The Sindecut

The rap collective Sindecut, based in North London, began its trajectory with appearances at the Swiss Cottage Community Centre, followed by the 1986 release of a self-titled debut single. The roster revolved around the central pairing of rapper Crazy Noddy and DJ Fingers, later incorporating rapper Lyne Lyn, producer DJ Don’t Ramp, Mix Man G, Mad P, and eventually Spike Tee together with Louise Francis. In 1987/8 several participants headed to America in pursuit of a deal with B-Boy Records, yet the prospect evaporated once label head Bill Kamarra was imprisoned. The group therefore launched its own imprint, Jgunglelist—an early and distinctive application of the term, predating its later capture by the jungle club movement. Recognition arrived through the propulsive grooves of “Posse,” an assertive blend of ragga vocals and hip-hop breaks. Their breakthrough on the dancefloor, however, proved to be “Sindecut Kickin’ Yeah,” issued on the independent Baad label. Having matured alongside the comparably constructed Soul II Soul, the collective fused soul and reggae into rap, explaining: “Its just our influences really. Americans have a lot of influences but they tend to make one type of music. We want to make music that we are influenced by and put it together into a new sound.” Their debut album presented raps over layered strings and urgent live drumming, resulting in an almost new age variant of hip-hop.