Welcome to the second part of the article on pioneering UK Hip Hop collective The Sindecut. To read part one of the article click here: The Sindecut (Part One)

During the time that The Sindecut were signed to Virgin Records there were also several 12″ singles that were recorded and released. The first of these releases was of the track entitled Tell me why? The album version along with three remixes were released across two 12″ singles. Each 12″ also contained different versions of the track entitled Wizdom one of which appeared on the Cassette and CD releases of the album Changing the scenery.

The first of the two 12″ single contained the below track list:

• A.Tell Me Why?
• B1. Tell Me Why? (Album version)
• B2. Wizdom

The below insert is of the 12″ version of Tell my why?:

The Sindecut “Tell me why?” – Virgin, 1990.

A remixed version of Wizdom was also part of the first of the two initial 12″ Singles that The Sindecut recorded with Virgin Records.

Below is an insert of the version of Wizdom that is exclusive to the first of the two 12″ singles:

The Sindecut “Wizdom” – Virgin, 1990.

The second of the two 12″ singles contained the below track list:

• A.Tell Me Why? (Part 2 – At The Exchange)
• B1. Tell Me Why? (At The Manor)
• B2. Wizdom

The below insert is of the A side of the second 12″ single and is of the first remix entitled Tell Me Why? (Part 2 – At The Exchange):

The Sindecut “Tell me why?(Part 2 – At The Exchange)” – Virgin, 1990.

Also included on the second Tell me why? 12″ single of the set was another version of Wizdom that we believe to be the same version that appeared on the cassette and CD release of The Sindecut‘s album Changing the scenery. As a version from the 12″ single is not available online at the time of writing the article this is only speculation. However if this is correct the only place to obtain a copy of the album version on vinyl would be on the single release. The second remix entitled Tell Me Why? (At The Manor) is also not currently available online.

The below insert is of the album version of Wizdom:

The Sindecut “Wizdom (album version)” – Virgin, 1990.

There were also Cassette and CD single versions of Tell me why? These contained different variations of the above tracks and a full list is available to view at the discogs website.

The second set of 12″ single releases form The Sindecut while signed to Virgin records and also released in 1990 was of the track entitled Live the life. The 12″ sets contained two remixed versions of Live the life both of which differed from the Changing the scenery album version as well as the compositions Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead, and Slow down.

The first of the two Live the life 12″ singles contained the below track list:

• A. Live the life
• B1. Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead
• B2. Slow down

The 12″ version of live the life is exclusive to the single. Both recordings of Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead, and Slow down are versions taken from the Changing the scenery album which can be heard in the playlist in Part one of the article.

The below insert is the 12″ version of Live the life:

The Sindecut “Live the life” – Virgin, 1990.

The second of the two Live the life 12″ singles contained the below track list:

• A. Live The Life (Part 2 – At The Barbeque)
• B. Slow Down (Part 2 – A New Message)

At the time of writing this article neither of the above tracks were available to listen to online. The below insert is of the Live the life remix 12″ single artwork:

The Sindecut “Live the life remix” – Virgin, 1990.

As with the previous releases on Virgin Records there were also Cassette and CD single versions of Live the life. These contained different variations of the above tracks and a full list is also available to view at the discogs website.

1991 was the year that the last of The Sindecut‘s compositions were released on Virgin Records which included a handful of exclusive tracks not available on their album. The first of these releases was entitled Won’t change and like all previous Virgin releases by The Sindecut was a double 12″ set that contained various different versions.

The first of the two Won’t change 12″ singles contained the below track list:

• A. Won’t Change
• B1. Panic Stricken
• B2. Crack Business

The Sindecut “Won’t change” – Virgin, 1991.

The second of the two Won’t change 12″ singles contained the below track list:

• A. Won’t Change
• B1. Panic Stricken
• B2. Crack Business (Jah Would Never Give The Power To A Baldhead Mix)

The Sindecut “Won’t change” – Virgin, 1991.

There are versions of Won’t change and Crack business on the Changing the scenery album and it is possible that the first of the two 12″ singles contain these album versions. At the time of writing this article there are currently no other available versions to listen to online and the credits of the first 12″ single do not indicate any alternative version of these two tracks.

Panic stricken however is exclusive to the 12″ singles. At the time of writing there is only one version available online so again we have been unable to clarify if there are different versions on each 12″ Release.

Panic stricken is interesting as it is one of a handful of diss records recorded by early UK Hip Hop artists aimed at other UK Hip Hop artists from the same era. An issue of some kind arose between The Sindecut and Katch 22 which was significant enough for the first recording between the 2 crews to be created. Katch 22 answered with references on their second album on a track entitled Bad nuh bumbo and their third album on a track entitled Sound like the rest. All recordings seem to be made within the spirit of Hip Hop Culture and are more a battle of styles as opposed to a mass of personal insults. To this day both crews remain highly respected as pioneers of UK Hip Hop music and culture.

The below insert is of the only available online version of Panic stricken. At the time of writing this article Breaktothebeat have been unable to clarify if this version was included on the first, second, or both of the 12″ singles:

The Sindecut “Panic stricken” – Virgin, 1991.

The final recording from the Won’t Change 12″ singles is Crack Business (Jah Would Never Give The Power To A Baldhead Mix) which is exclusive to the second of the 12″ singles and can be heard in the below insert:

The Sindecut “Crack Business (Jah Would Never Give The…. Mix)” – Virgin, 1991.

according to the discogs website. the only other release of Wont change was a 7″ single. Please see the above link address for full details.

The last of The Sindecut 12″ singles released by Virgin records was entitled Simple jealousy and contained the below track list all of which are exclusive to the single:

• A1. Simple Jealousy (12″ Mix)
• B1 .Freestyle (Live At The Town & Country Club)
• B2. Simple Jealousy (Piano Mix)

The Simple jealousy single also appears to be the final official recordings by The Sindecut as a unit of 6+ people. The Sindecut continued to record but after leaving Virgin records the line up gradually reduced. It is not clear why The Sindecut left Virgin records but according to the DJ Fingers biography at Sly Fingers they parted ways in 1992. It is possible that like many other UK Hip Hop artists of the era The Sindecut also fell victim to the lack of major label investment in British urban music especially British Hip Hop. This lack of investment had a detrimental effect on the accessibility of British Hip Hop during the later part of 1992.

The below insert is of the 12″ mix of Simple jealousy:

The Sindecut “Simple jealousy” – Virgin, 1991.

The final offering which appeared on the B side of the last 12″ single with Virgin records was entitled Freestyle and it is exactly that. The four Sindecut vocalists drop live freestyle raps and vocals over a super funky groove played by the live band push. According to the credits the live recording was made at The town & country club in Kentish town London.

The below insert is of Freestyle by The Sindecut:

The Sindecut “Freestyle” – Virgin, 1991.

Several other formats of the Simple jealousy single were also released with variations of the above tracks. A full list is available at the discogs website.

This concludes the section of The Sindecut‘s official releases with Virgin records. It would be interesting to know if the later of the singles were planned as part of a second album and if so how much of it was recorded and potentially sat in the Virgin archives? But again this is only speculation.

in 1993 some members of The Sindecut resurfaced with a brand new 12″ single on independent label Conscious records that contained two brand new vocal tracks as well as instrumentals.

The track list is as follows:

• A1. Melody
• A2. Melody (Instrumental)
• B1. Foundation Of Lies
• B2. Foundation Of Lies (Instrumental)

The main vocals were performed by singer Louise Francis and also featured rap vocals by MC Crazy Noddy, with DJ Fingers on production. Snippets of all tracks can be heard in the below insert:

The Sindecut “Foundation Of Lies / Melody snippets” – Conscious, 1993.

A handful of singles have surfaced since these final recordings but as far as we can tell The Sindecut‘s involvement was exclusively with production. A full discography is available at the discogs website.

An example of the production skills can be heard in the below insert by singer Ijeoma & The Sindecut with the composition entitled Cool your head which was released in 2016 and is available on 7″ vinyl and digital download:

IJeoma & The Sindecut “Cool your head” – Mural music, 2016.

Breaktothebeat would like to big up The Sindecut for their contributions and for “Changing the scenery” of the British music experience.

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