newly signed and reissued projects from established or emerging talent.
But among all Expansion’s compilations, including the Soul Togetherness series, the most anticipated time of year comes in January where Expansion honors the past year through Luxury Soul – a collection of mostly unsigned independent soul’s talent, many who charted on the UK Soul Top 10. And 2023 is an even bigger deal for Expansion, as it marks its 20th Anniversary Luxury Soul Weekender with performances featuring select artists on Luxury Soul 23.
(January 4, 2023) Since the mid-eighties, Expansion Records has lived up to its name, embracing soulful music that bridges jazz, disco, and funk. The abundance of the U.K. company’s catalog has benefitted us with a treasure trove of newly signed and reissued projects from established or emerging talent.
But among all Expansion’s compilations, including the Soul Togetherness series, the most anticipated time of year comes in January where Expansion honors the past year through Luxury Soul – a collection of mostly unsigned independent soul’s talent, many who charted on the UK Soul Top 10. And 2023 is an even bigger deal for Expansion, as it marks its 20th Anniversary Luxury Soul Weekender with performances featuring select artists on Luxury Soul 23.
This 3-CD, 35-track collection features Chaka Khan’s touring band Output/Input and exclusive songs from Kloud 9 and Kenya, joined by Noel Gourdin, whose “Slow Motion” makes its way to our latest First Listen installment. “Slow Motion” illustrates an engrossing romantic encounter where a couple slowly invests the time fulfilling their lifetime desires.
The exquisite soundtrack blending old school with sonic flourishes flows right along with Kenya and Gourdin’s stirring exchanges. Kenya taps Kloud 9’s Kendall Duffie (“Be Here”) to guide all the right production moves, anchored by crisp backing vocals, a sea of synths and percolating percussion. After almost four decades, Expansion Records presses on with the business in presenting the utmost luxury of soul. Listen up to Kenya and Gourdin’s “Slow Motion.”
By Peggy Oliver