New releases last eight weeks: Roots/Lovers Rock

Review: US label Planets is back with a third outing and this time they have a superb blend of roots and digi-dub with a cover of a Michael Jackson classic. AJ Brown is a noted vocalist who here serves up a rare street soul lovers' version of The King of Pop's 'Human Nature.' It's a passionate and emotive vocal work over a nice rolling beat and on the flipside it comes with an excellent instrumental dub version that allows the synth work to shine more and the funky bassline to come to the fore as the vocals are drenched in echo and reverb. Limited press on this one so move fast.

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: 1994's original pressing of Steely & Clevie's outstanding leftfield production with Johnny Clarke's vocals is well worth inspecting, but you might struggle to find one these days, and it'll be pricey if you do, because it's become something of a classic 45. Thankfully it gets reissued here with A-side original 'Leggo Violence' rolling lazy drums while the Clarke vocals soar high and sweet despite what they sing about. On the flip is a smooth rolling version that allows that super bassline to do its thing free from any distraction, and all with extra dub goodness.

Review: Many of you reading this may recognise this song from Dennis Brown's rendition on his iconic Visions LP, but this version actually predates that one. It was originally penned by Winston MacAnuff, also known as the Electric Dread, and features vocals by Earl Sixteen. It has previously debuted as a 7" on Gibbs' Belmont label in 1975, while Sixteen went on and recorded it again for Derrick Harriott on the Wild Flower label a year later. This rendition is often considered the definitive cut, but we shall leave you to decide on that one.

Review: The mission continues here for Reservoir Dub Records who have been working most recently on putting out this one "Aim High' tune on a 10" with four different cuts from four different artists. This one features the legendary Macka B and the talented saxophonist Guru Pope bring their skills to a rhythm that was originally produced by the one and only dub-making don that is Jacin, while all the cuts have been expertly mixed by Gamma Sound's N-Tone DUB. It's a heavyweight package of fresh dub sounds with nods to the old school but plenty of new school cool.

Review: Sunset's reissue series of Harry J releases continues with this gem from the late, great Freddie McKay's 1986 collaboration with The Jah Apostles, one of the last productions to feature the singer - who seamlessly navigated from the early ska days right up to the digital era - before his untimely death in November of the same year. McKay's soulful vocals ride effortlessly over the Apostles' mesmerising rhythms here, meaning that it is impossible not to be transported listeners to the golden shores of Jamaica at sundown. As is so often with the case with reggae, there's a dubbed out version on the flip - we wouldn't have it any other way.

Review: The Joe Gibbs label is busy reissuing some classic and often fairly sought-after roots tunes from back in the day and next up is this one which comes on a limited run of 45rpms. It kicks off with Junior Murvin who is of course best known for his iconic 'Police & Thieves' tune used in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Her hit is his tough vocal cut 'Cool Out Son' from the late 70s gets served up and is sure to get put through its paces on plenty of big systems this summer. On the flip is a fine dub from The Mighty Two.

Review: Messengers is a young label already doing great work and this second outing comes from Spanish artist Message and takes the form of a superb new instrumental roots rocker. What makes it really pop is the fine featured guest Gorka 'Junior G' Fernandez who bring some magic on lead trombone. Behind him we're treated to the full and unstoppable force of the A-Lone Ark players who master their instruments once more and make this one another schooling tune. It comes as a nice heady dub on the flip-side too, of course.

Review: As well as navigating the realms of dub and reggae, infusing each track with his signature vintage sound and infectious grooves, Prince Fatty is well known for taking famous songs and flipping them into reggae territory, a wonderful mix of the familiar and the unepxected that usually works wonders on the dancefloor. With the fantastic 'Black Rabbit,' dub don Prince Fatty masterfully tackles Jefferson Airplane's 60s anthem 'White Rabbit', which took its inspiration from Lewis Carroll's surreal story Alice In Wonderland but hooked those references up to the drug experiences of those countercultural rtimes. The A-side is graced by with the vocals of regular Fatty collaborator Shniece, whose performance does more than simply ape Grace Slick's, adding lines and heaps of her own personality, while rich basslines, swirling echoes and soulful melodies all showcase some exceptional production skills. Naturally, there's a dub version on the B-side, and all in all this a testament to Prince Fatty's enduring influence in the contemporary reggae scene.

Review: Unearthed from obscurity, this is a late 80s gem that shines anew here and brings together UK street soul and lovers rock into something entirely brilliant. Said to have been discovered in a white label box during a North London crate digging trip, this double-sided killer was originally released as a 12" and come here on 45rpm with big sound system beats and gorgeous melodies next to the soaring and angelic vocals by T-Dynamix & Lisa Ellis. This 1989 treasure originated near Manchester and now Planets press it up in limited numbers so do not sleep.

Review: Yellowman is Winston Foster, a Jamaican born reggae vocalists with a long and storied relationship with the genre. He was raised in an orphanage and had to deal with being an albino but still became a superstar of the scene and is celebrated as one of the rudest dancehall toasters of the 1980s. He has had many detractors as fans of his unique, witty style and slower singing delivery and 'Workie Workie' is one of his man classic jams. It comes here in original form as well as an instrumental and B-side version.

Review: Although it is widely regarded as a classic album, Black Uhuru's Brutal has never before been available to buy on vinyl. The 1986 work features the undeniably legendary likes of Sly and Robbie as Black Uhuru's leader, with Junior Reid on vocals, Roots Radics man Tyrone Downie on keys and mixing done by the masterful Jim Fox at Lion and Fox. This version has been newly remastered so packs a perfect raw roots punch with all the heavy low ends landing nice and correct and the vocals cutting through perfectly.

Review: While not one of Black Uhuru's most celebrated albums, Brutal is nonetheless a significant set - one that received a 'best reggae album' nomination following its release in 1986. In keeping with the period, it updated their soulful roots reggae sound for the 1980s by wider use of electronic instrumentation (synthesisers in particular), a high-profile collaboration with Arthur Baker (the grandiose, club-ready 'Great Train Robbery', which boasts many of Baker's production tricks of the period), a surprising amount of eyes-closed rock style guitar solos, and some proper bottom-end action courtesy of Sly & Robbie. Highlights include the reggae-boogie of 'City Vibes', the weighty and dubbed-out 'Dread In The Mountain', and the ear-catching closing cut.

Review: This Best Of The Morwells album originally landed back in 1981 but has not degraded in any way over the ensuring 40+ years. It is a superb collection of vocal roots that first came on the American label Nighthawk Records and might be best known for standout hits like 'In God We Trust' and 'Africa' as well as 'Educate Your Mind.' The lyrics muse on plenty of still relevant socio-political topics while riding on nice deep rhythms with earthy drums and meandering leads. The band went on to become well-regarded and prolific session musicians in Jamaica and you might well have heard of them... none other than The Roots Radics.

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: Realised in parallel with Ras Teo aka Jah Menelik's Ion Man album on Forward Bound, this is a dub version of the exact same tunes. The eight tracks all tap into deep roots and find the artist working with drum and percussive maestro David "Jah David" Goldfine as well as alongside Roberto "Lone Ark" Sanchez who mastered several instruments including the melodica, guitar, drums and organs. Between them they all manage to cook up steamy roots jams that centre the culture with a timeless sound. It's seriously alluring and here without the vocals the whimsical melodies and rolling beats all have even more of an impact.

Review: Ras Teo aka Jah Menelik is back on Forward Bound with a brand new eight track vocal roots offering. It finds him pairing up with bass, kette drum and percussion player David "Jah David" Goldfine and with Roberto "Lone Ark" Sanchez at the helm on everything from key to melodic, guitar to drums and organs and serving up red hot roots jams that centre the culture, too. The sound is timeless and effortlessly alluring with its whimsical melodies and rolling beats all bringing the sunshine into your life under often poignant bars.

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.