Freestyle Records drop an unmissable LP of foundational UK dance music made between 1982 to 1984, in the form of the collected output of Contact-U – aka Rick de Jongh and Andy Sojka’s stripped-back electro boogie project.
At the turn of the 1980s Challenge Records was founded on North London’s Holloway Road – formed by Andy Sojka & Rick de Jongh to act as a sister-label to Sojka’s seminal soul & boogie-focused Elite imprint. Initially releasing a smattering of lovers rock singles, Challenge would quickly begin to focus-in on the emerging sounds of Hi-NRG & electro – with Contact-U, an alias for Rick & Andy’s own stripped-back productions, becoming Challenge’s first act in this vein.
Recording the sublimely wonky spaceage funk of ‘Inside You’ in November of 1982, de Jongh & Sojka followed this up over the next 2 years with three 12″ releases for Challenge before hanging up the moniker. Providing infectious synth-based melodies & basslines with killer drum-machines & minimal but effective live percussion – and in a couple of instances (see “Inca Sacrifice” and “Breaking Point’) crucial dub re-versions on their B-sides – these tracks are some of the strongest electro-funk records to come out of the UK during this period. Dig in!
A1, Inside You1:00
A2. Ecuador1:00
A3. Inca Sacrifice1:00
A4. Dancing Inner Space1:00
B1. Dancing Inner Space (Long Distance Version)1:00
Solutions