JOHNNY OSBOURNE Vinilo y CD

Review: Johnny Osbourne remains one of the most popular reggae vocalists of all time, and he is still turning out the jams now, well into his 70s. This one finds him billed alongside Jah Sawdem, about whom we know nothing and in fact this is the one and only entry next to his name on Discogs. A fine one it is, though, with a blissed out reggae rhythm topped by smooth as you like vocals and authentic instrumentals and keys. The flips side version from Natural Vibes & Pappa Tullo is 'Be Wise', featuring the same rhythm and different verses. Another big 12" from Jammy$ Jamaica that is primed and real for sound system deployment.

Review: Produced by Henry 'Junjo' Lawes and mixed by Scientist, 'Ice Cream Love' first slipped out it in its native Jamaica way back in 1980. The typically languid, weighty and dub flecked cut is built around a tweaked, replayed version of Coxsone Dodd's legendary 'He Prayed' riddim (a groove that has been used on countless reggae records before and since). Osbourne's lead vocal is typically relaxed and quietly soulful, while the involvement of Scientist on mixing desk duties guarantees more bass-weight and subtle dub inflections than your average roots number. Turn to the flip for a more spaced-out instrumental dub version based around the same riddim recording, with more effects-laden magic from Scientist.

Review: For their latest deep dive into the history of Jamaican music, Dr Bird has decided to deliver two key albums from the formative years of dancehall, both of which were produced by King Jammy and - remarkably - have never made it to CD before. Disc one boasts Sugar Minott's 1979 set Bitter Sweet, a super-sweet and hugely enjoyable collection that added traditional roots reggae style vocals and instrumentation to rhythms and grooves that provided the bedrock of the dancehall sound (for proof, check 'Give The People' and 'Not For Sale'). Over on CD2, it's all about Johnny Osbourne's 'Reggae On Broadway', a more weighty and low-slung affair that nevertheless proved influential to a whole generation of dancehall enthusiasts. 'Lend Me Your Chopper', 'Reggae On Broadway' and 'Folly Ranking' are particularly potent.