Radiation Roots Vinilo y CD

Review: At King Tubby's With The Roots Radics sounds a bit like the sort of text message a kid out too late might send her worried mum. It's also the name of this killer album which finds Barry Brown providing some super vocal work to killer rhythms initially laid down by the in house band Roots Radics and then twisted into psyched out stoner soundscapes by the one and only studio wizard The Scientist. He really gets deep here and EQs hard while masterfully dubbing Brown out of the picture.

Review: Legendary reggae vocalist John Holt was such a powerful and potent role on the mic that his 1000 Volts Of Holt album title is a perfect summation of what he brought. It is no wonder then that the Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter can be heard on tons of classic tunes and records across the seventies. For the fascinating Peacemaker, he worked with plenty of talented musicians (Sly and Robbie and Lindel Lewis were amongst them) and recorded across Jamaica and the UK. The results take in love-struck ballads, plenty of direct social commentaries and timeless reggae rollers.

Review: Jah Thomas's Shoulder Move dropped in 1983 and was one of some 200-plus released the veteran Jamaican producer and Midnight Rock label was involved with in a career that spanned from 1978 to the present day. He worked with legends like King Tubby, The Roots Radic Band, Scientist and plenty more but head up this one alone. His deadpan vocal style is rhythmic and compelling as he rides the stripped-back dub rhythms below through the nine superb cuts on this newly reissued record. It's pure reggae and it really hits the spot.

Review: Anthony Johnson spent lots of time in London despite being from Jamaica and it was during his time in the English capital that he recorded this album, Togetherness, which to this day endures as one of the dynamic dancehall man's best works. It came in 1993 and took in and spat out many of that era's big sounds - pop, ballads and of course dancehall. His singing is superb throughout as you would expect of someone who worked with all the greats, from Lineal Thompson to Lee "Scratch" Perry. Something of a lost gem, this album is now available again courtesy of Radiation Roots.

Review: Taken from Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label archives, this series on Radiation Roots explores a treasure trove of unreleased dubs from the mighty King Tubby's studio. These cuts were all mixed by Tubby himself as well as his equally imperious apprentice, Scientist, so you know you're getting the real deal on this heavyweight collection. Pulled from the early 80s and featuring tough rhythms that chime with the shifting sounds at work in Jamaican music at the time, this is a peerless slab of pressure which will stand any serious selector in good stead at the soundclash.

Review: Steely and Clevie were amongst some of the most supreme rhythm makers in all of Jamaica in the 1980s and on into the 1990s. They worked together at King Jammy's in the aftermath of Sleng Teng with Steely doing the synth work and Clevie making the magic on his drum machines. They wrote a wide array of essential rhythms for the day's best emerging dancehall tautens and At The Top is a collection of crucial digital dub workouts "that strips bare the computerised wizardry at the duo's core." These are essential dubs for fans old and new of dancehall.

Review: U Brown was a key part of the roots and lovers rock scene of the 80s and his standout 1983 album Jam It Tonight had many a great hit. No Stoppin' This Music is a compilation of the best bits from it, all cut at Channel One with the Roots Radics. It's a great snapshot of peak-era Brown with cuts like 'Reggae Gone International' a celebratory take of the 'Pick A Dub' rhythm, superb reworks of the 'Take Five' rhythm in the form of 'Blow Mr Hornsman Blow' all sweeping you up on a vibe. A great addition to the racks for any roots lovers.