Which Dutch group sampled Ray Barretto's 'A Deeper Shade of Soul' for a 1991 hit?

Urban Dance Squad sampled Ray Barretto’s “A Deeper Shade of Soul” for its 1991 hit “Deeper Shade of Soul.”

Urban Dance Squad was a Dutch crossover group formed in Utrecht, blending hip-hop, rock, funk and reggae. “Deeper Shade of Soul” appeared on the band’s debut album, Mental Floss for the Globe, and used Barretto’s 1968 recording as a central sample.

The single was originally released in 1990, but became a U.S. chart hit in 1991, reaching No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. That timing explains why references often describe it as a 1991 hit rather than a 1990 release.

A common mix-up is confusing the two similarly titled songs. Barretto recorded “A Deeper Shade of Soul”; Urban Dance Squad’s track is “Deeper Shade of Soul.” The other choices are Dutch or internationally known pop acts, but none recorded this sample-based hit.