Pressure Sounds does it again, with another fine collection of mighty, mighty dub! A much needed Blackbeard retrospective collecting 16 hard to get cuts from British dubmeister Dennis Bovell, rare dubs and instrumentals, plus a couple of outstanding vocal tracks from the man at the epicenter of the British reggae scene. Focusing on Bovell's early work, this collection brings some of his heaviest productions out for the first time since their original release in the mid-seventies, all propelled by his chubby bass playing and rounded out by his deft touch on the console. 16 tracks in all: "The Grunwick Affair", "Harmoniser Dub", "Dominion Dub", "Rowing (12" version)", "Zombie Zones", "Zion Dub", "Higher Ranking", "Ranking High", "Scientific", "Shi-cago", "None Jah Jah Children (Melodica version)", "Uganda Crisis", "Ah Fi Wi Dis", "Entebbe", "Blood Ah Go Run" and "Dub'er". As always, a wonderful package, with new liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most righteous albums to come out of the Kingston scene in the early 70s – a set that's driven by the new spirit of the Rastafarian generation, but which also pushes the music much more than some of the commercial efforts of the time! The style of the music here is almost to mainstream reggae what spiritual jazz was to 70s funk – richer, deeper, more thoughtful, driven by message, and carried forth through instrumentation and production – a heady brew cooked up by Lloyd Charmers in the studio, with work from Willie London on guitar, Lloyd Parks on bass, and Charmers himself on organ, piano, and lots of earthy percussion. Of course, the vocals of Ras Michael are the real driving forces of the record – again very different than any mainstream singers, as he stretches out on these long, hypnotic tracks that include "Run Come Rally", "Seventy Two Nations", "Zion Land", and "Know How You Stand". LP, Vinyl record album

American grooves go Kingston – as the set features a wonderful assortment of funk and soul classics, all delivered here in reggae-styled versions! The approach is similar to the material featured in the older Reggae Disco collection from Soul Jazz – but the mix of modes here is much more expansive – so that you'll get some cuts that are very heavy in a New York clubby groove, while others are much more Jamaican in approach – and have an American soul tune bending down towards more reggae-oriented territory. As always with Soul Jazz, the choice of cuts is wonderful – and includes "Move On Up" by Devon Russell, "Caught You In A Lie" by Derrick Harriott, "Young Hearts Run Free" by Hortense Ellis, "Wanna Be Startin Somethin" by Ed Watson & Brass Circle, "For The Love Of You" by Bill Campbell, "Flight To Jamaica" by Crashers, "Fool's Paradise" by Valerie Harrison, "Reasons" by Seventh Extension, "Don't Let Love Get You Down" by Pete Campbell & The Sunshine Girls, "In The Rain" by Webby Jay, and "Just A Groove" by Glen Adams Affair. LP, Vinyl record album