Ralph Lawson curates Rare Classics project for Back To Basics

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  • The first of four EPs of hard-to-find dance tunes—which will be collected into an album next year—features material from Lil Louis, Mike Perras and M-I-Cara.
  • Ralph Lawson curates Rare Classics project for Back To Basics image
  • Leeds club night Back To Basics and its resident and music director Ralph Lawson have announced an EP and album project highlighting rare and hard-to-find dance music. Back To Basics - Rare Classics, coming through the club's label arm, has been in the works for two years, as Lawson—who played the very first record at the party back in 1991—hunted down the original master recordings. Those tunes, which the curator describes as offering "a true picture of the music played on the dance floor" at Back To Basics, will first be split across four vinyl EPs, before being collected for a full-length release in March 2018. The project's opening EP, due out in early December, brings together Lil Louis & The World's "I Called You (The Story Continues)," which was often a last track at Back To Basics, Mike Perras' "Keep Movin'" and M-I-Cara's "Casa Beat". Tunes from Neal Howard, Cajmere, Cassio Ware, Mood II Swing, Eddie Fowlkes, Black Science Orchestra and Armando are among those set to appear on the next three EPs. All four cover graphics, which will combine to form a single piece of artwork, will come courtesy of punk artist Jamie Reid. Back To Basics is turning 26 with a party next Saturday at Church in Leeds. Headlining honors go to Masters At Work man Kenny Dope, who's booked for an "exclusive New York classics set." Listen to "Casa Beat."
    Tracklist A Lil Louis & The World - I Called You (The Story Continues) B1 Mike Perras - Keep Movin' B2 M-I-Cara - Casa Beat Back To Basics Recordings will release Back To Basics - Rare Classics Vol. 1 on December 7th, 2017.

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