Barrington Levy

Review: Power House reissue a classic slice of roots from the early '80s courtesy of the mighty Barrington Levy. "Praise His Name" is a quietly fortified cut with Levy in full spiritual mode, keeping his vocal register characteristically high and sweetly soulful over the riddim. The riddim itself is outstanding, coming from Power House owner George Phang's signature style of tight, minor key chops and a pattering beat that manages to be nimble and heavy at the same time. Flip it over for the version, if that's your persuasion, and you can enjoy the bare bones of the riddim in all its glory. Seminal stuff from a reggae master.

Review: Legendary dancehall and reggae artist Barrington Levy started out with a fine run of albums in his early years, and then switched to serving up a steady and solid stream of singles. Some of the most famous ones include "Even Tide Fire a Disaster" and "I'm Not in Love", as well as "You Have It" which is presented here as a nice extended version. It features a pained vocal over a fat and dumpy groove with some tropical percussion and warming chords to help oil the mood. GG's All Stars step up on the flip with a version that is heavy and lazy in all the right ways.