Reggae — All Formats  

A definite breakout from Louisa Mark – a set of smooth-stepping rhythms with plenty of Jamaican elements in the mix – yet served up in a warm London vibe that's plenty soulful too! The mix of modes is great – and makes the record a lovers' rock classic right from the get-go – and a great evolution of 70s reggae into some soulful styles for the 80s! Producer Clem Bushay does a great job with the music – keeping things tight, yet never in a way that's commercial at all – just compressed enough to let Louisa's vocals really sparkle in the lead. There's a heartbreaking quality to most tunes – an element that really furthers the soul music aspect of the record – and titles include "Reunited", "People In Love", "6 Six Street", "Even Though You're Gone", "Baby Simone", and "He Used To Be My Man". Also features bonus tracks – "Gone Out" by Louisa Mark with Bushranger, "Step It Brother Clem" by Trinity, and "Natty Go Dey Voluntarily" by Jah Son.

Heavy dubs from Scientist & Jamaica's Crazy Mad Professor (not to be confused with the non-crazy, London via Guyana Mad Professor) – a pair of mixers & producer who came up working with the Legendary King Tubby – turned loose on a classic riddims on this joint compilation! Scientist dubs include "Everlove Dub", "Earth's Rightful Ruler", "Solve It Dub", "Rush Dem Dub", "Good Time", "Come Dub" and more. Crazy Mad Professor dubs include "Real Dancehall Dub", "Cutting Edge Dub", "Wondering Drifter Dub", "Sailors Dub", "Groovin Dub" and more.

Top notch instrumentals from the loose collective dubbed Third World All Stars – recorded in the mid 70s at London's Chalk Farm and EFM studios – and featuring both London-based and visiting Jamaican legends in the mix! The production is billed to Count Shelly, and it features some base rhythms cut for Errol Dunkley's Sit And Cry Over You Record – released on Shelley's label. The rhythms are indeed impeccable, and there are all these unique soulful layers added to them that really give it a worthwhile life of their own as a soulful reggae instrumentals set. Players include Michael Bammy Rose on sax, Lester Sterling on trumpet and sax, Tyrone Downie, Gladdy Anderson and Winston Wright on keys, Jackie Jackson on bass and Winston Grennan on drums. Beautiful, timeless and soulful rhythms that are on par with the finest Carribbean music of the period – whether it was recorded in Kingston, London, or anywhere else. Essential! Includes "Rebel Rock", "Repatriation Remedy", "Our Dream World", "Patricia's Love", "Soothing In The Mind", "Black Moon", "For All Ways", "Just For You", "Train To Skaville" and "Moog In Blues".

Top notch instrumentals from the loose collective dubbed Third World All Stars – recorded in the mid 70s at London's Chalk Farm and EFM studios – and featuring both London-based and visiting Jamaican legends in the mix! The production is billed to Count Shelly, and it features some base rhythms cut for Errol Dunkley's Sit And Cry Over You Record – released on Shelley's label. The rhythms are indeed impeccable, and there are all these unique soulful layers added to them that really give it a worthwhile life of their own as a soulful reggae instrumentals set. Players include Michael Bammy Rose on sax, Lester Sterling on trumpet and sax, Tyrone Downie, Gladdy Anderson and Winston Wright on keys, Jackie Jackson on bass and Winston Grennan on drums. Beautiful, timeless and soulful rhythms that are on par with the finest Carribbean music of the period – whether it was recorded in Kingston, London, or anywhere else. Essential! Includes "Rebel Rock", "Repatriation Remedy", "Our Dream World", "Patricia's Love", "Soothing In The Mind", "Black Moon", "For All Ways", "Just For You", "Train To Skaville" and "Moog In Blues".

A soulful set from Carroll Thompson – the debut from the sultry UK singer, and a set that went onto become a key classic in the lovers rock genre! Carroll has a great way of mixing Jamaican styles with a bit more of a London vibe – coming up with a criss-cross of modes that really reflects the way that reggae changed when it moved across the Atlantic – picked up by the British scene, and circulated amidst different communities in London. Thompson's approach is a perfect portrayal of this mode – as she sings sweetly with these great two-step backings that also draw plenty of energy from late 70s mellow soul – with some aspects that are almost like New Jersey soul of the generation before. Titles include "Simply In Love", "I'm So Sorry", "No You Don't Know", "Sing Me A Love Song", "Merry Go Round", and "Mr Cool".

Ho!! Here's one to take you on a short trip down memory lane! We say short because in today's groove scene new sounds and movements take hold and shift to another scene so quickly, it's easy forget how recently they were birthed. So never mind dub step or broken beat or any of the grandchildren of the drum and bass scene and cruise back to the salad days of the mid 90s with this fab compilation showcasing the original breakbeat sound! Non-stop jungle tracks with relentless rhythms that sound as fresh today as they did when they were new, new unstoppable sound system rockers and neck snapping underground club anthems of East London. 13 tracks in all, including "Original Nuttah" by UK Apache & Shy FX, "Super Sharp Shooter" by DJ Zinc, "Illegal Gunshot" by the Ragga Twins, "No Doubt" by Shut Up & Dance, "Under Mi Sensi (X-Project rmx)" by Barrington Levy &Beenie Man, "Bad Boy Lick A New Shot" by Ninjaman, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man & Ninja Ford, "Press The Trigger" by Poison Chang and "Incredible" by M Beat with general Levy.

Not sure if this record will stop the spread of global conflict, but it's more than groovy enough to make us drop what we're doing and trip out with the grooves! As with other Wareika projects, the sound here is plenty dubby – lots of influences from older Kingston and London records, but also often given a uniquely earthy twist too – percussion that's a lot rootsier than you'd hear on any reggae record, and some wicked trombone lines that snake in and out of the grooves. Titles include "No More War", "Free The People", "Chant Rasta", and "Universe In Crisis".

A definite breakout from Louisa Mark – a set of smooth-stepping rhythms with plenty of Jamaican elements in the mix – yet served up in a warm London vibe that's plenty soulful too! The mix of modes is great – and makes the record a lovers' rock classic right from the get-go – and a great evolution of 70s reggae into some soulful styles for the 80s! Producer Clem Bushay does a great job with the music – keeping things tight, yet never in a way that's commercial at all – just compressed enough to let Louisa's vocals really sparkle in the lead. There's a heartbreaking quality to most tunes – an element that really furthers the soul music aspect of the record – and titles include "Reunited", "People In Love", "6 Six Street", "Even Though You're Gone", "Baby Simone", and "He Used To Be My Man". Also features bonus tracks – "Gone Out" by Louisa Mark with Bushranger, "Step It Brother Clem" by Trinity, and "Natty Go Dey Voluntarily" by Jah Son.

A contemporary group, but one with a very vintage reggae vibe – one that's put together here by producer Eric Hilton, who's got a well-trained ear for the classic, thanks to his work in Thievery Corporation! There's a warm, soulful feel to the record – a vibe that's somewhere between mid 70s Kingston, and London reggae from a decade later – all handled with a stripped-down, no-nonsense approach that features soulful horns, stepping basslines, and just the right sort of dubbish production to make the whole thing gel together – yet survive on its own without any studio tricks or gimmicks. Vocals are by Ras Puma, Lenny Kurlou, Sleepy Wonder, and Ichelle Cole – and titles include "Who's Correct", "Nuff A Dem", "Crime", "Blasting Through The City", "Sensibility", "Music Is My Prayer", and "Boof Baff".

A soulful set from Carroll Thompson – the debut from the sultry UK singer, and a set that went onto become a key classic in the lovers rock genre! Carroll has a great way of mixing Jamaican styles with a bit more of a London vibe – coming up with a criss-cross of modes that really reflects the way that reggae changed when it moved across the Atlantic – picked up by the British scene, and circulated amidst different communities in London. Thompson's approach is a perfect portrayal of this mode – as she sings sweetly with these great two-step backings that also draw plenty of energy from late 70s mellow soul – with some aspects that are almost like New Jersey soul of the generation before. Titles include "Simply In Love", "I'm So Sorry", "No You Don't Know", "Sing Me A Love Song", "Merry Go Round", and "Mr Cool".