Ski Oakenfull - Ain't Gonna Justify (2025 Reissue) (1994) [Hi-Res]

Released on October 4th, 1994, ‘Ain't Gonna Justify’ was my first solo single, marking a major turning point in my journey as an artist. My previous band, The K-Creative, signed to Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud records, had split up a couple of years before, and my manager at the time was encouraging me to start writing and producing my own music. Heavily influenced by artists like Larry Heard, The Police, and Grace Jones, this was one of the first songs I wrote, demoed at home on my Fostex 4-track, using an Atari ST, Roland S760 sampler, and Korg 01/WFD synthesizer. I originally sang on the early version, so I was blown away when US soulful vocalist Chezeré came over to my house and sang the song back to me. It was a surreal experience, my first realisation that I could be a songwriter, and it gave me the confidence to push forward as a solo artist.
I ended up having the opportunity to record the track at Ernie McKone’s legendary Boogie Back studios in Muswell Hill, bringing together some amazing musicians, including my ex-K-Creative bandmate Jim Carmichael on drums, John Fortis on bass, and Tony Coleman on guitar. John later went on to work with Ellie Goulding, while Tony founded the iconic drum & bass label Hospital Records. With Ernie engineering, I was able to use some of his keyboards alongside my own setup. I was especially proud of my Roland SH-101 solo, which I recorded alone in the studio while Ernie left to pick up his kids from school! The track was later mixed by Ron Aslan, one half of Raw Stylus, another band I played with around that time.
I was delighted that the track found a home on Dr. Bob Jones' Black On Black label, and I owe a lot to Bob, as well as Ashley Beedle, who created the brilliant ‘A Short Trip To Space’ remix—later featured on the ‘Black Milk’ compilation. Now, with Acid Jazz reissuing the track, it truly feels like a full-circle moment. I’m thrilled that it’s getting a new lease of life and reaching fresh ears.