Roots Defender Riddim Section - "No Justice Dub" (4:18)
Kojo Neatness - "Bun Dem Down" (4:02)
Roots Defender Riddim Section - "Dub Dem Down" (4:19)
Review: Jah Mason and Kojo Neatness bring an authentic island flavour to this solid 4/4 roots rhythm that was crafted by the Roots Defender Riddim Section. The track features soulful horn arrangements as well as mesmerising guitars and keys by Black Steele and Maestro Inyaki. Originally recorded as a full band piece in Brixton over a decade ago, it underwent multiple stages to perfect its organic vibe for sound system heads. The multitrack was then taken to Ital Soup studio in South London where Petah Sunday served up a brilliant analogue mix while also adding some mind-blowing dubs all of which have already made their mark.
Review: Lion Vibes lives up to its name with his powerful release from Jamaica featuring the legendary Ini Kamoze and rising star Lila Ike. Produced by Kareem Burrell of XTM Nation, this heavyweight track was recorded at Anchor, 9soundclik and Tads studio with top reggae musicians bringing real authenticity to the sounds. The A-side mix by Veer Dhaniram delivers a stunning vocal cut that exudes island cool while the low-end swaggers. The B-side unveils a previously unreleased dub mix by Gregory Morris and the record comes in a beautifully designed picture sleeve by Juppi Juppsen.
Review: Originally released on a Partial 10" in 2019, 'Mediation' became a staple in the underground roots and dub sound system scene and got heavy plays from the late Jah Shaka and others. This 12" includes the original vocal and dub versions along with two previously unreleased dubplate cuts. Eva Keyes, a rising artist from Limerick, Ireland, brings a distinctive and powerful voice, reminiscent of Sinead O'Connor and Dolores O'Riordan. This one has deep roots but offers a fresh take on classic sounds.
Review: System warmongers Moonshine Recordings brew their own methanol murder beats, this time enlisting master home brewer King DuBear and toaster/taster Junior Dread for an apocalyptic system smasher, of epidemic proportions. In characteristic throaty baritone, 'Keep The Faith' hears Dread caution his fellow youngers against folly - "stay away from they food and the lies dem a spread" - while snares and noir bubbles come ensnared in intense, pop-out reverb. The dub goes surprisingly in on Dread's vocals, hamming them up with extra preamp body.
Review: The still-aptly entitled 'Money Run Tings' is a sought-after classic from East London's King General and Bush Chemists that was originally released in 1996. The original Conscious Sounds 7" has been out of print for nearly 30 years but is now getting a much-anticipated reissue. This version comes with a previously unreleased dub version that offers a fresh take on the standout London dancehall track. Produced by The Bush Chemists in the mid-'90s, it remains a top-tier example of the genre with its stepping beats and stylised vocals still sounding futuristic 30 years on.
Review: Dennis Anthony Thomas is known as King Kong and is the celebrated Jamaican singer behind hits like 'Trouble Again' and 'Legal We Legal.' His track 'Song of Love' was originally released by Pisces Productions and is a rare gem and a powerful anti-apartheid anthem. The song confronts South Africa's apartheid regime, referencing President P.W. Botha while urging unity and human rights. Through themes of love and resilience, King Kong highlights the strength of cultural solidarity in a tune that is rooted in reggae's tradition of political advocacy. As such 'Song of Love' transcends music and symbolises global support for freedom.
Review: Ting-A-Ling is a French outlet based in Nantes and headed up by two dedicated Jamaican music lovers in Mateo and Krone. For their next drop they offer up a new series featuring four fresh vocal cuts on the famed 'Blackbeard' riddim. It features a powerful lineup with King Lorenzo, Jah Mason, Jojo Glady, Chezidek, and Heavyweight J.A. DJ Ranking Joe each bringing their unique style to the foundational drums. Along the way there are blends of reggae and dancehall with some sunny melodies and organic percussion all finished with aching vocals.
Review: American label Deep Bow makes a notable vinyl debut with this heavyweight 10" featuring King Stanley and Prince Jamo, both voicing over a thunderous riddim crafted by producer Dub Sev?. This roots-driven slab stars with King Stanley's passionate cries over sleek drums with shiny digital synths and neat guitar licks. It stays true to the deep, meditative spirit of sound system culture and becomes much more roomy and spaced out in the hands of Dub Seva. Prince Jamo's 'Joke' has a cleaner vocal and some natty keys, and also gets dubbed out by Dub Seva. A strong introduction from Deep Bow that showcases talent from both sides of the Atlantic.
Review: From the nebulaic dusts of 1960s Kingston came the Kingstonians, a tight-knit vocal trio built around the songwriting of Cebert "Jackie" Bernard, joined by his brother Lloyd "Footy" Bernard and Lloyd Kerr. Their early work with producer J.J. Johnson yielded the breakout hit 'Winey Winey', but it was under the guidance of Derrick Harriott that they reached wider acclaim. Before their dissolution in the early 70s, and a later solo spit by Bernard which included a striking collaboration with Lee “Scratch” Perry as Jack Lord, ‘I’m Gonna Make It’ appeared as a mid-tempo rocksteady salve, with tightly-buoyed, gospel-inflected harmonies backing a core lyric line about perseverance and self-belief in the face of adversity.
Review: This is one of a pair of new slabs of wax from Amsterdam's Sound System and label of the same name, King Shiloh. It features an array of modern dub and reggae talents and first up, Lavvosti & Black Omolo offer the modern sheen of 'Red Gold Green'. Kare's 'Better Days' rides the same rhythm but with more stylised and soulful vocal turns that empower with every bar. Jah Works dubs things out with a ton of effects and Tiger Simeon & Brada Jahziel layer in storytelling bars. Brasspect brings a fresh horn-led sound that is romantic and hypnotic and Roots Mechanic pairs things right back to an 80s sounding Jamaica dub vibe.
Review: King Jammy's Unites The Nation With Dub is a timely and powerful return to his Dub laboratory, offering a sonic message of healing and unity amidst the chaos of the world. This album brings together Jammy's 21st-century A-team, including musicians Andre Dennis, I Sax and Brandon Harris, to craft ten fresh, vibrant boomshots. These tracks radiate positivity and precision, with a sense of urgency to unite the world through Dub. Jammy also nods to his illustrious past, pulling vintage samples from Sly & Robbie and the High Times Band to enrich two standout deep dives: 'Climate Action Dub' and 'Ceasefire Dub'. The production is flawless, with Jammy's signature engineering skills on full display, aided by Romeo 'Shemmo' Facey and John John. The result is a collection of Dubs that transcend their original versions, creating a sense of unity and peace that is both immediate and lasting. An essential listen, offering a sonic salve for troubled times.
Review: It's the record that defined it all: King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown, the defining collaborative album by Augustus Pablo and King Tubby, released in 1976. Not only a seminal record in terms of spreading the missionary message of dub, KTMRU is also a favourite of even contemporary deejays for its outsized, mature sound, one marked by eccentrically high-feedbacked, pop-eye delay effects, not to mention a driven percussion section. Now released in Canada by Clocktower Records, Canucks (and citizens of all other beneficiary nations of international postage systems) can enjoy the multi-instrumental blitz of Earl Smith, Ashton Barrett, Carlton Barrett, Robbie Shakespeare in collaboration with Tubby, the protomartyr of dub himself, on one of the quintessentially best dub reggae albums of all time.
Review: For the first time, experimental saxophonist and composer Jimi Tenor finds Norweigan dance powerhouse DJ Sotofett, both teaming up for a collaboration: 'No Warranty Dubs'. Completing the trifecta is Berlin ensemble Kabukabu, the five-piece Afro-jazz-funkers whose original recordings - many of which were overseen expertly by Tenor himself - now come redistilled through a dubwise filter paper. The loose-limbed, lackadaisical energy of Kabukabu's live instrumentation merge fully with Tenor's genre-blurring composites, as Sotofett recasts fifteen tracks into rhythm-driven, bass-heavy versions. The original free jazz and Afro-influenced elements remain present, but they here serve as rawer material for layered studio treatments, channelling echo-drenched edit work and hypnotic repetition, where nothing ever rests to the point of complacency.
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