Music: Vaughan Mason & Butch Dayo – Feel My Love (1983 Reissue)

Trying to capitalize a second time on a proven idea, Vaughn Mason, who made 1979’s “Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll” into a global four-wheel Psalm teamed up with vocalist Butch Dayo a couple of years later to cut a five-song EP Feel My Love for the Salsoul imprint. The track  “Rollalong Songs”,  essentially “Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll Part II’  featured smooth beats, animated piano licks and syncopated hand claps pushing Dayo’s upbeat vocal over of the song. In 1983, Shannon’s “Let The Music Play”, Human League’s “Fascination” and “I.O.U” by Freeez would not see this played out novelty appear anywhere near the Billboard 100. Mason, who soon after the project flopped turned his efforts to the House genre under the name Raze, neglected to realize it was his selections that represented what was to come, not what happened already, that had the magic. British label, Be With Records, who’s reissued the project, allows us, vinyl junkies, a second shot to get at these good bits once again.

“Feel My Love”, an eBay wanna get, is an electro/proto-house, minimal drum programming miracle of wonder. It’s sparse, packed with humble vocal delivery, and retains freshness with the feeling of: “Was this cut under an hour on somebody’s lunch-break?” Not rushed or over thought, it’s a jam that fills the role as mood conductor for all-day skate party or late-nite basement party jump-off. Well beyond impeccable street-cred, this is Gospel.

“You Can Do It”, a seven-minute testament to the transformative power of song, from the jump it gives off images of palm trees, sunshine, and car rims clean enough practice dance moves in. Mason was shrewd enough to have DJ Shep Pettibone add his large-sounding production acumen to the track. But the cowbells, picking guitar work, and Moog synth committing bass-heavy crimes were already in place on the chest out funker.  If you don’t feel this, call a doctor. You may be dead… 

This prized LP, that’s made fans of electronic music, allowing entry points to various ideas about amplified music nurtured by devices that beep and emit flashing lights of all colors, makes cold unfeeling boxes of wires and cords have sex appeal. Finding original copies on vinyl at affordable prices has been tough for years. Mastered brilliantly by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and with lovingly reproduced artwork,  Be With has got you covered. 

You can listen to Vaughan Mason & Butch Dayo’s terrific 1983 album Feel My Love below via Spotify, but make sure you support this record by purchasing it through discogs.com.