Battle Axe vinyl

There are many facets to Lee 'Scratch' Perry's indelible mark on music, but his work as The Upsetter is perhaps the truest expression of his affinity for reggae. Of course that's still reggae filtered through one of the most unique minds to change the course of music, but a compilation like Battle Axe serves as the perfect summation of his distinctive touch crafting lilting riddims from the Black Ark. Trojan originally released Battle Axe outside of Jamaica in 1972, gathering together some particular highlights from those heady early years, but 50 years on compilations like these stand more like vital albums in their own right - unique documents of very specific times in artistic development. It's a welcome treat to see it repressed, brilliant cover art intact.