New releases last eight weeks: Dub

Review: Tracking right back to the very earliest days of Alpha & Omega, 'Pure And Clean' first emerged on their debut album King & Queen back in 1989. It's the kind of evergreen, dubwise steppers which could just as easily have been put out last year on ZamZam Sounds, but this is in fact a repress of the reissue Partial put out back in 2013. You get the original album cut on its own side of 7", plus of course an additional excursion on the flip to take you deeper into the sound. This is musical meditation at its finest, and given how quickly past copies have flown out, you won't want to get too comfortable until it's home and safely spinning on the platter.

Review: Cultural Roots delivered a potent dose of tuff roots vibes with their original 1980 release, 'Jah No Partial' which was and is now on this reissue backed by The Revolutionaries on dub duties. This limited vinyl edition comes housed in a vibrant full-colour company cardboard sleeve and offerings collectors a chance to grab a bit of reggae history. In addition to the original track, two exclusive Dub Plate Cuts further showcase raw energy and heavyweight low ends. With The Revolutionaries lending their signature sound to the dub mix, this is a crucial package.

Review: Wise Records has lined up another super outing here in the form of the Max Romeo Sings Classics EP. Featuring fresh renditions of timeless hits like 'Kingston Town,' 'Man Next Door,' and 'No Place Like Home,' these cuts were recorded with Max's touring band during a break between French tour dates. Renowned producer Dennis Bovell handled the mixing, promising a blend of Max Romeo's signature style with a touch of innovation from the legendary Bovell.

Review: Former Grid member and now ambient superstar Richard Norris delivers two new oracular divinations for his very own Group Mind label, the imprint formed in and after the COVID-19 lockdowns to help mindfully assuage the creeping anxieties of the age. A six-track 12" limited to just 30 copies - numbered and signed by the artist himself (move quick, hares) - these six tracks segue between dub and deep listening, fronting the bass and keeping percussive elements spread and panned. Best on the obverse is the A3, 'Mystery Dub', whose endlessly delayed stabs and cutoff conga samples well convey a vacuum-of-space vibe. The B-side moves into snake-charming dancehall territory, the punning, chordophonic 'Rockers Sci Fi' and the vocal blissout 'Stronger Together' being the ethereal highlights.