Review: The always excellently go slow and tropical sounds of Big Crown now look to Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band for covers of two classics. Up first is Grace Jones' nightclub classic "My Jamaican Guy" while on the flip is Erykah Badu's tribute to the legendary J Dilla, "The Healer". Both retain the essence of the original but come with loose hand claps, shimmering steel drums that bring coastal breezes, sand and sun into the equation and leave you laying horizontal. These are fine interpretations of top notch source material.
Review: Coyote drop a special 7 inch single. Inspired by recent events over the last 2 years and their continuing love affair with all things dub and reggae sound system.related. They have been playing lots of this type of stuff at their monthly night at The Bodega in Notts. Apparently causing some heat at recent ALFOS parties too. Bubble Up!
Review: It's taken a while, but Philophon chief (and in-house producer) Max Weissenfeldt has finally managed to finish the album he started working on with Ghanaian Frafra-gospel singers Alogte Oho & His Sounds Of Joy. It's a set that has been promised for the best part of five years, so it's fantastic to see it finally materialize. Musically, it explores similar sonic territory to Oho's previous singles on Philophon (all of which featured music from Weissenfeldt), effortlessly joining the dots between traditional Ghanaian styles, local interpretations of funk and soul, dub-wise reggae rhythms and occasional nods towards contemporary electronic beats. The results are superb, making this a must have for those who love a bit of West African musical positivity.
Un Dos Tres Y Fuera Vs Gaudi & Don Letts - "Relafica Negra En Tiempo De Siembra" (Gaudi & Don Letts aka The Rebel Dread) (3:49)
Cumbia Moderna De Soledad - "Busca Perro" (Greg Foat & James Thorpe remix) (3:52)
Review: Cultural icon Don Letts joins forces here with the masterful musician Greg Foat and producer James Thorpe to make a new entry into the Relatin project series. It is one where artists engaged with Latin musical roots from another era and update them for the here and now. Here they bring plenty of heavy dub vibes and great special awareness to a tune by Venezuelans Un Dos Tres. Greg Foat & James Thorpe also step up with a remix that is just as heavy and summery.
Review: The latest must-cop record from the good people at Big Crown is a real summer special. Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band serve up some seriously soul-enriching grooves, with the impossibly warm and good time vibes that come from steel drums on each and every one. The beats are rooted in funk, with fat bass and expressive horn work bring each one to life. There are sojourns into dub, disco and jazz, and the whole thing bris with so much character and personality that it cannot but put a smile on your face.
Review: Isle Of Jura's latest must-have reissue isn't a slept-on Balearic gem, but rather a turn-of-the-'80s disco-boogie classic from sadly departed Nigerian musician Harry Mosco. Many may know the breezy Afro/disco/funk fusion of opener "Sexy Dancer" and the hazy disco-funk genius of "Step On" (both have been reissued in the past), yet it's the lesser-known cuts - particularly the lolloping, Clavinet-heavy dub disco of "Peace & Harmony", spaced-out "Peaceful Dub" and sumptuous jazz-funk slow jam "Do It Together" - that really set the pulse racing. The reissue sounds superb, too, thanks to a killer re-mastering job, so it's no stretch to suggest that it's worth picking this version up rather than tracking down an original pressing.
Review: The latest edition to the illustrious Charly catalogue - a re-release of Dillinger's most successful single from 1976, 'Cokane In My Brain' - marks a welcome return of this popular release to record stores. Listening to this release, it's easy to trace the figures the Kingston-born Dillinger has labelled as key inspirations in the sound he brings into existence - namely Dennis Alcapone and Lee "Scratch" Perry, the latter of whom he found himself under the guidance of following his big break in 1974 with the release of his single 'Dub Organizer'. There's a reason this achieved serious playtime - though not necessarily on the radio - worldwide following its release. A key release you certainly won't want missing from your collection.
Review: The label with the finest catalogue number naming convention in all of dance music is back with another fresh slab of wax. This one from Purple Kush mix up US house and UK garage starting with the swinging sounds of 'Let The Spirit Flow' which has a beautiful organ line and heart wrenching vocal. 'La Bahia' is another one with throwback organs and a fat bassline over low slung and well swung drums. 'Make Your Mind Up' goes deep with chopped up vocal fragments and plenty of 90s house vibes and 'Purple Kush Theme' is a stoner reggae downtempo delight.
Review: Dutch artist Frenk Dublin is evidently a master of minimalism and sublimation, with his new EP for Echo Ltd. here somehow managing to convey abyssal levels of depth, all while not seeming to reveal too much or indulge too many complex parts. It's this paradox that rests at the heart of dub techno; like dubstep, the trick is to emphasise weight and space, while layering things subtly enough not to betray the mystery. It's a well-deserved release for the esteemed label, following up priors on Dub Communication and Planet Rhythm. The most polished gem? 'Static Dub', which uniquely blends both high and low chord stabs, and gets them to take up wholly different rhythm- and freqspace.
Review: Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy's debut album Mam Yinne Wa was a real triumph. A sensuous fusion of international rhythms, gospel vocals and jubilant vibes that was an instant hit with lovers of world music. His new single is said to be a teaser for a seance upcoming album and is another masterpiece from Frafra Gospe, a legend of this genre. First up is 'Doose Mam,' a repetitive rhythm that goes right for the hips. The big horns bring the character and sensuous vocals are the icing on the cake. On the flip is 'Gure Yose Me,' a tune rooted in reggae rhythms thanks to the work of Josie Coppola, Europe's No.1 reggae drummer.
Review: Hugh Maddo's Pop Style is one of those super rare but cult late 80s reggae and dancehall albums that just hit a perfect sweet spot between styles. Thankfully, Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 has got the rights to this full reissue of the original which was recorded in Jamaica at Byron Lee's Dynamics and Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius studios in 1987. A wealth of musical talents of the day all feature on it including Winston Wright, Bobby Ellis, and Mikey "Boo" Richards, but the standout is the sublime vocal contribution of Killamanjaro's Hugh Maddo.
Samba Du Scujonamentu (Danilo Braca & Bahia Alegria remix) (5:05)
Samba Du Scujonamentu (Danilo Braca instrumental Saudade Bossa mix) (5:26)
Samba Du Scujonamentu (Eld Russell Reggae Basement mix) (5:56)
Review: A true product of 2020, Dino Simone wrote and recorded 'Samba du Scujonamentu' during Italy's early lockdown as a "lucky charm" of hope and positivity. Now the track enjoys a swathe of remixes that take this heartfelt ditty in new directions, from the easy groove of Massimo Berardi's version to the tender, soul stirring musicality of Danilo Braca and Bahia Alegria's Latin-influenced take rendered across three distinct mixes. There's also Simone's light-hearted original to enjoy, plus Eld Russell's swirling, heavily treated 'Reggae Basement Mix' for those who like things dubby.
Review: Latin Cumbia is one of the most lauded dance music genres of the 2020s so far, having been subject to many an electronic and club reinterpretation in recent times, after decades of obscurity since its origin in 70s South America. But what happens when its jerking rhythms are heard intermixed with dub reggae? Elijah Minnelli, with his unbeatable brand of bread-indued kookery, implies his possession of the answer, with a firebrand new EP on 7" yellow vinyl. 'Bebe Durmiendo Cumbia' ('Sleeping Baby Cumbia') is a somnolent take on the dragging, hemiola-laden sound by the producer, representing the neotenous infancy of the genre as it enjoys continued residence in the UK. The cumbia version is a wailingly minimal slumber, while the B-side represents a more traditional, psychedelicized live dub take, performed entirely by Elijah himself.
Review: Greyscale unveils its latest endeavour, the Spectrum Series, as a way to continue to evolve its offerings and this time it is with something that makes a vibrant departure from its traditional black-and-white aesthetic. The inaugural release features the iconic Lithuanian dub track 'Kasdienybes Sventykla' by grad_u & Eazystyle MC as a way of commemorating its 15th anniversary. It came as a double CD in 2011 but now gets a first vinyl pressing on a nice 10" slab of wax. The track itself taps into the earliest roots of dub in the 70s and traces a line through the 80s with its heavyweight drums and endlessly echoing bass topped by great mic work. A pared-back instrumental features on the flip of this latest crucial drop from the dub dons at Greyscale
Review: Habibi Funk does a great job of introducing or reacquainting the world with niche but rich musical scenes from all across the Arab world. This latest album takes us to the reggae sounds of Libya and specifically the work of Ibrahim Hesnawi, who is known amongst those who know as "The Father of Libyan Reggae." He draws on roots, dub and dancehall with a distinctive Arabic twist that plots a line from Tripoli to Kingston. This artist is so revered for the way he fused the those two musical worlds so effortlessly while colouring it with elements of jazz, soul and disco. An enchanting album that was first recorded more than 40 years ago.
Review: Mikal Asher, a scion of Jamaica's Morgan family dynasty, reunites with Chocolate Star Records here and does so with a collaboration with disco legend Gary Davis. Asher, akin to his brother Denroy Morgan, upholds the family's legacy of righteousness through music. Known as the Binghiman, he crafts captivating tunes with profound lyrics and has recorded in Ghana's Hustle Hard Studios and collaborated with industry pioneers in Kingston and Brooklyn, setting new standards in musical excellence along the way. Here, 'Wicked Ah Fi' transforms into a modern dub stepper, while 'Black Woman' offers a soulful, laid-back dedication to Davis' wife, Sonjia. This 7" also comes with innovative remixes from California-based DJ and producer Knoe1.
What The World Needs Now Is Love (Silent Dream version) (4:32)
Review: Reggae Disco Rockers are Japan's leading reggae and lover's rock band. They have been active since they dropped their first ever single way back in 1996 and since then they have put a steady stream of sounds including six full albums and many more singles. This one is a cover of an absolute soul classic. 'What The World Needs Now Is Love' here becomes a slow, weighty dub with splashy cymbals, nice incidental melodies and a re-sung vocal that conveys the same emotions. Flip it over for a more steamy, sax-laced Silent Dream version.
Derrick Harriott & The Tamlins & Joy White & Reasons & U-Brown - "Christmas Songbook" (11:27)
The Chariot Riders - "Christmas Songbook" (instrumental dub Style) (11:32)
Review: Lifelong reggae fans, vinyl lovers and frequent Juno readers will be familiar with Crystal D's Reggae Disco mix series. It was a 70s thing where artists served up their own unique reggae versions of Christmas classics and now we get volume 17 of the Christmas Songbook. This one comes on 12" in hand-stamped sleeve and the A-side is an 11+ minute collection of tunes from Derrick Harriott & The Tamlins & Joy White & Reasons & U-Brown with natty chords, sleigh bells and choral reggae vocals. What a mix. In authentic reggae fashion, the flip side is a dub of the whole lot by The Chariot Riders.
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