Reggae & Dancehall 152 Items

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Two killer Gregory vocal tracks back to back produced by the hitmaker from Jamaica Bunny’Striker’Lee

The Skatalites’ massive dancefloor ska Anthem + some serious dub on the flip

In 2012, ten years after its inception, Stand High Patrol released their first album: Midnight Walkers, which featured a multifaceted take on contemporary dub – a versatile sound with heavy bass, named dubadub. Following the success of their first LP, plus several EPs and singles released on Stand High Records, Pupajim, Rootystep and Mac Gyver now return with their second self-produced album, with sleeve art by Kazy.

Recorded in a home studio between June 2013 and July 2014, A matter of scale has brought the emergence of new influences. The three dubadub musketeerz intensify the genre crossovers and strengthen the foundations of their creative process. Theirs is an open approach, free from conventions.

Supported by the rich range of Pupajim’s vocals, the sounds travel incessantly between eras. The dubadub experience takes on new dimensions; jazzy rhythms and melodies stand alongside digital reggae, hip-hop beats, bass music and progressive dubs.

A matter of scale shows how Stand High Patrol design and compose their own music. The album reflects the undeniable penchant of the crew for experimentation and their obvious desire to break down barriers.

Tracklist :

A1 -Tempest A2 - No Matter How Long It Takes A3 - Geography

B1 - Gambling Johnny B2 - Sleep On It B3 - Routine

C1 - Overloaded Truck C2 - Blue Wax C3 - Ruckus C4 - Warehouse

D1 - Style And City D2 - The Bridge D3 - The Tunnel

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Downbeat Melody records is a brand new label operated by Bristol based dj Frankie Downbeat. This label is a side project to the Downbeat Melody Soundsystem owned and operated by Steve Rice. The first release will be a reissuing of “Bird of Paradise” LP , a downbeat musical journey in Rocksteady by “Count Bobo”. Count Bobo are a 6 piece group from Bristol playing in the style of early ska and rocksteady. Formed in 2012, they are part of the Bloom collective. Their debut album 'Bird of Paradise' was originally released on limited edition 12 inch vinyl in 2015 by the band themselves and mainly sold at live shows. Downbeat Melody proudly presents this quality repress with fresh updated artwork.

Million Stylez, Mr Williamz and Charlie P flow over “Modern Time Riddim“ produced by Dreadsquad.

"Full House" rhythm

The first international african hit, classic groove of summer ’73 gets instant jamaican treatments by ex-Melodians Brent Dowe backed by The Gaytones. Years before Manu Dibango came to Kingston for a Sly & Robby session, a tribute had been paid to the negropolitan”. From coast to coast! From Africa to Jamaica! This is Earth Sound!

Introducing Bays a 9 track boil up heralding a fresh chapter in Freddys fantastic voyages. Bays opens with slow burn funk of ‘Wairunga Blues’ journeying through a hybrid of reggae, hi-tek soul and jazz with techno rhythms underpinning Freddy’s signature horns and Joe Dukie’s smooth & introspective vocals, 'Slings And Arrows', '10 Feet Tall', 'Wheels', 'Razor', 'Makkan', 'Fish In The Sea', 'Cortina Motors' and arriving finally on the crooked blues jam of ‘Novak’.
BAYS is named after our Wellington studio homebase, where the album was predominately written and recorded around beats, food, darts and a winter of content.

Alter Echo & E3 return for their third chapter on ZamZam with a dark, low-slung steppers featuring the one Rider Shafique of Bristol’s esoteric Young Echo crew. AEE3’s first collaboration with a vocalist, “Heights” provides a rockstone riddim for Rider to step forward with a powerful lyric, a declaration of principles and intention to trod outta Babylon, tearing off mental chains along the way with total focus on the destiny of liberation for those with the will to persevere. Rider’s presence transforms every track he graces into pure message music, as heard in recent months on collaborations with Gorgon Sound, Ishan Sound, Gantz and more.

"Heights" rocks with swirling atmospheres and pointillist detail, powerfully psychedelic dubbing at once organic and metallic, always with fundamental dub principles anchoring and propelling forward, ever forward. The version “The Sound Tonight” strips the vocal out completely, using that space to push the kick, bass and ricocheting snares further forward with extra dub flourishes, mirages, and sample grinding.

An excellent 4-track roots and dub reggae 12-inch on the French Fruits Records label, of which the first release was I Kong's 'A Little Walk' album.

colored vinyl edition

The best of the early singles by Bob Marley and the Wailers Volume 2. The partnership of Bob Marley and the Wailers in its short life would create what many consider to be some of the greatest reggae ever recorded.

Horus Records’ fifth release is the first production played and recorded at their studio ‘The Arch’ in Tottenham, North London. An all analogue affair, recorded with real instruments live and direct to tape, sounds pumped through homemade valve pre-amps and other equipment amassed over the last few years.A 2015 production, heavily influenced by Horus' love for the sonic qualities and approach of 1970’s reggae. Ronnie Davis shouldn’t need an introduction, considered one of the founding artists of reggae music. Starting off with legendary rocksteady and reggae group The Tennors, he remained a prominent force throughout the 70s working with producers such as Bunny Lee, Phil Pratt and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, to create tracks that are still relevant today. On this release, his voice is as distinctive and strong as it ever was – with lyrics to match.

Almost a decade after it's initial release, we're VERY happy to say this much in-demand Red Motorbike 12" is almost back in our hands. This enduring dedication to the dubwise has been going for eye-watering prices 2nd hand, so load 'em up !

“…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.

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