Retro soul, sometimes written as retro-soul, is a post-modern and contemporary popular music genre that emerged years after the golden era of soul 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 from soul music, Contemporary R&B and neo 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 in New York City, with the vintage focused recordings from Desco (now Daptone 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 for samplinginhip hop and electronic recordings.[2]
Founded by Phillip Lehman and Bosco Mann, the label was an early home to New York's artists. Lehman and Mann split ways to pursue different sounds in 2000.
Bosco Mann would go on to found Daptone with Neal Sugarman. Daptone is one of the best-regarded soul revival labels and is known for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley.
Following Desco, Lehman would run the short-lived label Soul Fire (1999–2003) before handing the studio over to Soul Fire musicians and producers Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman. Truth & Soul is best known for their Lee Fields & The Expressions releases and relationship with Daptone artists.
A former funk and soul reissue subsidiary of Stones Throw, Now-Again is best known for their regional and global funk and psych rock compilations. The label is home to acts including The Whitefield Brothers, Heliocentrics, and Breakestra.
