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Platinum Soul Sound System: A Legacy in Sound

Platinum Soul Sound System burst onto the London music scene in 1982, hosting its first party as Platinum Soul Sound on Goldhawk Road in Shepherds Bush, W12 — the very same street where the original Record and Tape Exchange was located.

Specializing in Soul and Lovers Rock, the sound system became a staple of London’s party and blues dance scene throughout the 1980s, performing across the city until the early 1990s. It was then that the crew disbanded, with its members moving on to even bigger roles within the music industry.

The group was led by DJ O’Bryan, who later gained widespread acclaim as Darkman, first as part of the PowerCut crew, and then as a solo artist. Over the years, Darkman signed with several major labels — including EMI Music and Universal Music as a songwriter, and MCA, MasterCuts Records, and Polydor Records (under the Wildcard label) as a recording artist.

Other members of Platinum Soul Sound System also carved out successful careers, becoming respected radio presenters, event promoters, and artist managers.

Platinum Soul Sound System made its Notting Hill Carnival debut in 1986, providing sound hire across the road from Honest Jon’s Record Shop at the newly opened Duffers of St George’s store. There, they delivered a funky soundtrack for some of the most fashionable and trendsetting ravers in London.

Though they stepped back from Carnival for a few years, Darkman kept the flame alive by DJing at the legendary Ion Bar beneath the flyover in Ladbroke Grove. In the early 2000s, Ion Bar became the go-to Carnival venue — thanks to Darkman’s magnetic presence and ability to transform the space into one of London’s most talked-about hotspots.

In 2001, Platinum Soul Sound System joined the waiting list for the British Association of Sound Systems (B.A.S.S). After serving as an official cover sound — including a successful appearance in 2022 filling in for Love TKO — the group was finally allocated its own static sound site at Notting Hill Carnival in 2023.

You can now find Platinum Soul Sound System at Notting Hill Carnival on Talbot Road at the junction of Sutherland Place.

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