A contemporary set, but one that's got a classic roots reggae vibe that goes right back to the 70s – right down to the classic style of featuring a dub version of a cut right after the vocals! Earl Sixteen has roots that go way back, and given the strength of his performance here, he can definitely claim the role of rightful ruler in the title – working with superb production from Zion I Kings, in a blend of older digital and dubby modes! Titles include "Jah Earth", "Jah Dub", "Rightful Ruler", "Rightful Dub", "Take Some Time", "Take Some Dub", "Find A Way", and "Find A Dub" – the last two of which feature guest work from Mr Williamz. LP, Vinyl record album

The Frightnrs have plenty more to say here – and they say it in a really sharp-edged approximation of older rocksteady modes! The group are contemporary, but like the best acts on Daptone, they've got an instantly classic feel – thanks to instrumentation and production that take us right back to late 60s Kingston, but with some of the sharper funky currents we've come to expect from the label! And while The Frightnrs may pitch themselves as an old school reggae act, they're also one that have a heavy dose of soul – almost a late night New Jersey current to their music at times – as if the All Platinum/Stang label put out their own version of Jamaican soul. The approach is great, and very unique – and titles include "Hey Brother", "Gotta Find A Way", "What Have I Done", "Nothing More To Say", "All My Tears", "Purple", "Dispute", and "Till Then". CD

The title certainly gets it right – as Derrick Harriott serves up a wonderful mix of sounds that owes plenty to American funk and soul of the early 70s – some cool Kingston covers of famous US tunes, and some other originals that are equally groovy overall! The set's one of the best that we've ever heard from the Dub Store label – and almost has a Soul Jazz level of track selection – really wonderful work that either features Derrick in the lead, or working with some hip contemporaries, in a groove that's totally great – neither straight reggae, but also quite far from more familiar funk and soul too. Titles include "Black Moses" by The Preacher, "Tougher Than Tough" by I Roy, "Brown Baby" by Derrick Harriott, "Hell Below" by Crystal Generation, "Going Back Home" by The Chosen Few, "Psychedelic Train" by Derrick Harriott, "Slippery" by Karl Bryan & The Crystalites, "Home Sweet Home" by Bongo Herman & Les, "Rescue The Children" by Junior Murvin, "Phoenix" by Noel Brown, "People Make The World Go Round" by The Chosen Few, and "Message From A Black Man" by Derrick Harriott. LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning early work from one of our favorite reggae groups ever – the mighty Toots & The Maytals, a key link between the soul styles of the Jamaican scene of the 60s, and the righteous years to come! There's a groove to the Maytals music that nobody else seems to get this right – or this tight – a fantastic criss-crossing of rhythms that's often nicely stripped-down, and which seems to set fire to the vocal interplay between Toots and the rest of the group – in a way that's as vocally explosive as the instrumentation at the core! Sure, these guys can harmonize as well as the rest of their contemporaries – but they've also got an even greater talent for trading back and forth, which seems to make every one of their tunes an instant groove. Titles include "Pee Pee Cluck Cluck", "Loving Spirit", "Dr Lester", "Gold Silver", "Koo Koo", "Revival Reggae", "Thy Kingdom Come", "One Eyed Enos", "A Time To Love", "9 O'Clock", "Know Me Good", "Got To Feel", "Feel So Good", and "Give Peace A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

The full length classic from the duo of Althea Forrest and Donna Reid – a pair who recorded the title hit as a bit of a lark, then found themselves quickly coming up with enough material to follow up with a full length album! Despite their almost accidental fame, the duo are pretty darn great – very much in the best roots mode of the mid 70s, with an easygoing vocal style that slides right into the well-crafted grooves of the set! Instrumentation is top-shelf throughout – key Kingston backing from Tommy McCook on tenor, Vin Gordon on trombone, Chinna Smith on guitar, and Sly and Robbie on rhythm – all giving the record a great midtempo groove that lets the vocals flow in a nicely seductive way throughout. Titles include "No More Fighting", "Jah Rasafari", "Make A Truce", "The West", "Jah Music", "Sorry", "They Wanna Just", "Uptown Top Ranking", and "If You Don't Love Jah". LP, Vinyl record album

Dee jay Jah Batta gets plenty of space here to stretch out and do his thing – toasting his way through a variety of righteous topics, all with a vocal deftness that really matches the great rhythms on the set from the Roots Radics! The whole thing's got the lean vibe of the best Wackie's productions of the period – some contemporary elements, but a very timeless approach overall – maybe one that's key, given that the messages in the music are still pretty resonant all these many years later! Titles include "No Meat", "Ten To Seven", "Youthman School", "Hold On Pon The Woman", "Out A Reach", "Mi Black", and "Argument". CD

There's plenty of dub procedure going on here – as Al Breadwinner takes tapes from the original Right Procedure album by Soul Power & Sound, and mixes them out into a wicked set of extended dubby takes on the tunes! If you know the Breadwinner touch, you'll know the special sort of magic going on here – a contemporary touch, but one that's very faithful to modes first explored in the analog generation – with plenty of respect for the righteous energy the group brought to the lyrics of the tunes! Guitar is handled by Evon Lazarus and Trevor McLaughlin – the latter of whom handles lead vocals too – on titles that include "Lick Ganja", "Yard Music", "Love's Got Me Hypnotized", "Africa", and "I Love Your Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning double-length collection of work from dub producer Errol Brown – a massive 42 tracks in all, each of which definitely live up to the "tip top" promised in the title! The work here is from the years 1977 and 1978 – all originally issued on the High Note or Sky Note labels, at a time when Brown's talents in the studio were able to completely transform elements from contemporary tunes, and take them into all sorts of wonderful new directions with instrumentation help from The Revolutionaries! There's plenty of echo throughout, but most tunes also have a very straightforward vibe too – lean and forward-moving, without getting too bogged down in the production – just using the right elements to make everything sound super-cool throughout. The set features 25 tracks that have never been on CD amidst the total of 42 – and tracks include "Phase One Special", "Roots Man Dub", "Dancing Dub", "Wooga Man", "King Ruler", "Ital Dub", "Dub Walla", "Chapter 15", "Know Your Friend Version", "Strictly Roots"- "Lizard Version", and "Dub In Dreamland". CD

The third volume in this wonderful series – and like the other volumes, a record that really lives up to its name! The groove here mixes together 70s roots in disco and reggae – and comes up with a cool contemporary blend that's mighty nice – held together through top-shelf production from key French talents who include Mato and Patchworks – in a groove that's nicely unified throughout! Many tunes are covers and remakes – the set includes great versions of songs by Herbie Hancock, Rolling Stones, Donna Summer, and others – but all done in these very fresh new ways that are completely unique. Titles include "Feel Like Makin Love" by The Dynamics, "Disco Illusion" by Taggy Matcher, "Melt The Night (Mato reggae rmx)" by Lucas Arruda, "Miss You (ext disco version)" by The Dynamics, "Shake It Dub (ext 12" version)" by 7 Samurai, "Cantaloupe Island" by Taggy Matcher, "Movin In The Right Direction" by Mato, and "Loev To Love You Baby" by Rosemary Martins. (New Grooves, Reggae) LP, Vinyl record album

A pastoral cover hides the greatness within – a set that's maybe one of the most soulful ever recorded by the great Laurel Aitken – who also produced and penned all the tunes too! There's a warm soul vibe to the record that's almost more Sam Cooke than some of the earlier material that Aitken had recorded – and very different than the ska work of his later years too – this sunny glow that has the midtempo cuts sparkling nicely, and with energy that mixes American soul with just the right amount of Caribbean flavor. Titles include "Baby Let Me Take You Home", "Evil Woman", "You Don't Have To Hide", "Think It Over", "Sitting By The Window", and "Baby I Love You". LP, Vinyl record album