Really heady sounds from Frightnrs – a group who've changed up their sound slightly since their last full length release – at a level that makes them even more interesting than ever before! The group still draw heavily from older rocksteady and soulful reggae modes – but it also feels as if they're leaning a bit more heavily on sweet soul modes from the early 70s too – coming across with the warmth of a harmony vocal record on the lyrics, while still also reveling in the best sort of slow-stepping, dub heavy rhythms in the music! Dan Klein handles the vocals, always with a great sense of echo – and Chuck Patel adds lots of great organ and keyboards to the music – including some great spacey effects. Victor Axelrod did a superb job with production – and titles include "30 56", "You Still", "Profilin", "Expectations", "Tuesday", "Always", "Maybe Isle", and "Why Does It Feel Like A Curse". CD

Really heady sounds from Frightnrs – a group who've changed up their sound slightly since their last full length release – at a level that makes them even more interesting than ever before! The group still draw heavily from older rocksteady and soulful reggae modes – but it also feels as if they're leaning a bit more heavily on sweet soul modes from the early 70s too – coming across with the warmth of a harmony vocal record on the lyrics, while still also reveling in the best sort of slow-stepping, dub heavy rhythms in the music! Dan Klein handles the vocals, always with a great sense of echo – and Chuck Patel adds lots of great organ and keyboards to the music – including some great spacey effects. Victor Axelrod did a superb job with production – and titles include "30 56", "You Still", "Profilin", "Expectations", "Tuesday", "Always", "Maybe Isle", and "Why Does It Feel Like A Curse". LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from the Jamaican scene – a set that includes cuts by artists who'd later record classic tracks in the rocksteady years, but who here are working in a much different mode! The title is plenty apt, but only gets at part of the sound – as this isn't straight doo wop as you'd know from the American scene, but instead some early group harmony – of the sort that would flourish even more strongly on famous Jamaican trio recordings of the late 60s – handled here with much more stripped-down instrumentation, and a shifting set of rhythms that mixes US influences with other more Caribbean modes. Titles include "Muriel" by Alton & Eddie, "Dearest Darling" by Jiving Juniors, "Til The End Of Time" by Chuck & Dobby, "Dearest Beverly" by Jimmy Cliff, "Heavenly Angel" by Laurel Aitken, "Do You Know" by Owen & Millie, "I'm Going Back" by The Charmers, "Diamonds & Pearls" by Dobby Dobson, and "Album Of Memory" by The Mellowlarks. LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from the Jamaican scene – a set that includes cuts by artists who'd later record classic tracks in the rocksteady years, but who here are working in a much different mode! The title is plenty apt, but only gets at part of the sound – as this isn't straight doo wop as you'd know from the American scene, but instead some early group harmony – of the sort that would flourish even more strongly on famous Jamaican trio recordings of the late 60s – handled here with much more stripped-down instrumentation, and a shifting set of rhythms that mixes US influences with other more Caribbean modes. Titles include "Muriel" by Alton & Eddie, "Dearest Darling" by Jiving Juniors, "Til The End Of Time" by Chuck & Dobby, "Dearest Beverly" by Jimmy Cliff, "Heavenly Angel" by Laurel Aitken, "Do You Know" by Owen & Millie, "I'm Going Back" by The Charmers, "Diamonds & Pearls" by Dobby Dobson, "Album Of Memory" by The Mellowlarks, "Have Faith In Me" by Jiving Juniors, "Now You Want To Cry" by Prince Buster & The Charmers, "I Love My Teacher" by Chuck & Dobby, "Call Your Name Forever" by The Blues Busters, "I Love You Forever" by The Echoes Celestials, "Hear My Cry" by Wilfred Jackie Edwards, "Guilty Convict" by Rupert Edwards, "Julie" by The Moonlighters, "Worried Over You" by Keith & Enid, "My Heaven" by Alton & Eddie, "Sweet As An Angel" by Jiving Juniors, "First Time We Met" by Annette & Shenley, "Dream Girl" by Ricketts & Rowe, "Don't You Know" by The Moonlighters, "I'll Always Call Your Name" by Belltones, "Never Go Away" by Wilfred Jackie Edwards, "Change Of Mind" by Higgs & Wilson, and "I've Done You Wrong" by The Blues Busters. CD

A baker's dozen from Wayne Smith, Tenor Saw, Nitty Gritty, Pinchers, Admiral Bailey, Lt. Stitchie, Chuck Turner, Admiral Tibet, Dominic, Leroy Gibbons, Pad Anthony, Junior Mervin, and Super Black. CD

A stunning look at the early years of the Jamaican music scene – tracks from the years before ska, rocksteady, and reggae really took over – but which really helped set the scene for years to come! All the work here is from the hands of Duke Reid – soon to be known for his famous mid 60s productions on the Treasure Isle label – already here with his ear to the ground, capturing the unique shifts in the island's culture – some in mento and calypso, some in jazz, and others in modes that are very similar to the sounds to come! You'll recognize more than a few names here from important later work – and the huge 84 track package features dozens of titles that appear here on CD for the first time ever – countless great gems from artists who include Derrick Morgan, Roland Alphonso, Cosmo & Dennis, The Prodigals, Derrick & Patsy, Laurel Aitken, Chuck & Dobby, Basil Gabbidon, Hortense Ellis, The Moonlighters, Eric Morris, Frank Cosmo, Monty & Roy, Rico Rodriguez, Jiving Juniors, Alvin & Cecil, Lord Power, Laurel Aitken, and even Duke Reid himself. CD

One of the true innovators of Jamaican DeeJaying, Big Youth not only turned the genre on it's head by bringing conscious roots style lyrics to the forefront, but also took control of the producer duties on many of his own sessions, and was no slouch at it either. This 2CD set is a nice collection of some his best tracks, with rhythms cut by many of the greatest in reggae. Total of 41 tracks, including "Cool Breeze", "Foreman vs. Frazier", "Chucky No Lucky", "Screaming Target", "Concrete Jungle", "Reggae Phenomenon", "Natty Cultural Dread", "Dread High Ranking", "Wolf In Sheep's Clothing" & "Every N*gger Is A Star". CD

A massive package – the full rare Undertaker album from Derrick Harriott & The Crystalites, plus an insane amount of bonus tracks too! The core album is instrumental – a wicked set of rhythms from The Crystalites, a group who have a vibe that's right up there with the best of the late 60s Kingston scene, but a groove that's definitely their own – almost a razor's edge to some of the rhythms, as they snap through some excellent late rocksteady/early reggae modes! Harriott produced, and adds in all these cool touches and sounds that almost predate some of the later experimental modes of Lee Scratch Perry. Titles include "The Undertaker", "Bombshell", "Biafra", "The Bad", "Lady Madonna", "Fistful Of Dollars", "The Barefoot Brigade", and "Dr Who". 2CD set features 14 more instrumental tracks from The Crystalites – plus 27 more Harriott-produced numbers, including work by Rudy Mills, Junior Murvin, Keith & Tex, The Chuckles, Eric Donaldson, Pat Satchmo, Tinga & Ernie, and The Ethiopians. CD