Electribe 101 to release second album – 30 years on

Electribe 101 are to finally release their second album, 30 years after recording it.

Formed in 1988 and fronted by sometime S’Express vocalist Billie Ray Martin, they released their first LP, Electribal Memories, in 1990 and recorded its follow-up, Electribal Soul, a year later, only it was never released.

“There was a degree of confidence among us when we came to write the second album,” recalls Martin. “To me, the songs we put down sound like some of our finest moments.

“I was into big ballads at the time and listening to all kinds of US and UK singers, and I was also young enough to want to prove myself as a belter of ballads.” 

“Listening back to these tracks now, I was reminded of what a bunch of great musicians they were,” she says. “They had a rule that if a part still sounded good after a day or two then it could stay. If it bothered the vocals, it would go.” 

The band finished mixing the album at London’s Olympic Studios in 1991. They were assisted by Apollo 440’s Howard Gray on production duties for Deadline For My Memories, Insatiable Love and Space Oasis, with Gray supported by talented engineer Al Stone. 

Electribal Soul will be released on 12” vinyl, CD and digital formats on 18th February 2022 through Electribal Records. The physical formats include extensive liner notes from Billie Ray Martin, and the album sleeve features unseen archive photographs by Lewis Mulatero from the original 1990 sessions with the band that were never used in the sleeve designs for Electribal Memories.