BARRINGTON LEVY Schallplatten & CDs

Review: A classic 7" by reggae and dancehall legend Barrington Levy returns to the equally legendary Jan Life label. Levy rose to fame in the early 1980s, but it wasn't until much later that Jah Life (founded by Hyman Wright and Percy Chin) clocked onto his talents and funnelled him into their roster. 'Black Roses' is backed up by the infamous 'Rose Dub', and both tracks romantically ruminate no the presence of a symbolically shadowy rose - "something special... got to water it!" - growing in Levy's garden.

Review: For the label's latest essential two-disc trawl through the archives of Jamaican music culture, Doctor Bird has decided to take us back to the late 1970s and the dawn of dancehall - then a kind of harder, more upbeat take on reggae rather than the drum machine-powered rhythmic powerhouse it became. The Volcano Dancehall Albums Collection features a quartet of full-length excursions produced by early dancehall hero Henry 'Junjo' Lawes: Barrington Levy's influential 'Bounty Hunter', 'Weh Dem a Go Do' by young deejay/toaster Cocoa Tea, and a pair of sets by fellow patois proto-rapper Charlie Chaplin ('Sound System' and the superb 'Dancehall Rockers'). Throw in a handful of essential bonus cuts (including the full 12" version of Barrington Levy's take on Horace Andy favourite 'Skylarking') and you have an indispensable collection of formative dancehall classics.

Review: Henry 'Junjo' Lawes produced a double-headed twin spin on the iconic Eventide Fire riddim for this one. It is arguably that which helped Barrington's 'Crucifixion' soar to the top of the UK reggae charts in 1980 when it was released. It is one of his most iconic vocal performances, which is saying something given how much music the man has worked on. On the flip side of this new 7", Ranking Joe delivers 'River Jordan' with full force, riding the rhythm with impeccable skill. These jams were recorded with the one and only Roots Radics at Channel One and King Tubby's, so very much capture the essence of reggae at its peak with some of its key players all involved.

Review: Jai Life digs into their archives for this latest 12" and offers up a pair of killer disco mixes. First up is a tune that deserves the title of being one of the most overlooked gems in the label's catalogue - it has been little known ever since the first time it was released in the early '80s. Terrie from the Nairobi Sisters sings on 'Left With a Broken Heart' which melts into a killer dub-wise groove with fine melodica. On the flip is one of Barrington Lvi's best tunes, 'Black Man Heart', with a killer dub from Scientist remix next to the disco-tinged original.