Reggae & Dancehall 292 Items

Hundebiss bossman Simone Trabucchi - a pivotal figure of the Italian scene - debuts his STILL alias on PAN with a batch of banging, multi-layered dancehall tracks inspired by the complex historical links between his hometown, Vernasca, with Jamaica, and Italy’s colonial past in Ethiopia.Part of a wider visual arts project, Invernomuto, helmed alongside Simone Bertuzzi, and comprising a series of sculptures, installations, a book, and a long-feature experimental documentary under the title ‘Negus’‘, Simone takes cues from a “cleansing counter-ritual performed by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry in the Vernasca square where 80 years earlier, an effigy of Haile Selassie I was burned” to cook up a madd set of dancehall tracks voiced by six Milan-based, African-Italian vocalists and singers.The results weigh in remarkably close to the colourful, plugged-in dancehall art/science of Equiknoxx, effectively pulling together the diffracted aspects of his project into a direct yet psychedelically-charged set which strongly reverberates with its roots.Keener observers will be quick to identity the amazing Nazenet (Wasp Rhythm) as a vocal version of STILL’s uncredited Untitled riddim from Halcyon veil’s Conspiración Progressocompilation, but unless you’ve been listening to Bill Kouligas DJ sets, the rest is all new and exclusive, taking in the weightless prayer of Haile Selassie Is The Micro-Chip, wobbly acid hall knocks in Bubbling Ambessa, and the meter-messing flux of Rough Rider along with style recalling that Vipra ace on Presto!? in Banzina, plus the warped Bionic Ras bumps of Gozpaal and some seriously salty dubbing in the plasmic squeeze of Mangrovia

The reggae rocker, Courtney John unleashes his new album, Ecosystem, born from a collaboration with the French label Soul Man Records which also produced the successful album Reggae Loves Soul!
With this new LP, recorded and mixed between Kingston and Paris, Courtney John has created a lyrical painting of our world, hosted by a classic early reggae sound that will appeal to reggae aficionados and a wider audience of music lovers…

Limited edition for Record Stoe Day 2017!

Originally released in 1987, this album is considered by many to be the birth of modern "third wave" ska in the USA. Remastered audio with "new" artwork that includes illustrations by legendary comic book artist BOB FINGERMAN.

Download code is included!

Soundway Records completes the Lord Echo album collection, finally reissuing the second album in the trilogy from the in-demand New Zealand multi-instrumentalist and producer. Originally released in 2013, ‘Curiosities’ is now available as a DJ friendly double LP for the first time.
The entirely self-produced album blends jazz with disco-tinged neo-soul, reggae and classic afro-beat in effortless manner - and joins the dots between the more downtempo first album ‘Melodies’ and the disco, electronic, club-ready of his third album ‘Harmonies’.
The album also features a dub-funk cover of Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has A Master Plan”, with vocals from Lisa Tomlins.

Lily Of Da Valley is the first full-length album from Jesse Royal, who in his short career so far, has already been featured in Vogue magazine, had a Vice TV episode appearance, a #1 Jamaican single, and over 8 million views on a single video. Keeping authentic reggae music alive is Jesse Royal's mission as he continues on the legacy of the late greats Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jacob Miller, to name a few. Jesse Royal's restless musical drive paired with profound music, prolific lyrics and socially-conscious messages has him regarded as the next reggae star to emerge from reggae's birth land of Jamaica.

“…the greatest man that came to Jamaica and changed the whole beat from ska to rock steady was Lyn Taitt. He was from Trinidad but Byron Lee did bring him come to Jamaica as an organist but he started playing guitar and the rest is history! We should call him rock steady… it’s Lyn Taitt as he was the man! He played lead guitar and ska at the same time…” Bunny Lee

As the frantic, frenetic pace of ska finally let up in 1966 the cool, cool sound of rock steady came to the fore. This languid, soulful music was the complete musical antithesis of its more famous antecedent and the gentle guitar of Lyn Taitt would forever define the sound of rock steady.

Trinidadian Nerlyn ‘Lyn’ Taitt had been given a contract by Byron Lee to travel to Jamaica to play at the Independence celebrations in 1962 but fell in love with Jamaica and decided to stay joining The Sheiks and then The Cavaliers before forming Lyn Taitt & The Comets. Lyn also recorded as a guest guitarist with The Skatalites before Lyn Taitt & The Jets came together in 1966.

The rock steady beat was slower, more measured and the emphasis was placed on the bass. It no longer gave equal emphasis to every beat but, instead, played a repeated pattern that syncopated the rhythm. The

rhythmic focus shifted to the core of the music to the bass and the drums where it has remained ever since.

“For that tempo the tempo is very slow with the bass and guitar line playing the same thing. You used to use two guitars. Hux Brown and myself or another guitarist and myself. And it was very slow but with a definite bass line going straight through the song…” Lyn Taitt

Lyn Taitt & The Jets were soon in such great demand that they would often play up to five sessions a day for as many different producers but they were not the only rock steady band. When the Skatalites had broken up in 1965 Jackie Mittoo formed Studio One’s house band The Soul Brothers (who soon became The Soul Vendors) and Tommy McCook decided to work with Duke Reid at Treasure Isle studio with The Supersonics. Bobby Aitken’s Carib Beats eschewed subtlety for drive but together these musicians were responsible for establishing the rules of rock steady music.

Their gentle approach allowed vocalists such as Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe and Desmond Dekker and harmony groups including The Techniques, The Melodians, The Uniques and The Paragons and many, many more to demonstrate their prowess.

Rock steady only lasted for a brief period, from 1966 to 1968, but its significance to the subsequent development of Jamaican music is incalculable and it would go on to shape each successive musical movement over the next four decades. Deejays, dub, digital and dance hall all stepped to the tune and pace of rhythms whose

origins were grounded in the rock steady beat and it is impossible to ever overstate its importance... or its beauty.

Music is for Kids,a real producer album oscillating between reggae, hip-hop and electronic music, which crosses borders, with more than 20 guests and 8 different nationalities. Naâman's official beatmaker surrounds himself with the Jamaican legend Sizzla,the new rising stars of the French scene such as Demi Portion, Jahneration or Marcus Gad.

A 12-inch featuring classic roots/dub tracks, originally recorded in 1978.

This journey started for Flox on the Reunion island, in the lost heights of the Mafate cirque. It is in this area cut of from the world, only accessible by foot, that the English multi-instrumentalist found himself face to face with the thrilling and endless feeling of being lost and in danger once again. A sensation that had faded away through time, weakening the flickering flame of inspiration.
Listening only to his instincts, leaving aside past experiences and moving forward freely are the main ingredients of this sixth album Taste Of Grey. An album conditioned by inspiration, each song catching the feeling of the moment and releasing unblemished emotions. At ease with the different lines of artistic creation, the multi-talented craftsman once again composed, arranged, played, and recorded Taste Of Grey; a complex mix of organic and digital music balanced between deep Jamaican rhythms and loose funky beats. Breaking down styles to build his own, spending hours reinventing a personal electro vibe that moves back and forth from rap to singing and from darker to lighter landscapes.
Rather than the simple choice of black or white, Flox has chosen a path with more subtle shades of grey. A step into the unknown, writing love songs when political issues had mainly been a major theme. Writing about feelings, unclenching fists to come up with an album that tells a full story. You could listen to the album Taste Of Grey in random but this would also change the story line…

Vinyl closer to NM

Collecting 5 classic discomixes from Lee Perry's Black Ark Studio from 1977-79 featuring full original Upsetter 12" mix from 1977 of "Disco Devil" with an unreleased Seven Leaves 12" mix of Lord Creator's "Such Is Life" plus Junior Murvin's killer "Roots Train" all nine minutes of it.

Back to back two Killer 60s soul to reggae instrumental monsters - versioning Young-Holt’s classic Soulful Strut and Booker T and the MGs Seminal Time is Tight!

After 2 years since the last The Sound of Revolution, the ninth and much-anticipated new Los Fastidios album is coming on may the 16th of may 2019 on Kob Records (Italy) in collaboration with Potencial Hardcore (Madrid) and Fire and Flames Music (Kiel) !!!! Titled JOY JOY JOY, the new full lenght of this italian band on the road since 1991, includes 13 tracks in the classic Los Fastidios style, that's a winning blend of street sounds...streetpunk, ska, oi!, rocksteady, reggae, melodic punk and a touch of pop, sung in italian, spanish, english, a touch of french and for the first time also one song in german !!! 10 new songs, 2 cover songs "Ellos dicen mierda" of Basque Country band La Polla Records and "Joy Joy Joy" popular song in a funny ska version and the old Los Fastidios song "Guarda avanti" arranged in a new version. Many important special guests in the Joy Joy Joy album: Dirk & Elf (from the german band Slime) on vocals and guitar in the song "Schönen Cafe", Dj Koma aka Mauràs (italian hip hop) on vocals in the the song "Il suono della strada", Elisa Dixan (tour manager of the band and co-owner of Kob Records) on vocals in the song "A message pour toi", Fulvio & Lorenzo (from the italian band Skassapunka) on backing vocals, De Veggent on the keyboards on 3 songs, Giotanni (of the italian band Ashpipe) on violin in the song "Marichiweu" and the really special guest Paul Heaton (singer of the legendary UK bands The Housemartins & The Beatiful South, relevant bands since ever for Enrico, singer of Los Fastidios) on vocals in the song "I have a dream". An album that captures attention from the outset, presenting various styles from the first track. The messages in the songs are easily understood but also deeply meaningful, familiar and enjoyable to long-time fans of the band, and which will hopefully capture many new fans to Los Fastidios. So, are you ready for 13 songs that's going to drive everybody insane over the next months? Move your feet, shake your legs and sing proud, Joy Joy Joy is coming !!!

Dub inc has toured all over the world for many years, regularly playing in front of tens of thousands of spectators, setting the stage ablaze in the largest European and French festivals, thrilling South American and Indian audiences alike. Their videos get hundreds of thousands of views in daily, and they are followed on social networks by more than six hundred thousand fans. Blending Reggae, Dancehall or world music, Bouchkour and Komlan embody the band's voices in styles as different as they are complementary. They pass on a universal message whether the language of their song is French, English or Kabyl (an algerian language) insisting on how important mixed race and the mixing of styles are. The Saint-Etienne based musical group have never sought a particularly mainstream exposure; they went their own way, building their discography with passion, talent, and focus. Perhaps that is why they have been for now twenty years the best ambassadors of French reggae across the globe.

Jackie Edwards voice can be heard on hundreds of Ska, R&B, Soul, Rocksteady records. In fact, all the incarnations that reggae revolved into. He was at the birth of Island Records and his distinctive soulful voice has rightly given him the moniker of the original Cool Ruler.

Jackie Edwards (b Wilfred Edwards, 1938, Jamaica) was a renowned singer from the early days and by 1959 had presented future Island Records owner Chris Blackwell with two outstanding tunes. The first a sentimental ballad ‘Your Eyes Are Dreaming’ and a Latin-Beat tune ‘Tell Me Darling’. His song writing skills were in much demand and his popularity of such importance that when Chris Blackwell went to London in 1962 to set up his future record company Island Records, he took his top balladeer with him. This was to pay dividends when a UK group Blackwell had signed the Spencer Davis Group released two of Jackie Edwards compositions “Keep On Running’’ and “Somebody Help Me’’. Which topped the British Charts in 1966 and were important early cornerstones in the future success in the Island Records story.

We have compiled some of Jackie Edwards finest tunes including his own version of the fore-mentioned big hit “Keep On Running’’, the sublime “Who Told You So’’ , “Get Up’’, the cutting edge ‘’Johnny Your A Gun Man’’ and the title track to this album “Peaceful Man’’ which we named him after. All great tunes in different reggae styles but all sung to perfection.

Nearly a decade since their last record, Jay Malinowski and Eon Sinclair better known as duo Bedouin Soundclash, return with their fifth studio album ‘MASS’ to be released Oct. 4th via Mr Bongo.
While pulling from their old catalogue of eclectic post-punk world-beat tendencies, the band journeys further into New Orleans jazz, afro-pop, electronic and gospel on their latest offering, reflecting a creative rebirth influenced by the cities and musicians that surrounded them. Co-produced by Bedouin Soundclash and legendary Philadelphia House DJ King Britt, along with musical direction from Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall, ‘MASS’ spans two communities, recorded at Marigny Studio’s in New Orleans with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and in Vancouver at St. James Church with the children of the St. James Music Academy.
Mirroring the magnetic energy of New Orleans, ‘MASS’ is a dense sonic journey that incorporates an impressive array of musical influences including Big Band swing to New Orleans jazz, pop, electronica, and more. From the post-punk-soca of album opener ‘Salt Water’, the jangling Big Band swing-pop of recent single ‘Clockwork’, to the Talking Heads-channelling ‘When We’re Gone’, and the dubbing afro-pop gospel of ‘Holy’ that features Mike Dillon distorting his marimbas into another sonic dimension, ‘MASS’ is jam-packed with infectious melodies and summery feel-good vibes.

Annivesary edition with new artwork on green vinyl including download code.

During the 80’s dancehall era a number of record producers claimed to be the real authentic sound of downtown Kingston but Ossie Thomas’ Black Solidarity label, operating out of Delamere Avenue in the heart of the ghetto, was the real deal. “Black Solidarity was a youth club in the Kingston 13 ghetto in a road named Crescent Road and it was a Rasta come up with the name Black Solidarity. But through the political violence a get high man start to spread rumours saying Black Solidarity a go get guns to go kill off people and it’s a revolutionary Cuban thing we’re there ‘pon! A lot of people used to go away to Cuba and we called them brigadista. So though it was in a PNP area man start spreading rumours saying the PNP a go plan to send the whole of Black Solidarity to Cuba and them all turn brigadista!

Nearly a decade since their last record, Jay Malinowski and Eon Sinclair better known as duo Bedouin Soundclash, return with their fifth studio album ‘MASS’ to be released Oct. 4th via Mr Bongo.
While pulling from their old catalogue of eclectic post-punk world-beat tendencies, the band journeys further into New Orleans jazz, afro-pop, electronic and gospel on their latest offering, reflecting a creative rebirth influenced by the cities and musicians that surrounded them. Co-produced by Bedouin Soundclash and legendary Philadelphia House DJ King Britt, along with musical direction from Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall, ‘MASS’ spans two communities, recorded at Marigny Studio’s in New Orleans with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and in Vancouver at St. James Church with the children of the St. James Music Academy.
Mirroring the magnetic energy of New Orleans, ‘MASS’ is a dense sonic journey that incorporates an impressive array of musical influences including Big Band swing to New Orleans jazz, pop, electronica, and more. From the post-punk-soca of album opener ‘Salt Water’, the jangling Big Band swing-pop of recent single ‘Clockwork’, to the Talking Heads-channelling ‘When We’re Gone’, and the dubbing afro-pop gospel of ‘Holy’ that features Mike Dillon distorting his marimbas into another sonic dimension, ‘MASS’ is jam-packed with infectious melodies and summery feel-good vibes.

Tapper Zukie still asking the questions and stating the facts that few artists of his calibre would attain to.His classic Dee-Jay style has been copied by many but bettered by few.Over some of his killer rhythms that he previously worked up while producing fellow roots groups such as ‘Prince Allah’, ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Junior Ross and the Spears’.

The period of 1967 – 1968 when Rocksteady was in full flow, would also be a turning point for Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee, when he became a producer in his own right. Many of the great tunes during this eventful year came out of his stable and initially saw the light of day on his own imprint label ‘Lee’s’. This album has been assembled from some of those fine tunes and tells the story of reggae in what was a stellar time for both reggae and Mr Bunny Lee.