New releases last eight weeks: Reggae Classics/Ska

Review: Susan Cadogan is an esteemed reggae vocalist who has been since the 1970s. Now she continues her musical journey with this cover single which is taken from her excellent 2020 album Hurt So Good - Storybook Revisited, distributed by Burning Sounds. Side-A features a rendition of the reggae classic by Dawn Penn, while Side-B offers a sweet soul interpretation of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' track. Enhanced with Japanese-inspired artwork on the jacket, this release showcases Cadogan's timeless talent and versatility as it bridges the gap between reggae and soul music across generations.

Review: It's time to do the Harlem Shuffle once more here and lock into the rhythms of Ray Martell. His 'She Caught The Train' is something of an early reggae classic that now makes its way onto 7" vinyl for the first time. It was originally released in 1970 on the Trojan sub-label Joe in the UK and then rose to fame once more as a cover version from UB40 in 1983. The original has been on a load of compilations but has never stood alone on wax. When it came first as a single it was backed with 'Tea House From Emperor Roscoe' by Dice The Boss but here the label adds a super rare Ray Martell song in the form of 'Cora'.

Review: The Pressure Beat crew throw it back to the heyday of roots reggae here with a superb pair of tunes from 1969. One of these in original for will cost you a few quid so it's nice to have good sounding copies on fresh wax available once more. Ken Parker's A-side cut 'It's Alright' is short at under three minutes but boy does it hit a super sweet spot with his delicate falsetto vocal over rickety roots low ends and rolling, warming bass. On the flip, things get more upbeat and energetic with some raw horn work on Johnny Moore & The Cobbs's 'One Love' with its off-balance chords.

Review: Over the last couple of years, we've been treated to numerous reissues of classic cover versions by Japanese reggae/rocksteady combo Inokasira Rangers, including takes on Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', Pharrell's 'Happy' and New Order's 'Blue Monday'. Here we're treated to another, as the band's 2017 take on Underworld anthem 'Born Slippy' gets a fresh pressing. It's certainly a revolutionary revision, with Keichi Sokabe's surprisingly Karl Hyde-sounding lead vocal rising above a lusciously languid, sub-heavy reggae groove. Over on the flip they take on 'Groove Tube', a 1991 indie-pop-meets-acid house single from Japanese outfit Flipper's Guitar, reframing it as a baggy, glassy-eyed rocksteady number.

Review: While not as celebrated as some of his Jamaican contemporaries, Winston Holness AKA Niney The Observer was a hugely successful record producer. This excellent two-disc set does an excellent job in rounding up the best of his output between 1973 and '75, a period where he enjoyed countless hits at home and over in the UK. There's naturally plenty of goodness to be found amongst the 49 tracks on show, with cuts featuring now well-known Jamaican scene stars - think Junior Delgado, Delroy Wilson, Big Youth, Max Romeo, Junior Byles, Horace Andy, U-Roy and ska survivor Tommy McCook - being joined by more dubbed-out 'versions' (credited to his studio band The Observers') and local hits by artists whose fame rarely spread beyond the Caribbean (Winston Wright, Hubert Lee, Earth & Stone). In an indispensable introduction to one of Jamaica's finest producers of the 1970s.

Review: Disco-infused reggae and soulful grooves are on the agenda as Prince Fatty takes to the controls with regular vocal colllaborators Shniece and Horseman along for the ride too. For the Disco Deception album, he raids the reinvents various classics in the image of his own signature low-end energy and impeccable production, giving us original and dub mixes to choose from in several cases. His version of Krfatwerk's 'The Model', which features both Shniece and Horseman, was an underground smash when it emerged a couple of years back and sounds as vital as ever. 'Fever', made famous by Peggy Lee as far as 1958, gets some soul-stirring vocals from Shniece, and Tom Browne's 'Funkin' For Jamaica (NY)' is a glory of funky basslines to shimmering horns. A magnetic atmosphere that keeps listeners engaged from start to finish, all with character to spare.

Review: Celebrating four decades since its original release, The Selecter's crucial Too Much Pressure receives a well-deserved anniversary edition reissue on clear vinyl. This timeless ska masterpiece continues to resonate with its infectious energy and socially conscious lyrics, upbeat rhythms and Pauline Black's commanding vocals. Together all that creates a potent blend that remains as relevant today as it was upon its debut. This special edition offers fans old and new a chance to (re)discover the album's brilliance, complete with bonus tracks and remastered sound. The Selecter's enduring influence on the ska genre is in part down to this fine album.

Review: Soul Jazz returns with another of its supremely assembled and vital compilations, and this one focuses on reggae. Down Beat Special offers a thrilling journey through timeless hits carefully selected from Jamaica's revered Studio One Records, the epitome of reggae excellence. From Michigan and Smiley's 'Nice Up The Dance' to Dawn Penn's 'No, No, No' and The Wailers' 'Simmer Down,' this collection pulsates with iconic tracks. Originally a limited edition 7" box set, this remastered edition boasts 18 rare gems, including works by The Skatalites, Bob Marley, and Horace Andy.