sub club and nautilus rising present our fifth release, courtesy of love over entropy. four tracks tried and tested on our dance floor at 22 jamaica street by our beloved saturday night residents. influenced by train journeys, passing landscapes, hiking and over 20 years experience in the studio.

the music contained in this album invokes the vibes and spirit that were so crucial to much of the music recorded during the 1960s & 70s in jamaica. if you talk to the musicians and singers of this era, they will tell you that the driving force behind the songs they created was the sheer love of music. this is one of the reasons these recordings are so powerful and move listeners to this day. music like this can only be made by those who were schooled in the studios and yards around kingston and is not something that can be easily reproduced outside jamaica. the kingston all stars represent some of the most legendary musicians to ever grace the little island & it is thanks to their passion and dedication that we have a lifetime of music to enjoy.

the music contained in this album invokes the vibes and spirit that were so crucial to much of the music recorded during the 1960s & 70s in jamaica. if you talk to the musicians and singers of this era, they will tell you that the driving force behind the songs they created was the sheer love of music. this is one of the reasons these recordings are so powerful and move listeners to this day. music like this can only be made by those who were schooled in the studios and yards around kingston and is not something that can be easily reproduced outside jamaica. the kingston all stars represent some of the most legendary musicians to ever grace the little island & it is thanks to their passion and dedication that we have a lifetime of music to enjoy

back to the roots: the critically acclaimed and reggae/dub-affined white-label ‘war’ series returns. founded in 2007, the imprint has procured sought-after outings by artists such as j:kenzo, matty g, noah d and roommate among others. breaking eight years of radio silence, the legendary imprint is at it again - 2018 marking the year of the imprint’s fulminant return. in the sonic spotlight: the vital aspects of jamaica’s reggae characteristics coupled with its contemporary dubstep counterpart. exclusive business, as each release is being kept strictly vinyl as well as limited to a single-time pressing of 500 copies. for sound system heads & vinyl collectors alike - be sure to mark the 24th august in your calendar, ’war020’ is about to detonate.

steppas records presents ‘osaka steppas’ vol. 3, the third in a series of releases showcasing the japanese underground dub movement. this edition features osaka producers hiroshi and roots masashi in collaboration with spanish producer ojah and well-respected uk singer rudey lee. the osaka steppas’ raw and unrelenting sound developed in the subterranean clubs of osaka, a port city famous for its counterculture night life. inspired not only by the sounds of jamaica, but also drawing inspiration from uk and european soundsystem culture with enough bassweight to test even the toughest of soundsystems. presented in a beautifully designed full colour sleeve inspired by the works of the legendary ukiyo-e woodblock artist, hokusai. this release is not to be missed. side a features an earth rocker riddim from ojah & hiroshi, with conscious lyrics sung by the legendary rudey lee. side b features a much sought after dubplate from osaka producer roots masashi, a deep, dark & mystical steppa.

a matter of time is the follow-up to protoje’s critically acclaimed 2015 full-length, ancient future, which featured the hit single “who knows” ft chronixx, which has garnered over 69 million views on youtube & 5.9 million soundcloud streams. a matter of time features chronixx and mortimer, and contains the smash hit singles ‘blood money’, ‘truth & rights’, ‘bout noon’ and ‘no guarantees’. ‘a matter of time’ was produced by winta james (damian marley, anthony b, the mighty diamonds) and recorded in jamaica.

“we are doing this on our own, with not much help from government. i am proud that we are building a movement. it’s like a child that you can see growing and evolving. it’s growing exponentially, but that was the plan… we are standing on the shoulders of giants. i grew up respecting the craft. there was that golden era of reggae music when everyone looked to jamaica. i know the history, i know the impact reggae music can have, and i want to be part of an era that brings it back to that stature” - protoje

veryone loves -why can t we live together- by timmy thomas: how could one resist such a strong music vibe coming with a message more relevant today than ever! it has been covered by the most creative artists more than a few times… recorded in paris and kingston, the soul sugar crew & leonardo carmichael make it their own with a sultry reggae groove. jahno on drums and syndrums, thomas naim on guitar, and guillaume -gee- metenier on keyboards and production duties, are delivering the classic hit in all its majesty, in the superior categories of both extended discomix, and dub version under the spell of dubmaster extraordinaire dennis bovell! what to say about the breathtaking interpretation of leonardo carmichael? growing up in jamaica, leonardo learnt many a song from his father glendon joseph mcfarlane, who would sing to his mother geraldine, who sang in a choir. leonardo grew up as a drummer and a singer in churches. through a mutual friend, he met nastassja hammond, daughter of beres hammond, with whom he started writing and releasing music for various artists including courtney john and kreesha turner. leonardo has a wide appreciation for diverse genres but keep an international reggae and dancehall feel at the core of his music. it can be said leonardo has faith & soul to the bone

strut presents the definitive reissues of two all-time classic caribbean soul and funk albums, the beginning of the ends funky nassau (1971) and beginning of the end (1976).

7 inch single such as the record itself (alcazar), the second single chaos takes its influence from the golden age boom-bap era of hip-hop, that is smooth as velvet and helps transmit its message of social critique, love and hope. woxows message has been perfectly delivered by 2 great rappers, akil the mc from jurassic 5 (who doesnt need introduction) and blurum13 (well known for his works with dj vadim), while on the other side the chorus sang by the legendary ken boothe from jamaica it sounds like the icing on the cake, topping the tune with his soulful voice and a work songs feeling.

wieder lieferbar! “mister yellowman” aus dem jahre 1982 hat den superb zeitlosen sound, den die wahren klassiker ausmachen. mit den musikern der hi-times band und den roots radics im channel one studio mit produzent henry junjo lawes aufgenommen, am mischpult saß soldgie hamilton. das album zeigt den superstar des dancehall-reggae der 80er jahre zum höhepunkt seiner karriere! (soundsystem info: benutzte riddims u.a.. vanity, pressure and slide, i can t hide, dirty harry, gunman, bobby babylon aus dem hause studio one und volcano)

tony clarke did his first recording in new york in 1971 at hugh hendricks recording studio called -righteous man- of which he played both bass and lead guitar. tony clarke decided to write the song “going home” to reference the roots of his music. in those days and even now good reggae music that was being recorded in the united states was not receiving the approbation from home because, in jamaica they felt that the best reggae music could only come from and be created in jamaica to substantiate the true feeling of the genre. so he decided to go back to jamaica and record “going home” at harry j studio with sylvan morris as engineer. he also recorded the cover version to “hey little girl” originally done by dee clark. for this 12 vinyl edition, the artwork was done with a vintage photo of tony clarke in front of his house at waterhouse and extended liner notes on the back cover.

a chance encounter in barcelona, spain brought us together to make this record happen. it’s a precious little marvel of love from kou keri kou and electric cowbell. based in barcelona, spain, the group began with the aim of making music to dance to, taking inspiration from all over the world with no fear: the music from cuba, perú, jamaica, congo and nigeria is as important for kou keri kou as the music played in europe or in the united states. los zafiros, gary numan, los destellos, radio futura, sunny ade and kiko veneno share place in their imagination and help them create open-minded pop that always looks to the future. their lyrics are sometimes open, sometimes a bit more cryptic, sometimes political and sometimes biting, but always try to communicate with the listeners while trying to make them dance. they’ve been playing together for two years, creating songs that didn’t exist before, urging the people to dance and singing about their issues, which may also be yours.

following the success of last years kunta kinte 2017 riddim, brooklyn-based label and collective dub-stuy add a new installment to their popular dancehall inspired series with a fresh riddim from in-house producer dj madd, featuring international vocalists from jamaica, spain and bermuda. jitta riddim is a brand new production from dj madd, a sturdy yet spacious riddim carried forward by a lilting melody and guitar stabs that are anchored by slapping snares, dub flourishes and a rolling bassline. this is a weighty but energetic riddim with the dancefloor in mind. bringing the riddim to life are a trio of vocalists representing the roots and global expansion of dancehall and sound system music. spains sr. wilson delivers an anthem in the making with zapatillas, a song dedicated to all the sneaker heads worldwide who like to sport fresh kicks when they hit the dancefloor. singing in his native spanish and english, sr. wilson shares tales of daily shoe addiction around a catchy refrain that name checks the best known brands. his blend of reggaeton-flavoured autotune and kicks geek outs is sure to resound loudly around clubs worldwide. backing him is jamaican veteran deejay cutty ranks, a man whos been lending his distinct flow to productions for over 30 years. on double trouble cutty speaks to the daily realities of life on the streets and the ills keeping people down, warning of the trouble that awaits those in charge. wrapping up the release is bermudas troy berkley who aims his vocal rifle straight to the orange-skinned resident of the white house, spitting rapid fire lyrics about the deteriorating state of things in 2018 america. lace up your sneakers and get ready to move and chant with dub-stuy’s new riddim.

junction - a six track ep produced entirely by samrai & platt - features vocalists from jamaica, ireland & the uk and rounds off an excellent 12 months for the label & crew whove toured across north america, mexico and europe in 2017. the set kicks off with st favourite alexx a-game (originally voiced at his studio in kingston in 2016) urging listeners to free up their mind and souls and let the good times take control. it sets the tone for upcoming jamaican talent blvk h3ro to step up on the soulful party number cant wait (recorded at equiknoxx’s studios in vineyard town in 2016), which has been a staple in swing ting sets over the last 18 months. slowing the pace is addiction, a link up with irish artist and frequent murlo collaborator gemma dunleavy who lays down an impressive vocal over the skittering drums, muted guitar and glistening keys. the listen is interrupted momentarily for an interlude from gavsborg whose moving voicemail is accompanied by a poignant piano line from jp aka without understanding. one for the clubs turn it up features equiknoxxs shanique marie riding a stripped funky-esque riddim with ease. fittingly the set closes with contagious which finds two of manchester’s finest vocalists fox & tyler daley searching for an escape from the reality of our turbulent times over a refined yet sparkling production. the 12inch vinyl will be limited to 200 copies

the magnetic buzz riddim brings us back to the jamaican early dancehall days where heavy rub a dub riddims used to rule the dance. fruits records studio band the 18th parallel travelled to jamaica and teamed up with reggae greatest bass player robbie shakespeare from famous duet sly & robbie to build the explosive and powerful magnetic buzz riddim. sylvan white, famous for hit songs like africans unite or mountain top recorded in the early 80s, comes back in the business after years off the scene with his beautiful song mother nature. then follows an experimental dub mixed by spanish wizard roberto sánchez featuring robbie’s crazy lead bass line. b side shows for the first time on vinyl record young promising artist from rockfort earth warrior followed by the sweet voice of veteran singer delroy melody whos famous for hit songs from 1980 like ease up the pressure and natty dread she want. heavy maxi 12inch record paying tribute to the early 80s jamaican reggae!

the magnetic buzz riddim brings us back to the jamaican early dancehall days where heavy rub a dub riddims used to rule the dance. fruits records studio band the 18th parallel travelled to jamaica and teamed up with reggae greatest bass player robbie shakespeare – from famous duet sly & robbie – to build the explosive and powerful magnetic buzz riddim. sylvan white, famous for hit songs like africans unite or mountain top recorded in the early 80’s, comes back in the business after years off the scene with his beautiful song mother nature. then follows an experimental dub mixed by spanish wizard roberto sánchez featuring robbie’s crazy lead bass line. b side shows for the first time on vinyl record young promising artist from rockfort earth warrior followed by the sweet voice of veteran singer delroy melody whos famous for hit songs from 1980 like ease up the pressure and natty dread she want. heavy maxi 12inch record paying tribute to the early 80’s jamaican reggae!

weekend loving from jennifer lara is a perfect blend of boogie funk, roots reggae and lovers rock. produced by black solidarity records in 1985, this album is a masterpiece from the studio one princess. recorded at tuff gong and music mountain studios in jamaica, the rhythm tracks are played by some of the best musicians from the island in the sun: lincoln style scott (drum), errol flabba holt (bass), robbye lyn (piano & synthetiser), dean frazer & ronald nambo robinson (horns). this reissue was carefully remastered from black solidarity master tape, now presented as a double lp 45 rpm dj friendly edition. the original limonious artwork was reloaded and a bonus track was added to complete the set: ’in my time’, an obscure slow synth groove, full of hope and melancholy. jennifer lara was first taken to studio one in 1969 by keyboardist richard ace, who was a session musician. she never left the studio one family and became resident harmonist. she added backing vocals to the songs of some of the camp’s biggest names, including delroy wilson, freddie mcgregor, dennis brown and sugar minott. in 1974, jennifer lara recorded her debut album with coxsone dodd at studio one in brentford road. the results of the sessions appeared on studio one presents jennifer lara, which was an instant success. jennifer lara was one of clement coxsone dodds protégés. one year after coxsone passed, she died at the kingston public hospital. she is survived by two children, daughter ika and son cheka. jennifer lara was a very likeable person, got on with everyone. she was involved in many benefit concerts to help to poor and the needy in jamaica. may your soul rest in peace, we love you jennifer.

get on down presents an often overlooked crucial reggae release from the 1970s with johnny clarkes rockers time now. the record is a mix of covers and originals, including ethereal versions of the the abyssinians satta massagana and declaration of rights, smash hits on the island just the year before. rockers time now was first issued in 1976, clarke had just been named artist of the year in jamaica for the second year in a row. this is just one of three full lengths he released that year as this was a very prolific period for clarke, in particular from 1974 onward when his output was directed by legendary producer bunny lee. the pairing resulted in a creative energy that resonates to this day. the release was recorded at channel 1 with bunny lee producing, which of course means the band backing the popular jamaican vocalist was the aggrovators, which at the time included robbie shakespeare, earl -chinna- smith, augustus pablo, and aston family man barrett. the release was mixed at king tubbys by osbourne ruddock…aka king tubby. crucial all the way around. now is the time to rediscover a classic of the genre, rockers time now.

recorded while gerald was in jamaica working on a project with lee perry in 1980. the master tapes of the four tracks that were recorded at the harry j sessions were only recently discovered. utopia was the only track that had been given a final mix back in the day. it was released on 7- on the black star liner later in the year and then reissued on partial records in 2014. the other tracks were never mixed until early 2017 when this task was undertaken by dougie wardrop. as well as mixing jerusalem (gerald did a later version of this tune for rej forte s jah works label in the early 1990s), working for the dollar and constant spring , it was decided that utopia should also enjoy a fresh mix.

the studio and label digital b of producer bobby digital dixon became the ruling production house in the musical revolution that swept through jamaica from the mid-80s onwards with a lethal selection of dancehall weapons and chartbusting reggae hits. x-tra wicked gathers many of his bestever productions from those heady times when specialist stores were awash with 7-inch singles, freshly arrived from jamaica, and reggae music was once more on the rise. this great double 2lp-set presents 24 selected tracks in a double wide vinyl jacket, with just the top hits from the two bobby digital reggae anthology releases, the 2cd+dvd set x-tra wicked and the 3cd-set of -serious times- and has liner notes written by reggae expert john masouri.

hugh ‘redman’ james is one of the greatest jamaican music producers of the late 1980s. raised in a musical household in the west kingston slum of hannah town, with his mother a sound system selector, redman gained his initial schooling in the music business from none other than king tubby, the legendary sound system owner and dub mixer that was responsible for voicing and mixing some of the greatest reggae of all time. after being immersed in sound system culture during his youth in the 1960s and 70s, redman began sitting in on sessions at king tubby’s studio, but migrated to hartford, connecticut in 1978 in search of steady employment. returning to jamaica a few years later, he established a popular sound system in kingston and began producing music with king tubby’s assistance in 1985, working with the roots radics during a time of great uncertainty in jamaican music, as the new dancehall style came to prominence, early work featured gregory isaacs, sugar minott and frankie paul, as well as rising stars such as little john and horace martin. then, following the computerisation of dancehall, redman began producing some of the most popular music of the day, crafting durable and complex rhythms with a broad team of players that included steely and clevie, augmented by members of the browne bunch and other players. redman helped establish a number of total unknowns in this era, including carl meeks, dave bailey and wayne palmer, and became a serious contender for king jammy’s crown. but the producer was ultimately frustrated by the dramatic changes to sweep jamaican music in the early 1990s, and subsequently retreated from the music industry redman international dancehall 1985-1989 compiles the best work from his glory days, with half of the twelve vocal tracks coming complete with corresponding dub versions.

3 legendary jamaican artists, all born 60 years ago in kingston, jamaica show us that in the 21st century they are all still at the top of their game. michael prophet, earl 16 & rod taylor. uk dub master vibronics brings the heavy riddims and the singing legends bring their vocal prowess. the results, a magical collection of 3 limited edition 7” vinyl singles presented in beautiful colour collector’s sleeves.

3 legendary jamaican artists, all born 60 years ago in kingston, jamaica show us that in the 21st century they are all still at the top of their game. michael prophet, earl 16 & rod taylor. uk dub master vibronics brings the heavy riddims and the singing legends bring their vocal prowess. the results, a magical collection of 3 limited edition 7” vinyl singles presented in beautiful colour collector’s sleeves.

3 legendary jamaican artists, all born 60 years ago in kingston, jamaica show us that in the 21st century they are all still at the top of their game. michael prophet, earl 16 & rod taylor. uk dub master vibronics brings the heavy riddims and the singing legends bring their vocal prowess. the results, a magical collection of 3 limited edition 7” vinyl singles presented in beautiful colour collector’s sleeves.

the penultimate release on optimo trax (at least for now) comes from tel aviv’s mighty kalbata. i was already a big fan and was so delighted when he got in touch to see if i would be interested in releasing something by him. unusually for optimo trax this is one track in 3 versions but each version is so different that often i play them all in one dj set. originally there were two versions but as kalbata is a renowned master of dub (check out the documentary online about him recording in jamaica), i gently persuaded him to do a no-holds-barred dub mix too which appears here as enkuan pt 3. a few words about the record from kalbata – i went to ethiopia in the beginning of 2017 to record musicians. the most memorable one was mulugeta teshome who plays the washint flute on this record. it’s a traditional ethiopian flute made out of wood, and mulugeta came to the studio carrying a whole bag of them, each one in a different key. we chose the scale and started the recording session. i ended up taking the tracks a lot further with the three cuts on the record but really it all started that day, in a small studio shack in addis ababa.

• debut album from hundebiss bossman simone trabucchi aka still on pan
• mastered and cut by rashad becker at d&m
• artwork by bill kouligas
• riyl equiknoxx, the bug, wasteland
hundebiss bossman simone trabucchi - a pivotal figure of the italian scene - debuts his still alias on pan with a batch of banging, multi-layered dancehall tracks inspired by the complex historical links between his hometown, vernasca, with jamaica, and italy’s colonial past in ethiopia. part of a wider visual arts project, invernomuto, helmed alongside simone bertuzzi, and comprising a series of sculptures, installations, a book, and a long-feature experimental documentary under the title ‘negus’‘, simone takes cues from a “cleansing counter-ritual performed by lee ‘scratch’ perry in the vernasca square where 80 years earlier, an effigy of haile selassie i was burned” to cook up a madd set of dancehall tracks voiced by six milan-based, african-italian vocalists and singers...

nice price deal !!! the ever-prolific curtis lynch strikes again with this new reggae roots dub series, access denied. trinidad & tobago born franz job lends his vocals to the n side of this sound system killer with a tune called >i used to<. franz describes how he used to be afraid to speak his mind but now he is a rebel for the cause. the second track on this side is from curtis lynch who plays steel pans across the rip roaring dub.
the m side features another rising reggae star, massicker, originally from jamaica and currently residing in boston. massicker is a superb writer and this tune is his calling card as he explains the decline of personal interaction due to the rise of social network sites and mobile phones. the second track on this side is the customary heavy grynch dub, with plenty of echo, reverb, drum and, of course, a devastating bassline. sure to please all lovers of roots music as well as flavours to spice the jungle and dubstep crews.

the ken boothe masterpiece from 1978 gets the long overdue remastered re-issue. -got to get away- was produced by phil pratt, features additional deejay vocals by jah walton (aka joseph cotton) and has extensive sleeve notes. packaged in the original sleeve design by anthony nero it is now available for the first time on cd and the high collectable lp-vinyl is here in a great 180 gram edition with leaflet including credits and linernotes.

turn on the music again is soweto’s third full-length album, a record composed mainly of own compositions, which they recorded just prior to their participation in the one world ska & rocksteady music festival in jamaica. wicked instrumentals and awesome vocal tunes compose the twelve songs of this brand new album.
the vinyl release includes a cd-copy of the full album.

aketi ray are an all-acoustic dub-jazz group, playing original compositions grounded in the instrumental music of post-independence jamaica -ska, rocksteady, reggae, rockers, dub -but drawing inspiration and influence from ethiopian and us jazz, west african percussion traditions, all with the mind set of uk steppas. an outernational sound: kingston to chicago to addis ababa to dakar to london.
the sound of -from ever since- draws on the vibes and heritage of pre-electr(on)ic music, but gives that traditional sound new power through the use of dub techniques of reverb, delay and eq manipulation.

this is soul jazz records’ latest new collection of classic and rare studio one recordings and is released on triple lp plus download code.
by the 1970s studio one and clement ‘sir coxsone’ dodd had already proved himself to be the defining force in reggae for almost two decades. from running the downbeat sound system on the lawns and yards of kingston in the late 1950s to opening studio one at 13 brentford road at the start of the 1960s, ushering in ska and rocksteady and establishing the careers of most of jamaica’s artists – everyone from bob marley and the wailers, ken boothe, toots and the maytals, the skatalites, jackie mittoo and more – clement dodd had until this point dominated the jamaican musical world.

music with soul is back with another boundary-pushing smasher. the unexpected debut from eládio & robinho, a mysterious afro-fuzzed-hair duo from the fourth world that has emerged to explore and expand the inexplicably hesitant relation between the classic rhythms of jamaica and the southern hemisphere of the american continent. “queimando quente” showcases a swinging brazilian-infused heavy-hitting reggae, masterfully painted by the hypnotic sound of a tenor-sax melody and a laid-back cuíca, all recorded in our very own barracao sound studio, under the baton of the unmistakable alex figueira of fumaça preta and conjunto papa upa.

if psychic health s self-titled debut album took the lessons the la duo learned in the teeming clubs of berlin and melbourne, their latest lp, exclusion, look inward, a document of the duo tunneling down the studio wormhole. as such, exclusion is a remarkably dynamic effort, adeptly jumping between evocative ambience (-jamaica 88,- -ryso-) and equally expansive dance floor fair. examples of the latter, such as the album s obvious centerpiece and titular track, exclusion, document gabriel mounsey and devon steffens’s harnessing modular beast technology for peak techno utility, finding a clear thoroughfare between the soaring strings of derrick may s classic transmat releases and ostgut ton s current ebm-inflected precision. as you d expect from mounsey s background in film composition, exclusion whirls with imagery. it s a los angeles album, but focuses on raw beauty of the city at night—the lights in the distance, and the desolate downtown streets where kickdrums often waft from disused warehouses. while their debut album opened notable doors for the group, landing distribution from hard wax and featuring in the netflix series sense8, exclusion is an altogether masterful turn for psychic health, their complete studio immersion easing the listener into deeply hypnotic states.

u-roy was a true reggae pioneer, dubbed the originator for good reason. bursting onto the jamaican scene in the early 1970s, he pioneered the vocal approach called “toasting,” which in addition to bringing jamaican music into a new era, was also heavily influential on an american vocal style also in its infancy: rapping. following up the record store day 2017 release of u-roy’s classic dread in a babylon, traffic entertainment group now brings us a very welcome reissue of the vocalist’s 1976 full-length (and fourth) album, natty rebel, which has been out of print for more than 30 years. produced by tony robinson (known for his work with big youth, lloyd parks, the gladiators and many more), the album’s 11 cuts range from bouncier and sometimes even disco-tinged grooves – “have mercy,” “go there natty” and the album lead-off, “babylon burning” – to the classic roots stepping that drew fans to the legendary jamaican vocalist over his long career – including “so jay jah say” and “natty kung fu.” at its core, this is a deep journey into the heart of rasta living, spoken by one of jamaica’s most underrated dub and roots legends, and it’s one of the strongest full-lengths in his expansive catalog. whether you are experiencing u-roy for the first time, or replacing your decades-old original lp, diving into this reissue of natty rebel is one hell of a way to spend an afternoon. or, if you’re not careful, a week or two.

first time reissue of the very first dub lp released in nyc, 1975! part of the genesis of the jah life label! first time reissue of kaya dub from 1975, noted as the first ever proper dub lp pressed and released in new york city. the eponymous lp is among the first set of releases on the kaya label. this imprint was the first to showcase the partnership of percy chin and hyman jah life wright as producers and cornerstones of the burgeoning nyc reggae scene of the day. though these tracks originate from jamaica thru a connection with pat jah lloyd francis and have also been released elsewhere, this is none the less a killer selection of dubs from tubby s and randys. in sound and visuals, kaya dub serves as a fantastic snapshot of the music and vibes of roots reggae in the mid 70s, among the best dub lp s of its time.

the house band of bunny ‘striker’ lee was formed in the mid-1970s by some of jamaica’s most prominent and musically expressive session players. the shifting core line-up spun off from the soul syndicate and thus typically featured earl ‘chinna’ smith and tony chin on guitar and bernard ‘touter’ harvey on organ. carlton ‘santa’ was the main drummer, but carlton barrett of the wailers band and ‘benbow’ creary were sometimes featured. most crucially, on bass, aston ‘family man’ barrett shifted to fully fullwood (and occasionally, earl ‘bagga’ walker), until robbie shakespeare took over, becoming the bandleader. the band was responsible for the popular ‘flying cymbal’ style that took jamaica by storm, and you can hear it in abundance on this killer dub set from 1975, its excellent cuts of cornell campbell and johnnie clarke material mixed at king tubby’s studio - a must for all serious fans of dub.

international reggae star alborosie returns with the dub version of his celebrated “freedom & fyah” album from last year titled “freedom in dub”. the distinctive production of these ten newly recorded dub mixes underscore alborosie’s skill and credibility as a master of dub. all tracks are produced and (mostly) played by alborosie and recorded at his shengen studios in kingston, jamaica.

as is the case with fellow ‘enforcers’-turned-producers, henry ‘junjo’ lawes and philip ‘fatis’ burrell, george phang had been involved in the internecine street battles that had split kingston into rival politically-aligned zones during the 1970s, when the broader effects of cold war politics were played out in jamaica. following some encouragement from sly and robbie, phang changed focus, putting the politics aside to concentrate on music production, becoming one of the most important producers of the early 1980s in the process. phang took over the rhythm twins’ power house label around 1982, and with the duo forming the mainstays of his productions, the result was guaranteed audio dynamite, as this killer devotional track by barrington levy from 1983 so amply suggests—a beautiful extended slice of late roots, heading towards the emerging dancehall style.

drummer and music producer desmond mahoney is another of the unsung heroes of british reggae. born in jamaica, he moved to the uk in 1967 and began his professional career playing drums in a band called young ones from zion. he was a founding member of black slate when the group formed in 1974, played with them through their glory years and after running a sound system in north london for many years, returned to the fold when the group reformed a few years ago. his first foray in music production probably came during a brief period in toronto in 1978, working with a band called the ishan lions, but he was back in the uk in time for black slate’s breakthrough material, which brought them onto ensign in the uk, barclay in france and alligator in the usa. at the same time, he continued to arrange and produce for a number of british reggae artists operating in both the roots and lover’s rock modes, female duo nya & natty’s ‘one love stylee’ seemed to bridge the two styles quite successfully on this greatly sought-after 12-inch, first issued in 1981 on the s&g label, then based at a record shop in bow.

originally released in 1979, blood a go run is a heavyweight roots reggae tune sung by obscure artist leroy brown and backed by famous soul syndicate band. this is a timeless roots rock reggae recorded and mixed at king tubbys studio in jamaica. blood ago run when you play dis ya one!

taz - up deh a multi-faceted performer and songwriter, taz straddles both the hip hop world and dancehall/reggae arena. he first came to the world s attention performing alongside dizzee rascal on their just a rascal video, having co-written it and earning himself an ivor novello award into the bargain. after becoming the youngest rap artist to be signed to def jam uk in 2004, taz released his massively acclaimed analyse this album and has never looked back. after teaming up with jamaica s jazzy kitt music group, taz released up deh which was immediately snapped up by ramrock records for uk vinyl release. already getting big props on jamaican radio stations, an exclusive on ras kwame s capital xtra show, signal from original memzee and pyro radio, up deh is set to mash up the dance worldwide - trust me! camar flava - get up back seasoned reggae artist camar flava has been long established on the international music scene as a prolific performer and songwriter, recording and producing hits such as whine and twist, it s you, your body is

as noted on another release (see ropin), cornell campbell has enjoyed one of the longest-running careers of any jamaican singer, and he is blessed with a readily identifiable style too. he began his career for clement ‘sir coxsone’ dodd in 1956, when rhythm and blues held sway in jamaica, and later cut some ska songs for king edwards. he then passed through the sensations in the rock steady phase and worked as a solo singer at treasure isle, before returning to studio one with the eternals, scoring huge hits such as ‘stars’ and ‘queen of the minstrel’ as the 60s gave way to the 70s. his greatest phase of popularity was them brokered by hit-making producer bunny lee, who kept him on top right through the 1970s and into the 80s. the 1975 album dance in a greenwich farm was first issued on the grounation label in the uk. along with a re-working of ‘stars’ re-titled ‘the sun,’ a re-working of ‘queen of the minstrel’ as ‘girl of my dreams’ and the sound system opus that is the title track, the album has the boastful ‘conquering gorgon’ and a number of keenly-observed cover tunes, including a cut of the gaylads’ ‘no good girl,’ a version of the heptones’ ‘why did you leave me’ and a killer cut of the uniques’ ‘watch this sound’ (based on ‘for what it’s worth’ by buffalo springfield).

one of the most important harmony groups in the entirety of jamaican music, the paragons have a long and complicated history. first formed in the ska years by bob andy and tyrone evans as the duo of andy and ronnie, the group soon expanded to a quartet through the addition of howard barrett and john holt, the latter naturally assuming lead duties, following the subsequent departure of andy, holt, evans and barrett made the paragons the quintessential rock steady trio. they had an incredible run of hits for duke reid and coxsone during the mid-to-late ‘60s, and also issued some self-produced work, before holt’s solo career skyrocketed, leaving the group on the back-burner. then, in the mid-1970s, the paragons reformed, cutting material for new york-based labels such as clocktower and clintones, which led to this intriguing album, which saw material recorded in jamaica at harry j for bunny lee mixed with work cut at bullwackie’s studio in the bronx, along with re-workings of classics such as ‘left with a broken heart’ and ‘memories by the score’ is a whole range of new material, dealing with contemporary themes.

delroy wilson the original ‘cool operator’ was also known to many as ‘teacher’. a title given to him as he unselfishly taught the up and coming singers including one youth dennis brown, the art and delivery of singing technique. delroy’s rich tone to his voice added a depth to any song that he chose to sing. delroy wilson (b.1948 kingston,jamaica) began his musical career at the school that was coxonne dodd’s studio one label. after a brief stop in 1969,which saw delroy working for producer sonia pottinger’s tip top label. again producing such hits including ‘it hurts’ and ‘put yourself in my place’. the 1970’s saw delroy wilson’s arrival at bunny ’striker ’lee’s door and what would result in a winning formula,scoring hit after hit. it is from this great period in delroy’s career that we have compiled this selection of killer tunes,cut with the drum and bass rhythm kings themselves sly dunbar and robbie shakespeare.such classis as ‘who care’ ,’can i change your mind’,’get ready’,’you must believe me’ and the timeless title track to this collection ‘here comes the heartaches’. an album of great tracks cut with ‘the hitmaker from jamaica’ bunny lee and his team. a match made in heaven….enjoy the set….

restless mashaits hailing from geneva are based around the core of jil and stuf. they released a sizeable amount of new roots classics throughout the 90s and 00’s. recently becoming active again, they are best remembered for the sessions they recorded at kingston, jamaica in the mid/late 90s with legendary musicians such as vin gordon, deadly headly and dizzy moore. the original releases have been since long deleted, but some are now unearthed thanks to partial records. * lion’ from 1996, features the legendary jamaican percussionist scully simms (who recently passed away) and was in every box of all serious roots selectors back then. now long deleted, this will fill in the gap for the many collectors who have this on their wants lists. dub lion’ is a different dub version to the one previously released in 1996.

welcome to the ska beat!. the sound that came from jamaica between 1961-67. based on the american rnb and doo-wop records that sound systems in kingston town used to play. the american records style started to mellow out while the jamaican preferred a more upbeat sound.. so to meet this demand the sound system bosses became record producers to cater for this demand. sir coxonne and duke reid lead the way by putting the top musicians on the island in the studio to make this ska sound!! here for your enjoyment is a selection of the some of the top tunes that made ska so great… we hope you enjoy the best….

limited hand numbered 180g vinyl with postcard insert.
use your loaf dub was recorded over 3 months in kingston, jamaica a decade ago. it is the first all new jamaican recorded dub album to be released in 30 years. using the cream of current and past ja session musicians and recorded at some of the most iconic studios. heavyweight authentic yard dub! the album cover is by renowned brit artist, gavin turk, who is currently having a retrospective exhibtion at damien hirst s newport street gallery. bringing these two elements together with no expense spared production of both sleeve and vinyl, ensures this will be a highly sought after release for years to come.

a-side discomix, one of the rarest and best wackie s 12inches, b-side previously unreleased wicked 70s roots! killer vintage bullwackies! the happy love song was originally released on a tribesman 12inch, one of the least known but most killer wackies 12inches of its day. a propulsive rhythm is behind the group licking back the tune cut by the iq s in jamaica a couple years earlier. the b-side was retrieved from tape, an unknown vocalist extolling the virtues of the roots rock reggae coming from wackie s studio in the turbulent new york city of the 1970s. a must have for all wackie s diehards, another level of the pyramid unearthed, and more to come!