There's a part on Dwight Sykes' "Hypnotized" where the vocals of Paula Smith hit a moment of imperfect bliss. Over some (real) simple four-track cassette and drum machine production, her voice soars to a transcendental peak of oohs and coos before delving into some sultry bedroom talk.What the track lacks in professional production it more than makes up for in Smith's emotive vocals and Sykes' ear for R&B melody and arrangement. It is a true piece of DIY soul.Written and produced in 1980 by Sykes for his home based L.U.S.T. Productions, the track is now available digitally and on vinyl through On the Rocks, an album of Sykes' songs released on the great DC label Peoples Potential Unlimited.Born in 1956 in Nettleton, a small town on the Mississippi and Alabama border, Sykes and his family moved north to Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was there where he learned to play guitar in school and soon was in a variety off Top 40 R&B groups. Returning home after a stint in the army, he formed his own band Jahari, that PPU have previously released as well as Songs Volume One, seven tracks originally recorded in his home studio between 1980-1990.On the Rocks is the second set of recordings from Sykes' unreleased cassette archives and from the guitar driven "Mystical Lady" to "Baby Talk" featuring the vocals of Sykes' new born child, it continues his unique electro funk and soul.Sykes is now back in the south, living in Atlanta where he continues to write and produce songs on his Tascam 464 four-track console.For more info on Jahari and Sykes check this great home video.'On the Rocks' is available now through PPU.Image: PPU
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