Early Prince recording featured on new Minneapolis funk compilation by Numero Group

Before the Purple Rain came Purple Snow.

Arch-diggers Numero Group will celebrate their 50th release by focussing on excavating the lost funk sound of late 70’s/early 80’s Minneapolis. Described as “coating futuristic funk with the glamorous sheen of guitar rock”, the Twin City scene featured the likes of Alexander O’Neal (reissued by Tabu earlier this year), Purple Haze and Pepé Willie’s 94 East project, whose opener “If You See Me” was recorded with Prince, but never released at the time.

Laying the foundations for Prince’s Purple Rain and continuing the meteorological theme Purple Snow: Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound will be presented as a 32-track suite alongside what are, even by Numero Group’s loquacious standards, extensively researched liner-notes within a hardbound booklet. Spread liberally across 4LPs, Purple Snow will be released on 12th November. [Via Exclaim]

Watch the trailer below, featuring the Stylle Band’s fantastic “If You Love Me”: