Unavailable for over 20 years, ‘In The Beginning There Was Rhythm’ was Soul Jazz Records’ first foray into post-punk and punk-funk in the UK, capturing the groundbreaking, seminal groups that crossed the divide of punk and dance music for the first time. “‘In The Beginning...’ is essential missing-link history - and body-rockin’ fun” - The Guardian “‘In The Beginning...’ doesn’t have a single limp tune. It’ll amaze new listeners and give old ones some hard-to-find tracks. Buy it.” - Pitchfork “There’s no denying that ‘In the Beginning There Was Rhythm’ is a great gateway into this expansive, fruitful, trailblazing era.” - All Music First released in 2001, this album is fully remastered, remade and presented once more in its entirety and features A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, The Human League, The Pop Group, Gang of Four, The Slits, 23 Skidoo and This Heat. This album comes as a CD and as a double black vinyl edition with download code complete with two bespoke inner bags containing extensive sleevenotes and original photography. As Muzik magazine noted on its initial release, ‘In The Beginning There Was Rhythm’ is a choice selection from the fertile post-punk period when bands thought nothing of combining politics and philosophy with imported dance rhythms and edgy industrial angst. Most of the bands featured come from the then bleak post- industrial North of England - Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds as well as Bristol and London - and yet all show a fascination with Black American rhythms and an experimentation in sound that was completely unique at the time. The title of the album comes from The Slits track of the same name.

When Soul Jazz released this compilation over 23 years ago now it created such a stir and was at the very beginning of the wave of new post-punk/punk-funk outfits such as The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem and !!! . This still is just as fresh and immediate sounding as when it was released, capturing the first wave of dynamic funky-post punk and experimental dubby groovers and movers from that came out of the punk/new-wave scenes. ESSENTIAL LISTENING!

By Matt