Digger’s Island Discs explores the collections of Leeds’ most prolific vinyl slingers and groove bringers to present us with the records they could not live without. This time, Matt Bolton, resident DJ at legendary Leeds soul night Move On Up in the HiFi Club selects six stompers….

Bessie Banks – Don’t You Worry Baby (The Best Is Yet To Come)

The first time I heard this record I wept while dancing. It’s a love song that just floors you from the first bars. The fact that it’s a lazy 2-step makes it even more intense. It perfectly expresses the deep unconditional trust and belief in a relationship in a way few other songs ever have. ‘Keep on Dreaming baby, they will all come true. Go on make em happen… I believe in you’. Took me years and a wad of cash to find a mint one. Still makes me cry. Worth every penny.

Sharon Scott – Its Better

I first heard this unreleased RCA side about 17 years ago. Only once. And then not again for nearly 2 decades. Not until my pal Ady Croasdell from Kent Records handed me a test pressing one night and it lit up my heart once more. It’s as perfect as soul records get. A brief 2:16 of heartbreak. For a while I was the only other person to have a legitimate copy to play out and seeing the reaction to it amongst young people felt very, very special.

Archie Bell – Where Will You Go When The Party’s Over

Since adding this to the vinyl stack years ago it has been the last record played at every night of MoveOnUp. There’s not a single person who doesn’t know the words to the chorus by the time it ends. If nothing else I’d like to be remembered for this record drawing a close on many sweaty nights of soulful euphoria.

Fairground Attraction – First Of A Million Kisses

My earliest memory of being completely obsessed with music was this LP. Playing it over and over on a tape aged 9, its beauty entranced me. Eddie Reader’s voice still sounds as tender and powerful as it was those years ago. The arrangements are sublime. The eerie production of the title track is genius. Probably the best British Folk-Jazz album ever made. I have 3 copies of this and treasure every single one.

Jackie Wilson – Because Of You

It would be remiss of me to not include something from my favourite artist’s back catalogue. This LP is the best of an illustrious career. Because Of You is the standout track, but the rest of the album just oozes emotion. I could definitely listen to this on repeat as the sun endlessly rose and fell.

Pulp – Babies

This record has been inextricably prevalent in various points throughout my life. Discovering it as a teenager was a defining point of my youth. Years later it would be the song during which I met my wife and subsequently the first dance at or wedding. Witty, unabashedly Northern, singalong genius.