New releases last eight weeks: Dancehall/Ragga

Review: After racking up millions of streams for hits like 'Jump Up Pon It' and 'Heal Them', Brother Culture is now a reggae and dub icon having been a key figure in the UK scene for decades. His powerful voice and conscious lyrics have earned him a deserving global recognition and now he teams up with Swiss reggae masters The 18th Parallel for 'Ghetto Man,' a hard-hitting anthem of resilience and justice. Their deep roots sound, combined with Brother Culture's commanding delivery, makes for an electrifying track and on the flip, Paolo Baldini DubFiles adds his signature dub touch, making this a sound system anthem that speaks to struggles and strength worldwide.

Review: CASQUIAT's ability to balance heavy, floor-filling beats with thoughtful, experimental layers is on full show in this new 7" from DATUM. The two cuts push the boundaries of hip-hop and bring in a raw electronic edge. 'The Stopper' is a high-energy cut that collides skittering percussion and intricate rhythms to make for an intense yet hypnotic club vibe. In contrast, OG Ranks takes a deeper, more introspective route with moody undertones, spacious production, and a sharp focus on atmospheric tension. They make for a fine yin and yang and cannot fail to make their mark in the club.

Review: The proverbial 'Soundboy Killa' is an enduring trope in soundsystem culture at large, referring to the apparently inherent enmity and villainy of the turntablist. Said to have originated in the days of system clashes, the assassin in question presumably refers to the opposing MC, whose barraging verbiage may pack enough semiotic punch to K.O. the opposition through mere utterances alone. Here Natty Campbell and the Freestylers pay tribute to the theme as progeny of the 90s big beat scene; having come up in the age of Fatboy Slim and Chemical Brothers, the supergroup first faced off in a whirl of tricky dub and armour-plated cold cuttage, dispatching two honorary tracks in the style of each artists' respective greatest scene-hitters: Dub Pistols' 'Cyclone' and Freestylers' 'Roughneck'. Now 'Soundboy Killa' and 'Jump On It' in turn hear a remix from Allergies and Guadi & Don Letts, the latter of which is especially experimental in its use of a peaky, 2-step shuffle.

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: South London reggae mainstay Keith Lawrence dropped duties one back in the early 2020s and it soon became a mini classic on the circuit, which is why it now reappears on a nice coloured 45rpm. 'Dem Too Bad Mind' features vocals from Tippa Irie and rides on a classically-inclined reggae low end with natty chords bringing the colour. On the flip is 'Lion From Brixton Riddim' which rolls a little more smooth but has plenty of vinyl crackle and lo-fi aesthetics adding and aged an authentic feel to the dub.

Review: King Shiloh is back with more heavy and modern dub sounds from a range of talents who all add their own spin to a couple of heavy rhythms. Tiger Simeon & Brada Jahziel's 'Rastaman Vibration' gets underway with some bold, brassy horns and natty pianos that make for a full fat sound. Jah Works gets to work on the mixing desk and dubs it out to perfection while Lavosti brings a more modern sounding digital synth sheen and rousing vocal top line to the delightful 'Real Reggae Warrior.' Again it is Jah Wrks who steps up to do his thing and strip it back to deep dub vibrations.

Review: If you like your reggae true to the original sound then this one is likely already long on your want list. It's a stone-cold classic from Dillinger that was one of the great DJ albums for Studio One back in the mid-1970s. It is packed with classic rhythms that were all produced with the expert guidance of Clement Dodd. Ready Natty Dreadie features non-stop highlights such as 'Pretty Looks' and 'Ten to One', the weighty low end of 'Full Up' and the magical top lines of 'Creation Rebel'. A crucial reissue.