Soul of Man

by Jason BirchmeierU.K.-based DJ/production duo Soul of Man was at the forefront of the late-'90s breakbeat uprising, founding the seminal label Finger Lickin' Records, which would release music by leading breakbeat acts such as Krafty Kuts, Lee Coombs, and Plumb DJs. Soul of Man is comprised of Jem Panufnik and Justin Rushmore, who founded Finger Lickin' Records in 1998. Based in Camden, England, the label's office also functions as a record shop, café, and bar known as Vinyl Addiction/Bar Vinyl, where DJs spin nightly. Panufnik and Rushmore inaugurated Finger Lickin' Records with the debut Soul of Man 12" EP release, Love & Hate (1998), followed later in the year by another Soul of Man EP, Between the Eyes. In 1999 they made their DJ mix album debut as Soul of Man with Breakthru, Vol. 1: Revelation on the short-lived label Sixty Degrees North Records, followed later in the year by another mix album, It's a Finger Lickin' Thang, this one on their own label. Meanwhile, Finger Lickin' released a steady stream of 12" EPs in 1998-1999 by breakbeat acts including Osmosis, Flint, 2 Indabush, Lee Coombs, Freaky Jalapeno, and El Loco Gringo. There were successive Soul of Man EPs on Finger Lickin' as well, including Serendipity (1999), Killa Brew (2001), Dirty Waltzer/Get It Girls (2002), The Drum/Acid Punch (2002), Back2Back (2003), Shake 'Em Down (2005), Mylowdowndirty/Foxy Moron (2005), Sukdat (2006), and Trouble! (2007). The highlights of these 12" releases were compiled on Re-Licked (2007), a double CD featuring previously released productions as well as newly commissioned remixes. Panufnik and Rushmore's production work was also showcased regularly on their mix albums, including It's a Finger Lickin' Thang, Vol. 2 (2001), 21st Century Breaks (2003), Y4K - Breakin' in the House (2004), It's a Finger Lickin' Thang, Vol. 3 (2004), We Love It (2005), and It's a Finger Lickin' Thang, Vol. 4 (2006).