Soda – Britpop Band Collectible Master & Backing Cassette Set – Very Good w/ Studio Mix Variants

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. This matched set of two studio cassettes from Westside Recording Studios is in very good condition, with intact reels and handwritten labels. The tapes are housed in a shared plastic case and dated across sessions from 1993 to the Mercury era. They have been professionally stored and remain playable for archival or reference use.

What's Included: This listing includes two Original Studio Cassettes with handwritten track notes:

• Cassette 1 – Master Mixes & Variants (29/1/93):

  1. One Track Mind

  2. Sun Come Around

  3. One Track Mind (2 Tone Row)

  4. One Track Mind (2 Tone Row) – No Vocals These mixes likely represent early master takes and experimental arrangements from Soda’s pre-label sessions.

• Cassette 2 – Backing & Instrumental Mixes (44.1kHz):

  1. Inside

  2. One Sweet Lie

  3. One Track Mind This tape appears to contain rehearsal stems or instrumental mixes used for overdubs or live prep during the Mercury era.

Together, these cassettes offer a rare glimpse into Soda’s evolving studio process, from early demos to label-era production prep.

About the Item: Soda were a Britpop band from Hull, England, formed in 1994. They emerged during the height of the mid-1990s Britpop boom, blending melodic guitar pop with touches of punk and new wave. The group consisted of Ocean Reid (vocals), Liam Maloy (bass/vocals), Mike Milner (guitar), Chris Charlton (guitar), and Carl Lonsdale (drums).

Signed to Mercury/Fontana Records between 1995 and 1997, Soda released a few singles including The Young Own The Town (1995) and Inside (1996). Their debut album, Artificial Flavour, was recorded during this period but was shelved by their label and only officially released twenty years later in 2016.

Their music captured the bright, energetic sound of the Britpop era, with catchy choruses and jangly guitars comparable to acts like Ash, Sleeper, and Echobelly. Critics have described their songs as “a perfect time capsule of mid-90s guitar pop.” Despite strong material, Soda’s career was cut short by label setbacks and bad timing.

Today, the band enjoys cult status among Britpop enthusiasts, with their rediscovered debut gaining positive retrospective attention. Artificial Flavour stands as a snapshot of a band that could have been much bigger had things gone differently.