Soda

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. This AMPEX 467 R-64 Certified Mastering Audio Cassette is in excellent condition, with intact reels and a matching labeled box. Dated 22nd March 1996, it is marked “Backing Tracks 3” and includes a red “Original Master” label, indicating its use in studio prep, rehearsal, or overdub sessions. The tape has been professionally stored and remains fully playable for archival or reference use.

What's Included: This listing includes the Original DAT Cassette and its labeled box. The handwritten notes confirm this as the third in a series of backing track compilations prepared for Soda’s Mercury-era sessions. While the exact tracklist is not visible, the labeling suggests instrumental stems or rehearsal mixes, likely used for live prep or internal review during the final stages of production.

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.