The Devil Is Loose＜限定盤/Coloured Vinyl＞

Never issued in the United States, Asha Puthlis second album, Devil Is Loose, is a masterpiece of snakey, spaced-out soul and pre-mainstream disco. Produced and recorded by Euro soul kings Dieter Zimmerman and Dave Virgin King (who, along with Puthli, composed these tracks), this title stands head and shoulders over her debut for its consistently soulful grooves and lush arrangements. The five-and-a-half minute "Space Walk" is a classic break track and showcases Puthlis vocals in the same class and range of Sylvia Robinsons or Minnie Ripertons. She makes full use of her remarkable range and emotes from the hip on the title track, the gritty funk of "Flying Fish," and on the pop soul of "Hello Everyone." With glissando strings shimmering and hovering above the mix and compressed guitar riffs, Zimmerman knew how to extract the maximum from his production dollar. Nowhere is this more evident than on "Say Yes," a weeper with a full choir backing Puthli in an arrangement similar to those of David Axelrod on Earth Rot. The Devil Is Loose is one of the more enduring pieces of seventies Euro soul; despite its dated-sounding production techniques, its songs and Puthlis voice stand the test of time very well. ~ Thom Jurek