Trojan/Music On Vinyl (Netherlands), 1976. New Copy (reissue)
One of those great "mystery" projects from Dennis Bovell – a record that was originally designed to look like some obscure import from Kingston, but which was actually Bovell and crew working in a top shelf UK answer to righteous roots modes of the 70s! Tracks are full of righteous ...
Empire/Lantern (Italy), 1984. New Copy (reissue)
There's a nicely punctuated vibe to this sweet set of later tracks from Delroy Wilson – instrumentation that's moved into the digital age, but which still has that slow funky crackle at the bottom that seems to work so well with Delroy's vocals! The approach seems to work especially well at ...
P-Vine (Japan), Early 70s. New Copy
Bob Marley material that goes way past the obvious – not the big hits of the Island Records years, but instead a whole host of much more obscure recordings from the 70s – tunes that were either rare Jamaican-only singles, or titles that were created only as dubplates for use in sound ...
Hornin Sounds (France), Early 80s. New Copy
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 ...
Hornin Sounds (France), 1982. New Copy
A set that's filled with fantastic work from guitarist Fazal Prendergast – working here in a laidback setting with lean backing from the High Times Players, a group that features some sweet keyboard work from Augustus Pablo! The tunes were recorded at Channel One and Aquarius, and mixed at ...
Pablo International (France), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy
A set that's maybe even better than you might expect from the title – as it not only features never-heard music from the great Augustus Pablo, it also includes killer material from a time when he was burning with a tremendously righteous fire! Backings on most tracks are by the Rockers All ...
Earthquake/17 North Parade, 1977. New Copy (reissue)
Fantastic early material from Gregory Isaacs – captured here early in his career, and working in a deep roots reggae mode – recording at Channel One with great direction from Ossie Hibbert! The set's laidback and righteous, in ways that let all the soulful qualities of Isaac's vocals ...
King Jammys/VP, Mid 80s. New Copy
Righteous roots reggae from the digital generation – a whole host of tracks produced by the legendary King Jammy – a force who was really able to keep the spiritual fires of the 70s burning well into the following decade! The selection of cuts here is great – and if anything, the ...
Clocktower/Onlyroots (France), 1975. New Copy (reissue)
Essential dub material from the legendary King Tubby – a set that's one of the best of the genre during the classic years – and which stands as a true testament to how great the format can be when handled right! The watchword here is simplicity – as the key elements are almost ...
Rockers International/Onlyroots (France), 1988. New Copy
A digital set from the second half of the 80s, but one that keeps a very righteous, rootsy vibe at times – thanks to production from Augustus Pablo, and plenty of spiritual guidance from co-producer Haile Selassie! Pablo adds in plenty of melodica and keyboard lines next to the tightly ...
Greensleeves (UK), 1983. New Copy (reissue)
There's no stopping the double-dee jay power of Clint Eastwood and General Saint – as they pair together here on a classic album that's every bit as great as their Two Bad DJ set! The mix of voices trading back and forth is wonderful, especially over the laidback rhythms of the set – ...
Trojan, 1968. New Copy (reissue)
Soul power 1968, but Kingston-style too – served up here in a host of gems from the vaults of Jamaican producer Duke Reid! The material is from a perfect moment in Reid's career – a time when he was changing his well-crafted Treasure Isle groove from ska to rocksteady – bringing ...
VP, 1976. New Copy
Lee Scratch Perry's funky reggae party, put together at the Black Ark, with Boris Gardner, Mickey Boo, Sly Dunbar & Winston Wright. A nice batch of crackling Jamaican funk, with the requisite Black Ark smoke blowing throughout. Includes a bunch of classic Perry-isms, with Scratch dropping ...
Pressure Sounds (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy 2LP
A wealth of rare work from Jamaican studio genius Bunny Striker Lee – unusual cuts and unreleased material – all of it a further testament to his legendary ear for a mindblowing sound! These aren't half-baked cuts, or material that deserved to fall to the cutting room floor – ...
Rockers International/Onlyroots (France), 1978. New Copy (reissue)
A lean and spooky little set from the Rockers All Stars – put together with killer production from Augustus Pablo and Everton Da Silva! The vibe here is in the moodiest territory that Pablo might explore on albums under his own name – and although the father is providing help, it's ...
GG's/Onlyroots (France), 1977. New Copy (reissue)
A set that's nicely different than the "best of" you might expect – as the record features all new material – both songs that appear here for the first time, and new recordings of older gems – which all come together with the laidback, easygoing vibe that makes Gregory ...
GG's/Onlyroots (France), 1977. New Copy (reissue)
Gregory Isaacs kicks back with a spliff on the front cover – earning himself some well-earned relaxation after turning out this tasty set of tracks from the 70s! The record's not a collection of earlier singles, and instead features new recordings all arranged by Alvin Ranglin – with ...
Shanachie/Onlyroots (France), 1978. New Copy (reissue)
One of Augustus Pablo's most classic records – from the title, to the cover, to the melodica-laden grooves within – prime Pablo with that ethereal sound that few other players could match on the instrument! The backings are warm and dubby – a perfect complement to the moody lead ...
Superior Viaduct, 1980. New Copy (reissue)
Benchmark dub by Scientist – and introduction to a truly pivotal figure! Introducing Scientist is certainly one of his best records – and if it doesn't fully live up to the subtitle boast ("the best dub album in the world"), it really does come pretty darn close! Mixed at ...
GG's/Onlyroots (France), 1978. New Copy (reissue)
The Revolutionaries are in fantastic formation on this rare dub set for GG's Records – serving up all sorts of deep, dark rhythms that get wonderfully transformed by the heady production from Alvin Ranglin! Ranglin's a real master of understatement here – and the album's definitely got ...
Message/Onlyroots (France), 1983. New Copy (reissue)
A righteous roots reggae set from the great Augustus Pablo – a record that's definitely filled with the sense of spiritual guidance he brought to some of his best albums at the time! The man himself plays all sorts of cool melodica solos, and also handles piano and organ too – with ...
Pressure Sounds (UK), Early 80s/2023. New Copy
Never-issued work from Jamaican singer Al Brown – tapes that were thought to be lost for years, then were recently rediscovered and brought back to life by the talents of Paolo "Dub Files" Baldini! The work has a righteous quality at the core – very soulful vocals from Al, ...
Blue Mountain/333 (UK), 1985. New Copy (reissue)
A sweetly soulful set from Robert Ffrench – a completely self-produced set, which seems to give the whole thing a very down to earth vibe – especially given its release in the middle of the digital dancehall generation! There's certainly elements in the music that link it to that ...
Studio One, Late 60s. New Copy (reissue)
Crucial early work from Bob Andy – a run of solo tracks recorded for Studio One after Bob split with The Paragons – collected together here as a single set that really brings a new soulful standard to Jamaican music in the second half of the 60s! There's a great mix of modes going on ...
Studio One, Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy
A set with a familiar title – similar to a Soul Jazz compilation of vintage work from Studio One – but a package that's nicely different, and which digs even deeper into the legendary catalog of the famous reggae label! The style here is nicely open – there's vocal and ...
Coxsone/Rockashacka (Japan), 1961. New Copy
The very first album from Coxone Dodd – the start of a huge legacy that ran into classic Studio One Records productions of the 60s and 70s, and which started with this initial album of early Jamaican grooves! There's plenty of jazz in the mix here – freer-flowing solos than you'd hear ...
Groove Master/Rockashacka (Japan), Mid 70s. New Copy
Stunning harmony soul from the Jamaican scene – served up here by The Chosen Few, a group we'd rank right up there with some of the best American harmony soul acts from the Philly and New Jersey scenes at the start of the 70s! The rhythms, as you might guess, have a bit more reggae influence ...
Studio One/Rockashacka (Japan), Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy
A long-overdue second volume to the original Pirate's Choice collection from Studio One – which itself was a bit of a stab at Duke Reid and his Treasure Isle label! Legendary Jamaican producer Clement Dodd serves up a host of lost gems from the Studio One catalog – not hits, but some ...
Rockashacka (Japan), Early 80s. New Copy
Great work from one of the undisputed UK maestros of lovers rock during the 80s – producer Neville King, who serves up this totally sweet batch of overlooked gems from the time! The groove is nice and mellow – that fantastic blend of contemporary soul and reggae rhythms that really ...
Pressure Sounds (UK), Late 60s. New Copy
Soul stirring rocksteady and deeply moving melodies from unfailingly great singer Slim Smith and the Uniques – just a beautiful compilation of late 60s material that's provides ample evidence for those of us that contend that Slim Smith and the Uniques are among the greatest and most soulful ...