Purple snow : forecasting the Minneapolis sound

"Purple Snow follows Secret Stash's Twin Cities Funk & Soul but, true to Numero Group form, it's a lavish package -- a major undertaking, even by the label's standard. Its two discs, stored in pouches within the front and back of a hardbound 140-page book filled with eye-popping images and information, contain over 70 minutes of music released on small labels. Another hour consists of previously unissued material. As R&B lovers outside this region gradually learned during Prince's commercial rise, the Twin Cities had a deep talent pool".

Read review

"Whether the emergence of the Minneapolis Sound in the 80s changed all that is still somewhat uncertain; alt-country and bluegrass acts currently overwhelm up-and-coming R&B and hip-hop artists in sheer number and opportunity. But the precedent that Purple Snow traces led to something special: a situation where a core of artists were given an inch and wound up taking a mile-not out of greed, but of necessity".

Read review