Reggae & Dancehall 239 Items

Vinyl with light scuffs and hairlines, close to VG+. Cover with slightly bumped corners. With booklet.

Mint + Pink Swirl vinyl has a few paper scuffs. Cover is close to NM. with booklet and insert.

Tracks pulled from "Ital Dub", "Reggae Hot Rocks Dub", "Dubbing Ina Africa", and more. Dub classics packaged here as a 3x10" deluxe boxset on Red, Green and Yellow vinyl.

The Minyo Crusaders' 2017 debut album “Echoes of Japan” LP will be back in stock on vinyl! Purists beware, as these ten Japanese musicians have decided to give a cumbia, reggae, salsa, ethiopian groove and afro-funk twist to min'yo, an ancestral Japanese folk song genre of which they were all fans before they met. Their debut album, the eminently exotic (even zany) Echoes Of Japan, features ten tracks from the min'yo repertoire sung in the grand tradition of the style, to the sound of Afro-Latino brass and percussion. A delightful example of successful fusion, however unlikely it may seem.

On the 50th anniversary of the band's inception at an event in Harlem, NY to commemorate Malcolm X's birthday on 19 May 1968, influential spoken word artists, poets and commentators The Last Poets are set to make a glorious and relevant return with their first album in over 20 years, 'Understand What Black Is'.
Produced by Ben Lamdin (Nostaglia 77) and Brighton legend Prince Fatty, whose speciality is traditional reggae and dub production's, 'Understand What Black Is' is a ten-track album which speaks of a revolutionary struggle defined by both race and identity, that has never sounded more relevant. Released on Studio Rockers, there will also be an accompanying single featuring remixes of the title track "Understand What Black Is" by Mala (South London collective Digital Mystikz) and UK Dance music innovators Dego and Kaidi.
Since the initial line-up of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain and Felipe Luciano formed in East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets have produced under various guises over the subsequent years. However, it was their seminal output, namely 1970's 'The Last Poets' under both Umar bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole that secured their legacy, becoming one of the most important influences in early hip hop.
Throughout the last 20 years, the band have remained largely on hiatus. But their influence could still be felt with their tracks being sampled by The Notorious B.I.G, NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.Dre and Snoop Dogg. Umar has recorded various solo albums and featured on Common and Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'The Corner'. Abiodun appeared on the Red Hot Organization's album, Stolen Moments which was named "Album of the Year" by Time. He also conducts weekly open house poetry readings, where he constructively critiques upcoming poets, helping to nurture them. He has also conducted classes at Columbia University, where he teaches creative writing.
The inauguration of Donald Trump as US President in 2016 inspired Hassan and Oyewole to resurrect the group to create a brand new record, modern and edgy, and deeply relevant and reflective of our times.
Tracks on 'Understand What Black Is' include 'How Many Bullets', which bridles with defiance as Oyewole works through a litany of injustices suffered by black people in the US: " You've Tried
To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'What I Want To See' describes a utopia - a refuge from hurt and those who'd make "our vision blurred, and our faith obscure", whilst the title track 'Understand What Black Is' aims to transcend ethnicity: "understand what black is….It's the source from which all things come...black is a hero, not a villain."
The album even takes reference from Prince's 2003 album of instrumentals, 'News', which Hassan drew comparisons from with his own childhood experiences: "That poem took me about a year to write….I just kept writing and writing but not getting too far and then I heard that album and the musicianship was amazing. I was left wondering if it was jazz, classical, rock or maybe something new but all those images that I write about came to me from listening to that album. I loved Prince in that movie Purple Rain because my father was a talented musician but he was into brutalising Mama at times and in the movie there's a Jerome and my name is Jerome, so it was like he was telling my life story as well."
The album acts as a body of work between individual members each speaking of their own personal journeys, but feeding into the much larger narrative of struggle and oppression, alongside a fervent hunger for social change. These are struggles and tests of personal resolve that have directly shaped and moulded the bands' unique sound over the course of an impressive 50 years, and their powerful and influential commentary remains as relevant as ever.

Unavailable since its original 1974 release (Fay Music) this limited edition vinyl re-press will not be around long!

UB40 - Collected has captured all the different phases of the band in one complete album, from classic hits combined with the new!

A great collection of classic roots recordings from the mid-70's for the singer who came close in challenging Bob Marley & Dennis Brown for reggae's crown. All re-mastered recordings available as 30-Track 2CD-Deluxe Digipak and 23-Track 2LP-set in a gatefold sleeve, both with in-depth sleeve notes by Noel Hawkes. The release is supported by several summer festival appearances.

Only Johnny Clarke would come close to challenging Bob Marley & Dennis Brown for reggae's crown, his unequaled run of hit songs, powered by Bunny Lee and King Tubby's aggravating versions, continued without a pause during the mid-70's leading Johnny to twice being named Jamaica's Artist Of The Year (and the signing of a two album recording deal with Virgin's Frontline label). Many of Johnny Clarke's classic roots recordings gathered here were first given wider international exposure in 1998 with the release of Blood & Fire's excellent 13-Track "Dreader Dread - 1976-1978" compilation, which has disappeared from the market for several years. Now re-mastered and drastically expanded, with a new artwork and entitled "Creation Rebel" the release captures the very essence of what is now regarded as the golden age of roots music!

The studio and label Digital B of producer Bobby "Digital" Dixon became the ruling production house in the musical revolution that swept through Jamaica from the mid-80's onwards with a lethal selection of dancehall weapons and chartbusting reggae hits. "X-Tra Wicked" gathers many of his bestever productions from those heady times when specialist stores were awash with 7-Inch singles, freshly arrived from Jamaica, and reggae music was once more on the rise. This great double 2LP-set presents 24 selected tracks in a double wide vinyl jacket, with just the top hits from the two Bobby Digital Reggae Anthology releases.

Record is close to NM!

Limited edition for Record Store Day 2018!

Dub like it used to be from the High Note and Gay Feet labels.
A selection of rocking rhythms from The Revolutionaries masterminded by Jamaica's finest female record producer, Mrs Sonia Pottinger, and mixed by Duke Reid's nephew, Errol Brown, chief engineer at the legendary Treasure Isle studio.

2017 marks the return of Dub Gabriel with his fifth full-length solo album entitled ADSR Dub. After his critically acclaimed 2013 album, Raggabass Resistance, Gabriel locked himself away in the studio and went into complete isolation in what Gabriel refers to as “one of the most prolific times of his 20 year career”. Mixing his love for classic dub productions with vintage analog tape echoes, spring reverbs and tubes, with his love of krautrock and his collection of Moog, Arp and Korg analog synthesizers, to give us one of the most original albums to come out in recent time. Featuring guest performances by Addis Pablo, son of the legendary Augustus Pablo. Ranking Joe, who rose to prominence in the 1970s on such legendary labels as Studio 1, as well as his collaborations with King Tubby, and The Spaceape, (R.I.P.), who became the voice of UK Dubstep through his groundbreaking work with BURAL, KODE 9 and THE BUG. Recorded in San Francisco at d/a/c laboratory for research & development, mastered by the legendary Kevin Metcalfe, at Sound Masters in the UK and cover art by acclaimed French illustrator, Olivier Bonhomme.

A blistering collection of ska tunes from Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd's legendary Studio One Records, Jamaica's foundation label of reggae music. Featuring classic cuts from the originators of Ska - The Skatalites, The Wailers, Lee Perry - alongside a heavy dose of superb rarities from the might vaults of 13 Brentford Road - pure Ska Fever !

Studio One Freedom Sounds is the new collection from Soul Jazz/ Studio One focussing on the intense period in the second half of the 1960s when Studio One’s vast and unbeatable output of ska, soul, rock steady and reggae made it literally one of the hottest musical empires in the world.
During this highly successful period, Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd released hundreds and hundreds of superlative singles seemingly on an almost daily basis, in the process making huge stars out of Jamaican singers such as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Wailers, Slim Smith, Jackie Opel and many more.
Powered by the finest in-house musicians working in Jamaica, whether it was The Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo’s Soul Brothers, The Sounds Dimension or The Soul Vendors, Studio One functioned as hit factory on the scale of Motown in the USA, shaping and defining reggae music for decades to come.
Singlehandedly Studio One’s founder Clement Dodd was able to create the most successful vertically-integrated record company that Jamaica had ever known with pressing plant, printers, studio, shops, and sound systems all running at once, with over 50 employees and hundreds of artists working with Studio One during this time.
Studio One Freedom Sounds tells the story of Studio One in the 1960s with a stunning set of ska, soul, rock steady and reggae killer tunes as well as informative sleevenotes and track-by-track info by Noel Hawks. The album is released as heavyweight double vinyl (+ free download code), deluxe CD and digital album.

This is the second installment of deep roots Rastafarian reggae at Studio One and features classic music from some of the most important figures in reggae music – Alton Ellis, The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo, The Gladiators – alongside a host of rarities and little-known recordings, such as a truly rare Mystic Revelation of Rastafari seven-inch single, Willie William’s first ever recording ‘Calling’ and Horace Andy’s righteous (and equally rare) masterpiece ‘Illiteracy.’
Black Man’s Pride 2 extends the legacy of Studio One’s ground-breaking path in roots reggae which began at the end of the 1960s and continued throughout the 1970s. The album tells the story of how the rise of Studio One Records and the Rastafari movement were interconnected, through the adoption of the Rastafari faith by key reggae artists – everyone from the Skatalites and Wailers in the 1960s, major singers such as Alton Ellis and Horace Andy at the end of the decade, through to major roots artists such as The Gladiators in the 1970s – and how Clement Dodd consistently recorded this heavyweight roots music throughout Studio One’s history.
The sleeve-notes to this album also discuss the links between Rastafari and Studio One in time and place, noting how both the religion and Clement Dodd’s musical empire had their roots in the intense period of pre-independence Jamaica in Kingston, expanded in the 1960s following the visit of Haile Selassie in 1966, and how roots music then came to dominate reggae music in the early 1970s. Also discussed is how the outsider stance of both reggae music and the Rastafari movement relate back many hundreds of years to the original rebel stance of the Maroons, escaped slaves who set up self-sufficient enclaves in the hills of the Jamaican countryside.

Hang Loose Baby for the first time available on Vinyl format. This is the first album by The Paps, dubbed on Black Vinyl, with remastered sound. Considered one of Indonesia’s influential reggae albums.

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Experryments with his magic, this time with the mighty Mad Professor taking over some of the controls! Black Ark Experryments delivers tracks like ‘Super Ape In A Good Shape’, ‘Jungle Safari’ and ‘Black Ark Experryments’ dubtastically kicked into shape by the likes of William The Conqueror on Bass, Victor Cross on keyboards and trombone legend Rico Rodriguez. Sounds fantastic!

Following 2 acclaimed first editions, Stix Records presents the 3rd volume of its Disco Reggae compilation series.

Like previous one, the 9 tracks comp is made both from productions of the home labels now sold-out as vinyl, and from brand new exclusive music by the like of Taggy Matcher, Mato or newcomer Rosemary Martins, taking over classics titles from Donna Summer, Stephen Encinas, Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock, Steve Parks, or Inner City.

The perfect soundtrack to extend the summer!!

"Step Forward Youth" takes a serious look at the reggae of the punk rock era in England and its resulting global impact. Here are 12 selected tracks especially for LP-Vinyl including the obscure roots reggae heat such as the Barry Ford Band's "Rebel" plus Prince Far I's "Heavy Manners", Culture's "Two Sevens Clash" and furthermore great tunes by Dr. Alimantado (as well pictured on the album's cover) alongside Jah Stitch, Lee Perry, Gregory Isaacs, Augustus Pablo, Keith Hudson, Michael Rose, Junior Murvin, Tappa Zukie and the dub version to Johnny Clarke's "None Shall Escape The Judgement.

"Phantom Dancehall" is the exploration of the Greensleeves / VP Records catalogue by DJ Spooky aka Paul Miller. The musical tapestry is built on samples from familiar (and not so familiar) reggae tracks over electronic beats and melodies produced by Miller and protégé Stephen Levitin (stage name Apple Juice Kid). Selected tracks include the keyboard work of Alex Thompson aka Fourth Shift. Guest vocals from Walshy Fire (Major Lazer) and dancehall newcomer Sanjay added to vocal samples of Busy Signal, Lady Saw and Garnett Silk give the project an eclectic, modern dancehall flavor!

JahYu: the Korean word for ‘freedom’, this is an artist whose music is rooted in the notion of freedom, freedom of sound, freedom of expression, freedom from mind and freedom of the soul. JahYu uses his creative freedom to connect directly with his ancestors and create music that somehow transports the listener through time and space. Oriental flute and string melodies slide effortlessly amongst powerful roots-based dubstep, creating a sound that is unique and full of flavour. This enigmatic Korean-German producer blends both sides of his heritage, the digital steppers that emerged from Europe in the 1990’s alongside the traditional oriental music of his mother’s homeland, Korea, augmented by a deeper exploration of contemporary bass music.

Now also available as LP-Vinyl is the new album for one of Jamaica's most exciting voices! - "Lovesick" is the third album and a natural next step for the young artist to expound on the ups and downs of love and relationships. Known to fans as an 'old soul' his lyrics and the emotional impact of his voice go beyond his years and show kinship to the great R&B/reggae balladeers. The 15-track strong longplayer will be released as CD-Digipak with an additional 12-page booklet and is a great and long awaited follow-up to the self titled debut "Romain Virgo" from 2010 and "The System" from 2012, it will appeal to all the worldwide fans of contemporary reggae music!

VP Press Release: "LoveSick," the upcoming album from rising reggae star Romain Virgo. The 16-track album takes listeners on a journey that explores every emotion felt when finding love, losing love and finding love again. In the many twists and turns of romance and relationships, Romain represents a young man who has experienced it all and now has a dynamic story to tell. Executive produced by Niko Browne for Lifeline Music, with additional production by Sting International and Vikings Production, the album presents a new pop reggae sound traced with his signature lovers rock style woven throughout.

"In The Midst Of The Storm" brings together two exceptional talents and two generations of reggae musicians. Jah9's previous release "9" was critically heralded as one of the most re-freshing reggae albums of 2016. And now, fans will get the fully de-constructed, dubwise version of the album with nine newly recorded dub sessions from the legendary dub master, Mad Professor. He's renown for hundreds of productions with the who's who of jamaican veteran artist like i.e. Lee Perry, U-Roy, The Congos, Horace Andy, and did also great dub re-mixes for Massive Attack, Sade, Depeche Mode, Grace Jones and many more. This release marks the first Mad Professor title with VP Records as well as the first commercial recording of Mad Professor and Jah9 together. The press and media coverage will include interviews with Mad Professor and Jah9. The great original cover illustration is by artist Richard Nattoo!

A review (Brian Nelson / rootfire.net)
"Mad Professor, the Ariwa sound guru and pioneer of the second generation of dub's digital rebirth, has once again given his trademark dub-me-crazy treatment on Mad Professor Meets Jah9 "In the Midst of the Storm". Sonically diverse, "9" already plays as a sophisticated musical entity that places the listener in the thick of Jah9's musical conjuring. What Mad Professor accomplishes with In the Midst of the Storm is an expertly executed, authentically Ariwa dub rendition of an album already heavily influenced by the dub genre. Dense arrangements prevalent on tracks like "In the Midst" are stretched open, letting the listener vibe on the intricacies as they are washed in a wave of digital reverb and delay to become "I Aware Dub". The spirituality placed in the foreground of Jah9's songwriting carries seamlessly into the instrumental dub versions presented on In the Midst of the Storm as the Mad Prof lets the beats and tones preach the gospel of dub. Mad Professor Meets Jah9 – In the Midst of the Storm is the confluence of two spirits, each driven by the divinity of music’s ability to connect to the human experience".

"Poet-alchemist. Leader, healer, spiritual singer. Authentic. Woman. Unique, roots-abstract. Africa. Jah9 infuses the precise lyrical prowess of spoken word with the heart-beat-connect of her Jazz on Dub style. On first listen, Jah9’s sophomore album, simply entitled 9, strikes the listener with intention. From the lyrics, to the arrangements, to the tones, this record has purpose. Warm, heavy bass wraps around dark timbred horn lines, cascading piano riffs, and percussion marching with strength straight from the 12 Tribes. Jah9’s distinct approach to melody cuts through on the heavy hitting track “Prosper,” while her lyrics reveal an artist of utmost integrity and deeply digested spiritual conviction. “Hardcore” speaks to the power of sustenance found through faith and discipline, and the ability this sustenance has to elevate humanity from beneath the shadows cast by the tallest challenges. And all the while, these thematic complexities are equally conveyed through deep, soulful instrumentation reminiscent of D’Angelo’s Black Messiah or Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered. Offered to the listener for Record Store Day 2017 is a complete dub remix of "9" by no other than the legend himself, Mad Professor".

Collectors note: The Record Store Day in April 2017 saw a release of a strictly limited coloured LP-Vinyl edition in North America and Japan. This is the official album release in full glory as CD-Longplayer and traditional black LP-Vinyl!

"None A Jah Jah Children" collects the eight best tracks from the two longplayer "Rastafari" and "Kibir-Am-Lak" that Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus made for producer Tommy Cowan in the 1970's, all tracks re-mastered by Kevin Metcalfe. This are nyah chants made sound system ready by the Talent Corporation with the heavyweight musical back-up of Robbie Shakespeare, Peter Tosh, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Robbie Lyn, Tommy McCook, Carlton "Santa" Davis and the Sons Of Negus with the all the various drums like the 1st, 2nd and 3rd funde, akete bass drum, repeater, bass funde and trap drums. The original recordings happened at Dynamcic Sound and at Joe Gibbs studios. The LP-Vinyl includes also a nice printed inner sleeve with images and linernotes by Harry Wise

Returning to the ring with "Waterhouse Dub", a brand new slab of megaton dub, King Jammy, the undisputed heavyweight champion of drum and bass draws for a crucial selection of his roughest and toughest rub-a-dub specials ("Please Officer", "Boom Shack A Lack", "Jail House" etc.) to deliver ten selected tracks on LP-Vinyl-Edition including poster.

International reggae star Alborosie returns with the dub version of his celebrated "Freedom & Fyah" album titled "Freedom In Dub." The distinctive production of these ten newly recorded dub mixes underscore Alborosie’s skill and credibility as a master of dub. All tracks are produced and (mostly) played by Alborosie and recorded at his Shengen studios in Kingston, Jamaica.

Suns of Dub is a performing ensemble and production team, creating unique sound experiences that blend live instruments and dub influenced genres. Their hybrid reggae sound includes live melodica, steel pan, nyabinghi drums, live dub and DJ effects. The group has been working and releasing music together since 2010.

Riddimentary - Suns of Dub Selects Greensleeves pairs the group with the Greensleeves and VP Records catalogue of reggae masters for a musical tour through the crucial tracks that have formed the outlook and output of the ensemble. The set is a continuous DJ mix of seventeen songs on CD. Twelve selected full tracks on vinyl LP and both the mix and seventeen full tracks on the digital album.

Among the featured artists on the album is the legendary Augustus Pablo, whose son Addis is a founding member. Riddimentary is the perfect bridge for dub reggae and progressive music fans to connect with all-time reggae classics from Greensleeves and VP Records.

Producers credits include Augustus Pablo, Joe Gibbs, Errol Thompson, Prince Jammy/Lloyd "King Jammy's" James, Henry "Junjo" Lawes, Sugar Minott, Linval Thompson, Winston Riley

For fans of Diplo, Prince Fatty, Mr Williams, Rockers and Roots Reggae.

Zehn ausgewählte Tracks auf Vinyl zur neuesten Ausgabe der Reggae Anthology von Eek-A-Mouse (2CD+DVD-Set VPCD5016). Enthält drei völlig unveröffentlichte Tracks und mehrere Nicht-Album-Seiten!