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Essential Afro reggaefrom Ivory Coast pioneer great Alpha Blondy – 1984's standard bearing Cocody Rock! The title track and defining anthem "Cocody Rock" was cut at Tuff Gong and sort of paved the way for African reggae to come. A number of the tracks feature backing by the group... read more

Afro reggae Great Alpha Blondy fulfills his dream of performing with The Wailers! The best of the tracks, especially the title track, is quite wonderful – with great vocals throughout by Alpha Blondy. A few tunes have a drum machine, grounding the atmosphere of those numbers squarely in... read more

No need for a leap of faith where Bluey's concerned – as we've been loving his music with Incognito for many many years, and we're more than happy to hear the man on his own! The vibe here is every bit as soulful and righteous as the best Incognito work – but there's also a more... read more

Brand New Heavies back in action – and sounding every bit as great as always! The group still has that sublime mix of soul, jazz, and funk that's made them so great right from the start – a mode that's steeped in classic influences from the 60s and 70s, yet finds a way to come out... read more

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The Floacist, sounding better than ever – in a record that may well top any of her previous work – and maybe even music by Floetry too! The set begins with a wonderful duet with Raheem Devaughn on the cut "Start Again" – a cut that feels like some lost treasure from the... read more

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Soulful, not surreal – a sublime set of sounds from Incognito – one of the few groups who could ever stay this great for so long! The record's overflowing with everything we love about Incognito – that warm blend of soul, jazz, and funk – trained in the best 70s elements at... read more

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Timeless soul from Maysa – who here lends her sweet molasses vocals to numbers made famous by Stevie Wonder, Teddy Pendergrass, The Isley Brothers, Chaka Khan, The Stylistics, Roberta Flack and others! Maysa fully employs the sophisticated mellow soul approach on this set – befitting... read more

Sweet, smooth, and soulful sounds from Mint Condition – still very much at the top of their game, and running strong with that tight harmony style that's always made them a favorite 'round these parts! The album's got a great balance between mainstream tightness and indie soul looseness... read more

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Nice wife!... read more

US issue of some of Sonny's African recordings from the early 80s. The groove here is afro-pop, with crisp guitars and a lighter beat than Fela's style of afrobeat, but with similar cascading horn parts. The production's a bit slicker too, with the vocals pushed way forward in the mix. Titles... read more

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Sublime vocals from the legendary Phil Perry – still sounding wonderful after all these many years, and getting some great contemporary help from producer Chris "Big Dog" Davis! The album's got a sweet-stepping vibe that really lets Perry shine – a warm sound that reminds us... read more

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We've loved Swing Out Sister for more than a few years – and over that time, the duo's only gotten better! It's records like this that keep us coming back again and again – a brilliant blend of soul currents and hook-heavy arrangements that feel like a blend of late 60s UK and the best... read more

One of Bunny Wailer's last totally roots oriented sets, before he began dabbling a bit in dancehall, and a mighty one at that. Livingston gets help from a cast of heavyweights, like Horsemouth Wallace, Robbie Shakespeare, Chinna Smith, Erest Ranglin, Tommy McCook, Bobby Ellis, Deadly Headly Bennet... read more

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