# Flakes – Sugar Frosted Lover
Flakes emerged during a particularly fertile period for funk and soul music, arriving in 1980 with their single "Sugar Frosted Lover" on the prestigious Calibre label. While detailed documentation of the group's formation and early history remains sparse in collector circles, their arrival coincided with a pivotal moment when the boundaries between disco, funk, and soul were becoming increasingly fluid. The release itself represents a snapshot of this transitional era, capturing the sound of artists navigating the shifting tastes of early-eighties dancefloors.
Released as a 12-inch single on Calibre, "Sugar Frosted Lover" was designed primarily for the club circuit, a common strategy for soul and funk artists of the period. The format itself speaks volumes about the record's intended purpose and audience. Calibre's reputation for sophisticated soul and funk releases made it an ideal home for this track, and the label's commitment to quality production ensured that Flakes' work received proper attention from both DJs and collectors.
The single's most distinctive feature is its three-version approach, each offering a different perspective on the central composition. The A-side presents a remixed version clocking in at 5:48, while the B-side offers both an original mix and an instrumental rendition, both nearly identical in length at approximately six minutes. This multi-format approach was standard practice for 12-inch releases aimed at club play, allowing DJs flexibility in their selections while giving collectors maximum value.
Musically, "Sugar Frosted Lover" fuses the era's dominant influences into a cohesive whole. The funk and soul elements combine with disco's infectious energy, creating something that would have worked equally well in both club environments and on radio. The instrumental version deserves particular attention from serious collectors and musicians, as it reveals the track's underlying groove and arrangement without vocal distraction, showcasing the instrumental prowess that distinguishes quality soul-funk from its more disposable contemporaries.
Today, this Calibre release remains an interesting artifact for those tracking the late-disco and post-disco landscape. The "Sugar Frosted Lover" single demonstrates how serious producers and labels approached the format during this pivotal moment in dance music history, making it a worthwhile addition to any collection focused on eighties soul, funk, or the broader disco-adjacent movements of the period.
