Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.
Review: Hornin' Sounds has been on fire of late and their latest offering is another essential one. Both tunes explore deep dark funk roots from the mid 70s, and have both been produced by U.K. wizard Clem Bushay with The Cimarons on fire as the backing band. Carl Bert provides the vocals, which are buttery smooth and heartfelt as he muses on slipping into darkness over acoustic guitar riffs and rolling ridders. A fine dubs mix by Jeh Jeh is liquid and bottomless. As usual the French label have promised (threatened?) that there will be no reissues of this one, so move fast, dub lovers.
Review: Soul Of Anbessa has got a very special release on their hands here with the words of French poet Charles Baudelaire's "Chant d'automne" delivered in buttery style by Max Livio's voice. It sits atop a rockers' rhythm that will remind you of Channel One sounds and takes you on a lazy jaunt through a hot and steamy day in downtown Kingston with plenty of standout horns. On the flip The 18th Parallel steps up with 'Flowers Of Evil Dub' which has extra heavy dub vibes as mixed by Roberto Sanchez.
What The World Needs Now Is Love (Silent Dream version) (4:32)
Review: Reggae Disco Rockers are Japan's leading reggae and lover's rock band. They have been active since they dropped their first ever single way back in 1996 and since then they have put a steady stream of sounds including six full albums and many more singles. This one is a cover of an absolute soul classic. 'What The World Needs Now Is Love' here becomes a slow, weighty dub with splashy cymbals, nice incidental melodies and a re-sung vocal that conveys the same emotions. Flip it over for a more steamy, sax-laced Silent Dream version.
Review: Independent Italian label Unemployment has put together a package of fresh dubs here that bring a range of different influences. Rod Taylor's 'Ruff 'N' Tuff' kicks things off with edgy chord vamps that never let up while his vocals unfold up top next to brighter synth stabs. Filomuzik then brings a version, the Cuss Cuss Riddim, that locks down the same groove without the vocals. Mikelino Rutz's 'Call Me Champion' has new vocals with a more stylised angle laid over the same rhythm and two further reworks from Paco Ten and George Palmer add yet more different styles to this package.
Review: Tornado Wallace & Jamie Tiller's Basic Spirit (named after their popular party series in Berlin) returns with its sophomore effort, with Wallace flying solo on this one titled 'Dream Corner'. The title track is an absolutely euphoric offering, featuring emotive vocals, pan-pipes and contrasted by a sinister and lurking bassline. The hyperaware energy of the Speed Bump mix follows, while the loved-up sunrise breaks of B-side cut 'Sea Translation' comes with an ambient version.
Review: These two powerhouses of pioneering dub meet up for the second time on this fantastic reissue by Burning Sounds originally released in 1978. The mostly instrumental album shows the duo helping to define the dub sound for the next generation of producers. Thanks to the inspirations and usage of Studio One, the sound is quintessential dub, like in the 'Garvey Dub' and title song 'Guerilla Dub'. They've not fully abandoned the traditional roots as you can hear in 'Malcolm X Dub' and 'Martin Luther Dub' though, turning them into more of remixes than original tracks. This album is a must for any 70s and 80s dub afficionado.
Review: Clash, first released in 1977, was one of a series of definitive reggae albums to highlight the eminence of the soundclash, in which two reggae or dancehall crews rig up opposing soundsystems in a face-to-face musical standoff. Fashioning this album after the competitive form, Dillinger's sparring partner in this case is 'Trinity' aka Wade Brammer, who was active during the 1970s and 80s. Trinity as Dillinger is best known for deejaying over reggae and dancehall numbers; Clash albums became very popular at the tail-end of the 1970s and into the next decade, with singers and deejays alike competing for status, track by track.
Girl I Want To Dub You (feat Cornell Campbell) (2:16)
Dub My World (feat Johnny Clarke) (3:27)
African Roots In Dub (feat Johnny Clarke) (3:08)
Pure Dubbing (feat Horace Andy) (4:28)
Straight To Phil Pratt Head (feat David Isaacs) (2:45)
Mining (feat Delroy Wilson) (2:30)
Dub Too Much (feat Delroy Wilson) (2:51)
Step It Up In Dub (feat Barry Brown) (3:55)
In The Morning (feat Tinga Stewart) (2:53)
Stop (feat Delroy Wilson) (3:26)
Lingering (feat Delroy Wilson) (2:33)
Blessed Dub (feat David Issacs & Dillinger) (2:29)
Review: One person who surely never dubbed too much was the prolific and pioneering King Tubby, but that hasn't stopped Patate Records from putting together a third volume of his work with that sub-title. All of the 12 tracks on this release are classic, rare and/or unreleased and they were ll produced by the man himself in the late 70s during the gold age of the genre. Rodguel Sinclair aka Blackbeard is the producer of the material and his backing band The Ring Craft Posse, which included noted reggae heads like Sly & Robbie, Family Man and Carlton Barrett, all feature next to some of the era's finest vocalists - Delroy Wilson, Horace Andy and Johnny Clarke amongst them. Basically, this is as authentic and essential a collection of 70s reggae as you can get.
The Creation Steppers - "Born In Slavery (Kill Nebudchanezzar)" (3:04)
Albert Malawi - "Let's Get It Right" (3:20)
Little Roy - "Touch Not My Locks" (2:53)
Fred Locks & The Twelve Tribes Band - "Harmony" (dub) (4:19)
Cherry Rock & The Twelve Tribes Band - "Love" (dub) (3:24)
The Creation Steppers & The Twelve Tribes Band - "Killer" (dub) (3:21)
Albert Malawi & The Twelve Tribes Band - "Get Right" (dub) (3:38)
Little Roy & The Twelve Tribes Band - "Dread Morning" (3:33)
Review: Erroneously credited solely to Fred Locks on its 1978 release, this superb set is in fact a showcase of the work of the 12 Tribes Of Israel band in collaboration with the aforementioned artist; the collab also includes Earl 'Little Roy' Lowe, Albert Malawi, the Creation Steppers and Cherry Rock. With the 12 Tribes first forming in 1968 as a Rastafarian organisation based in Kingston, this troupe brought exceptional works of OG lovers' rock to the table, amidst a wider cultic organisation that saw each member grouped into a formation modelled on the Biblical 12 tribes of Israel. You wouldn't know it from the sense of pure relief and love that wafts from the music here: Love & Harmony is a brilliant one, carrying a universalist message of racial and spiritual unity amid an acknowledgement of tough beginnings and the necessity of lock care.
Review: After the successful digital release of Paulette Tajah's Journal Of A Butterfly EP, it's time for these sounds to make their way to vinyl for the first time ever. The of the pressing is quality is outstanding which means this is the best way to soak in the sounds of this great album. Each song is brilliantly recorded and Tajah's artistry is laid bare with fat dub drums, rich low ends and plenty of signature soulful vocals from Tajah who can sound aloof, emotive, empowering and plenty in between, as she shows here.
Review: 'Music & Time, 1983-1985' by Take Three brings together the soulful sounds of former South London vocal harmony group Alpha, fronted by sisters Jackie & Jean Heron and Marlene Richardson. This compilation, produced by the trio S.H.E. (Steve Sinclair, Peter Hinds, and Kevin Ellis), showcases their work during the mid-'80s, including both released and previously unreleased tracks. From the infectious groove of 'Tonight's the Night' to the reggae-infused 'Can't Get Enough (Nice Up Reggae Mix)', this collection captures a rich blend of UK soul, funk and dance, spotlighting an era of underground brilliance.
Review: For the first time, experimental saxophonist and composer Jimi Tenor finds Norweigan dance powerhouse DJ Sotofett, both teaming up for a collaboration: 'No Warranty Dubs'. Completing the trifecta is Berlin ensemble Kabukabu, the five-piece Afro-jazz-funkers whose original recordings - many of which were overseen expertly by Tenor himself - now come redistilled through a dubwise filter paper. The loose-limbed, lackadaisical energy of Kabukabu's live instrumentation merge fully with Tenor's genre-blurring composites, as Sotofett recasts fifteen tracks into rhythm-driven, bass-heavy versions. The original free jazz and Afro-influenced elements remain present, but they here serve as rawer material for layered studio treatments, channelling echo-drenched edit work and hypnotic repetition, where nothing ever rests to the point of complacency.
Review: Nkrumah Jah Thomas is a legendary voice in Jamaican music best known for his influential work as both a DJ and producer through his Midnight Rock label. He has collaborated with notable artists like Anthony Johnson, Early B, King Tubby, and Super Cat. Acid Jazz group label Roots Records, which has worked with Thomas since the late 1990s, now releases his first-ever vocal collection in the form of this album which features 12 essential tracks, including his debut hit 'Midnight Rock,' plus 'Dance Hall Connection,' and 'Dance On The Corner,' as well as his versions of 'Cool Profile' and 'Joker Smoker.' It also includes the 80s dancehall hit 'Dance Inna New York,' sampled by Nas on 'The Don.' The remastered tracks come with sleeve notes by reggae historian Tony Rounce, making it a must-have for dub and dancehall fans.
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