The story behind
When one dives into *Love Ghetto*, they encounter a groundbreaking sonic proposal, a bold fusion that blends hip hop with new jack swing and R&B. The artist, Neneh Cherry, weaves her lyrics with personal experiences, addressing themes like motherhood and her upbringing, all enveloped in rich and varied instrumentation. Listening to it, one notices the presence of pianos, synthesizers, wind instruments, guitars, and percussions that create a distinctive sonic tapestry. The recording of this work, which includes *Love Ghetto*, spanned between September 1988 and January 1989, and took place in various studios in London such as Abbey Road and Battery, as well as Slam City in New York City.
The genesis of this particular sound dates back to a previous version of *Buffalo Stance*, which appeared in 1986 as the B-side of a Morgan-McVey single. Although that first foray was not successful, the idea was revisited. Reworked with the collaboration of Tim Simenon from Bomb the Bass, the song became a global hit. This debut album, released on June 5, 1989, also gave us other tracks that resonated on the charts, such as *Kisses on the Wind* and *Manchild*. Behind the production, we find names like Jonny Dollar and Cameron McVey, who also co-wrote most of the songs with Neneh Cherry. The visual aspect of the album also did not go unnoticed, with the cover and interior photographs handled by the renowned fashion photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino.