S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T ::: 3 Songs with Kylie Auldist

Season 3 of Blue-in-Green:RADIO's S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T series continues with the celebration of some of our favourite vocalists.  In support of our selections, we've plucked a snazzy 3-song round-up featuring a mish-mash of under-appreciated collaborations and under-the-radar remixes that may have passed listeners by.

Today we celebrate one of the most revered names in contemporary funk and soul in Kylie Auldist.  Hailing from Broken Hill, Australia, Auldist has served as one of the most prominent names amidst Australia's thriving soul scene that boasts no shortage of immeasurable talent.  As the lead vocalist for The Bamboos, having joined in 2006, Auldist has gone on to release six full-length albums as a solo artist as well as work with a veritable who's who of soul music talent from around the world including Cookin' On 3 Burners, Flevans, Aldo Vanucci, Dr Rubberfunk, Ashley Beedle and much more.  In typical S-P-(((o)))-T-L-I-G-H-T fashion, we've plucked a trio of some of our favourite Auldist numbers which offers a mere snapshot of what's covered in the full episode.

Here are three Kylie Auldist tracks that no Kylie Auldist collection should be without...

1. 'I Don't Wanna Stop' (Strings Version) By The Bamboos (2019)

As part of the Australian funk & soul luminaries' twentieth-year celebrations, The Bamboos released 'By Special Arrangement' through Brighton's Tru Thoughts Recordings as a way to affectionately lament on a staggering career.  As described on the band's Bandcamp page, the album presented "strings reinterpretations from The Bamboos catalogue" which proved an inspired concept for an album.  The lush orchestral accompaniments ushered in exquisite new perspectives of Bamboos classics including the band's signature 'Keep Me in Mind' and 'I Don't Wanna Stop'.  All reinterpretations of songs that worked in stark contrast to the hundred-miles-an-hour blistering soul typically associated with The Bamboos.

2. 'Happy' by Kylie Auldist (2023)

Since 2011, the Women of Soul brand has continued with this commitment to bringing new eyes and opportunities to Australian female talent.  A project helmed by the multi-talented Chelsea Wilson, Women of Soul has long waved the flag for innovative and inspired perspectives through a lengthy lineage of live performances, workshops, collaborations and music releases, as first unveiled through their self-titled album as far back as 2015.  Initially plagued with delays from the 2020/2021 quarantine period of social distancing, face masks and excessive amounts of hand sanitizer, 'Feel Good' - the second album under the Women of Soul banner - is a project that comprises more than 35 female creatives filling every music-making role from vocalists, songwriters, producers, engineers and musicians across the whole album.  Boasting some fantastic contributions from Chelsea Wilson, Candice Monique, Rita Satch amongst others, Kylie Auldist's two contributions certainly serve as high points for the project that is in itself a sensational milestone within the rich legacy of the Women in Soul brand.

3. 'One of the Ones' by Cookin' On 3 Burners featuring Kylie Auldist (2018)

Amidst the expansive array of Australian funk & soul flag wavers that have surfaced over the last twenty years, it would be near impossible to recount any list that wouldn't cite the unbridled efforts of Cookin' on 3 Burners.  With past releases on the aforementioned Freestyle Records, C3B have steadily been releasing their projects via Soul Messin' Records and have been subsequently cultivating an incredible label home as a result.  With releases dating back to 2000, the Cookin' trio have continued to deliver powerhouse performances alongside innovative and inspired takes on the genre's contemporary landscape.  With Kylie Auldist serving as a frequent collaborator for the trio, her powerhouse vocal has graced several of their projects over the years delivering stellar contributions amidst the C3B catalogue.  For this list however, we'll point your attention to the trio's 'Lab Experiments Vol. 2' and the sublime Auldist-assisted 'One of the Ones'.