Fruits Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Big Youth is self-described as a "contemporary Christian, a man of God, martial artist and system engineer as well as a DJ and producer. Here he lays down some classic and heartwarming reggae sounds with The 18th Parallel serving up the dub. 'Man With A Mission' is a fleshy rhythm with great horns and yearning vocals that are buttery smooth and silky soft. The flip side is a smart studio dub with more room for the fills, echoing his and molten chords to resonate. A timeless and fruity 7" for sure.

Review: A rocksteady and ska band from Geneva, Switzerland? Yes, you read that right! Since they started releasing a little over a half-decade ago, the ensemble Cosmic Shuffling have been busy with two (soon to be three) and roughly ten singles worth of material. Their latest 7" lands back on the Fruits label where their previous has made them surge in popularity. 'Sputnik', the title track has a big horn section with a ska overtone while the B-side instrumental 'Sun Storm', really stands out from the crowd with the more reggae sound. This is a dynamite little 45 that is versatile and useful for any eclectic DJ.

Review: From Then 'Til Now marks Roots Architects' debut full-length album, a monumental project bringing together over 50 of Jamaica's most iconic session musicians. Spanning from the birth of reggae in the late 1960s to the present day, the album is a celebration of the unsung heroes of reggae music: the rhythm builders or Roots Architects. Conceived by Swiss keyboardist and producer Mathias Liengme, the album is the culmination of years of dedication to honoring Jamaica's musical legacy. Liengme's journey began in 2013 with "The Inspirators" project, leading to his immersion in Kingston's studio scene and the eventual formation of Roots Architects. Recorded in Kingston studios over February and March 2017, the album features a stellar lineup of veteran musicians aged 60 to 85, including legends like Robbie Lyn, Fil Callender, and Dalton Browne. Together, these Roots Architects revive the spirit of reggae, creating nine instrumental tracks that pay homage to their enduring legacy and timeless artistry.

Review: This new 7" finds Fruits Records serving up the first new taster single from a forthcoming new album by Root Architects. It features assistance from the great Ernest Ranglin and Tyrone Downie and in original form 'Memories Of Old' is a laid back reggae roller with some superb acoustic guitar bringing hints of Spanish sunshine to the percolating, fat-bottomed bass. The melodies are conversational and interact perfectly with the organ chords, while on the flip the version is more heady and paired back as well as being doused in reverb.

Review: The next tasty drop from the Fruits label, now well over 50 releases deep, is a pan-European affair featuring Bristol singer Joe Yorke and Swiss reggae band The 18th Parallel. The original on the A-side is a deliciously authentic and super sweet bit of rootsy lover's rock. 'End Of The Day' has lazy-as-you-like guitar riffs over loose drums with a falsetto from Yorke soaring high up in the sky on a warm summer's day. On the flip side comes the traditional dub version which is more empty and sparse to allow the reverb room to make its mark while the original vocal is also allowed plenty of space to bleed into.