indexStreetsounds was part of the UK Streetwave stable of labels created by Morgan Khan. A Hong Kong-born Indian who grew up in London, Khan had worked in the UK record industry since the mid 1970's, working for such names as PRT Distribution (a division of Pye Records) and R&B Records, for whom at the time Imagination were the up and coming stars of the day.
Khan founded the independent Streetwave record label during 1981 to specialise in releasing Electro and Hi-NRG releases. Within a year of creation, Streetwave began the Streetsounds series of albums; compilations created from some of the hottest 12" imports of the day. These releases made available a selection of the most contemporary dance floor hits within the financial reach of those wanting to hear the freshest sounds. In the early 80's a 12" single was priced around £2 and you would pay over £4 for an import 12". The Streetsounds series offered usually 8 to 12 full-length 12" mixes for under a fiver. Understandably, the Streetsounds series was met with considerable enthusiasm and, some might say, mighty relief.
This series would run for over 6 years and contain over 50 albums. By far the most coveted of the Streetsounds releases were the Electro series. These albums introduced the UK to the developing hip-hop scene from America - a stroke of genius that brought electro and early hip hop from the underground to the UK high street and, one could argue, helped in the creation of the UK's hip hop scene.
The Electro series ran for a total of 27 albums (and one box set) from 1982 to 1988. The albums were initially labeled"Streetsounds Electro" with the title morphing into "Streetsounds Hip Hop" after release 12 in 1986.
All of the albums were competently mixed by a series of the best remixers of the day - predominately from the UK. A large proportion of the mixes on the early releases were completed by Mastermind, a London-based hip-hop sound system from the early 80s. Headed by "Herbie The Mastermind" (aka Herbie Laidley) the team also featured Kiss FM radio DJ's Dave VJ and Max LX who were also members of UK electro outfit Hard Rock Soul Movement, responsible for the massive "Double Def Fresh" release.
Listed below are all of the Streetsounds Electro series of albums.
Electro 1 (ELCST 01, 1983)
Side A
Packman - I'm The Packman (Eat Everything I Can)
Newcleus - Jam On Revenge
West Street Mob - Break Dancin', Electric Boogie
C-Bank - Get Wet
Side B
K-9 Corp - Dog Talk
G Force - Feel The Force
Project Future - Ray-Gun-O-Mics
Captain Rock - Return Of Captain Rock
Electro 2 (ELCST 02, 1983)
Side A
The B-Boys - Two, Three, Break
The B-Boys - uttin' Herbie
Xena - On The Upside
Hashim - Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)
Side B
Rammellzee Vs K-Rob - Beat Bop
Two Sisters - B-Boys Beware (Club Mix)
Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel - White Lines
Electro 3 (ELCST 03, 1984)
Side A
Divine Sounds - Dollar Bill
Imperial Brothers - We Come To Rock
Newcleus - Jam On It
Side B
Boogie Boys - Zodiac
Pumpkin - King Of The Beat
Davy DMX - One For The Treble (Fresh)
Fresh 3 MC's - Fresh
Electro 4 (ELCST 04, 1984)
Side A
Steps Ahead - Radio Active
Pumpkin - Here Comes That Beat
Herbie Hancock - Megamix
Side B
Run DMC - Sucker M.C.'s
Key-Matic - Breakin' In Space
VHB - Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
Cybotron Techno City
Electro 5 (ELCST 05, 1984)
Side A
Great Peso & Mr. Nasty - It's Time To Rock
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - Fast Life
Knights Of The Turntables - Techno Scratch
Egyptian Lover - Egypt Egypt
Arthur Baker - Breakers Revenge
Side B
Captain Rock - Capt. Rock To The Future Shock
Aleem - Release Yourself
Fantasy Three - The Buck Stops Here
High Fidelity Three - B Boys Breakdance
UK Electro (ELCST 1984, 1984)
Side A
A1 Zer-O - Real Time (Retrospective dub)
Syncbeat - Music
Broken Glass - Style Of The Street
Forevereaction - U People
Side B
Zer-O - Real Time
Rapologists - Hip Hop Beat (Street Mix)
Forevereaction - B.E.D. '84
Crucial Electro (ELCST 999, 1984)
Side A
Tyrone Brunson - The Smurf
Warp 9 - Light Years Away
Warp 9 - Nunk (New Wave Funk)
Man Parrish - Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop)
Herbie Hancock - Rockit
Side B
Twilight 22 - Electric Kingdom
Cybotron - Clear
Hashim - Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)
Captain Rock - Return Of Captain Rock
Time Zone - Wild Style
Crucial Electro 2 (ELCST 1000, 1984)
Side A
B-Boys - Two Three Break
Russell Brothers - The Party Scene
Davy DMX - One For The Treble (Fresh)
Packman - I'm A Pac Man
Side B
Shannon - Let The Music Play (Dub)
Xena - On The Upside
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock
Jonzun Crew - Pac Jam
Electro 6 (ELCST 06, 1985)
Side A
UTFO - Roxanne, Roxanne
Real Roxanne With UTFO - The Real Roxanne
Captain Rock - Cosmic Blast
Roxanne Shante - Roxanne's Revenge
Whodini - Freaks Come Out At Night
Side B
Egyptian Lover - My House (On The Nile)
Bobby Broom - Beat Freak
Doug E. Fresh - Just Having Fun
Doug E. Fresh - The Original Human Beat Box
Electro 7 (ELCST 07, 1985)
Side A
Egyptian Lover - Girls (Remix)
Unknown DJ - 808 Beats
Knights Of The Turntables - Fresh Mess
Side B
Roxanne Shante - Queen Of Rox
Fearless Four - Dedication
Chris "The Glove" Taylor - Itchiban Scratch
B-Boys - Stick Up Kid
Electro 8 (ELCST 08, 1985)
Side A
Sparky D vs. Playgirls - The Battle
Davy DMX - The Dmx Will Rock
Aleem - Confusion
D.E.F. feat. DJ Three D - D.E.F. Momentum
Side B
Marley Marl - Marley Marl Scratch
B-Boys - Girls
Papa Austin - Wrong Girls To Play With
N.Y.C. Cutter - D.J. Cuttin
Electro 9 (ELCST 09, 1985)
Side A
Doug E. Fresh - The Show
Bad Boys - Bad Boys
DST - The Home Of Hip Hop
Kid Frost - Terminator
Side B
World Class Wreckin' Cru - World Class
Mantronix - Needle To The Groove
Fat Boys - The Fat Boys Are Back
Rock Master Scott - The Roof Is On Fire
Electro 10 (ELCST 10, 1985)
Side A
Tricky Tee - Johnny The Fox
Roxanne Shante - Bite This
Dynamic Duo - Knights Of The Turntables
19th Fleet - Star Raid
Side B
Run DMC - Together Forever
MC Craig G - Transformer
DJ Born Supreme Allah - Two, Three, Break
Freestyle - Don't Stop The Rock
New York vs L.A. Beats (ELCST 1001, 1985)
Side A
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock
Hashim - Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)
Captain Rock - The Return of Captain Rock
Aleem - Release Yourself
Man Parrish - Hip Hop Be Bop (Don't Stop)
Pumpkin - King of the Beat
B-Boys - Two, Three Break
Russell Brothers - The Party Scene
Fresh 3 MC's - Fresh
Whodini - Freaks Come Out At Night
UTFO - Roxanne, Roxanne
Side B
L.A. Dream Team - Rockberry Jam
Unknown DJ - 808 Beats
D.E.F. feat. DJ Three D - D.E.F. Momentum
World Class Wreckin' Crew - Surgery
Egyptian Lover - Egypt, Egypt
World Class Wreckin' Crew - Juice
Unknown DJ - Let's Jam
Egyptian Lover - Girls
Uncle Jamm's Army - Naughty Boy
Knights Of The Turntables - Techno Scratch
Knights Of The Turntables - We Are The Knights
Chris "The Glove" Taylor - Itchiban Scratch
Electro 11 (ELCST 11, 1986)
Side A
Roxanne Shante - Def Fresh Crew
Awesome Foursome - Monster Beat
Captain Rock - You Stink
Disco Four - Get Busy
12:41 - Success Is The Word
Side B
B-Boys - Girls (Part 2)
Stetsasonic - Just Say Stet
2 Live Crew - What I Like
Hashim - Primrose Path
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - Butt Naked
Hip Hop Electro 12 (ELCST 12, 1986)
Side A
Grandmaster Flash - Fastest Man Alive
Fat Boys - Beat Box Is Rocking
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Square Dance Rap
Ghetto Style With 2 Live Crew - Ghetto Bass
Side B
Ultimate III - Ultimate III Live!
MC Chill - MC Story
Celebrity Club - Girls (Rulin' The World)
Whodini - Funky Beat
Hip Hop 13 (ELCST 13, 1986)
Side A
Grandmaster Flash - Style
Afrika Bambaataa - Bambaataa's Theme
Hashim - UK Fresh '86 (The Anthem)
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde - Fast Life
Aleem - Get Loose
Masquerade - (Solution To) The Problem
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Square Dance Rap
Captain Rock - Return Of Captain Rock
Information Society - Running
World Class Wreckin' Crew - Mission Possible
Side B
Lovebug Starski - Amityville
Joeski Love - Pee-Wee's Dance
Just-Ice - Latoya
MC Chill - The Prophecy
Eric B. & Rakim - Eric B. Is President
MC Boob - Bring The Beat Back (Vocal)
Real Roxanne - (Bang Zoom) Let's Go Go
Roxanne Shanté - Queen Of Rox
Easy Mike - The State We're In
Mantronix - Ladies
Family Quest - Sleepwalking
Hip Hop 14 (ELCST 14, 1986)
Side A
Awesome Foursome - Monster Beat
Tricky Tee - Leave It To The Drums
T La Rock - Breaking Bells
Mixmaster Gee - The Manipulator
Side B
Divine Sounds - Me And My Posse
Fresh Force - She's A Skeezer
MC Chill - Downbeats
Skinny Boys - Rip The Cut
Hip Hop 15 (ELCST 15, 1986)
Side A
Duke Bootee - Broadway
Skinny Boys - Awesome
Kurtis Blow - The Bronx
Boogie Down Productions - South Bronx
Side B
Just-Ice - Cold Gettin' Dumb
Faze One - Layin' Down A Beat
Move - Greedy Girls
Captain Rock - Bongo Beat
Hip Hop 16 (ELCST 16, 1987)
Side A
World Class Wreckin' Crew - Cabbage Patch
Classical Two - New Generation
King Tee With Keith Cooley - Payback's A Mutha
Just-Ice - Cold Gettin' Dumb
Side B
Ultramagnetic MC's - Travelling At The Speed Of Thought
MC Shy D - Rap Will Never Die
2 Live Crew - 2 Live Is What We Are
Marley Marl - He Cuts So Fresh
Faze One - Pleasure Seekers
Hip Hop 17 (ELCST 17, 1987)
Side A
Kid 'N' Play - Last Night
MC Chill - Nightmare On Chill Street
Rooftop - Caught Out There
Masters Of Ceremony - Cracked Out
Newcleus - Huxtable House Party
Tray-Bag M.C. - At A Jam
2 Live Crew - What I Like
Side B
MC Mitchski & M.B. - Brooklyn Blow Up The Bridge
7A3 - 7A3 Will Rock You
King Tee & Mixmaster Spade - Ya Better Bring A Gun
C.I.A. - My Posse
Spoonie Gee - The Godfather
Doc Ti - Block Party
B.O.S.E. - Bass Overdrive
Hip Hop 18 (ELCST 18, 1987)
Side A
Renard With No Regard - We'll Make Your Body Move
Devastator - Devastator
Jazzy Keith - Force Desire
Seville - Take A Walk
Frick 'N' Frack - Go Southside
Side B
Frick 'N' Frack - Who's On Mine
Kings Of Pressure - You Know How To Reach Us
Kay Gee Featuring DJ Drew - She's A Dog
The Jury - The Cotton Club
Royal Ron - Opsta Now
Almighty El-Cee - We Have Risen
Hip Hop 19 (ELCST 19, 1987)
Side A
Boogie Down Productions - Poetry
Majestic Productions - This Is The Jam
Casanova Fly - Casanova's Rap
Traedonya - The Boogaloo
Just-Ice - Going Way Back
Side B
Ultramagnetic MC's - Funky
Robbie B - Jazzy J On The Scratch
Faze One - Shango Tac
A.T.C. - This Beat Is Def
Maggotron - Welcome To The Bass Planet
Crucial Hip Hop 3 (ELCST 1003, 1987)
Side A
Full Force - Alice
Original Concept - Can You Feel It
Whistle - (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin'
Mantronix - Bassline
Roxanne Shante - Bite This
DST - Megamix II
Chris "The Glove" Taylor - Itchiban Scratch
Newcleus - Jam on Revenge
Information Society - Running
Unknown DJ - 808 Beats
Side B
Duke Bootee - Broadway
Beastie Boys - Hold It, Now Hit It
Boogie Down Productions - South Bronx
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble
Whodini - Friends
Heavy D. & The Boyz - Mr. Big Stuff
LL Cool J - Rock the Bells
Mixmaster Gee - The Manipulator
UTFO - Roxanne, Roxanne
Doug E. Fresh - The Show
Hip Hop 20 (ELCST 20, 1988)
Side A
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
JVC Force - Strong Island
Levi 167 - Something Fresh To Swing To
Ultimate III - I Want You Back
Side B
Overlord X - 14 Days In May
Rough 'N' Smooth - Funky Muzak
Faze One - Get Buzy
Switzch Rap Crew - The Don
MC IB & Beat Creator - Bass
Hip Hop 21 (ELCST 21, 1988)
Side A
Cold Crush Brothers - Feel The Horns
Raw Dope Posse - Listen To My Turbo
Spicey Ham - You Never Heard Of Me & I Never Heard of You
Jungle Brothers - Because I Like It Like That
Side B
Sir Fresh & DJ Critical - Sir-Vere
King Tre - Damn I'm Good
5 Star Moet - Let Me Love You
MC Rajah - Funky Bass
Hip Hop 22 (ELCST 22, 1988)
Side A
Just-Ice - Freedom of Speech '88
JVC Force - Doin' Damage
Diaz Brothers - Here We Go Again
Kool Rock Brothers - See More
Side B
EPMD - Strictly Business
Cold Crush Brothers - Cold Crush
Raw Corp. - Troopers on the Mike
Various - Megamix