Roots & Culture 164 Items

2019 reissue.

Red vinyl

Two essential Rocksteady cuts from the undisputed don of the era, Alton Ellis. A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Repress of Mad Professor's 90s Japanese Mono Lovers remix masterpiece 7" S.S.W. Yoshiko Gotoh is also known as the vocalist of Denki Groove's 'Niji'. This is the first 7" release from '19, coupling the classic "First Light" with a superb dub mix of "Nameless Pierce", and is now being repressed in a limited edition of 300 copies Yoshiko Goshima was described as "a genius female singer with a five-octave voice" in the 1990s and early 2000s. She is a talented artist who is popular for her soulful singing that combines sweetness and toughness, and her 1999 hit single 'Open Up', which was used in a TV commercial, is also memorable. This 7" couples two rare remixes by the reggae dub scene's Mad Professor. The A-side features the 'Mad's Lovers Smooth Mix ver.' from the 'First Light Remixes' 12" single, which was released as a promo-only single in '97 and is now hard to find. A light dub number with dreamy synths and a stretched high-tone voice that feels great, the B-side is the "Mad's Summer Swim Mix" of "No Name Earrings" from the CD single "Swingin' the Swing", also released in '97. " from the CD single 'Swingin' the Swing', also released in '97. It is a moving song with powerful yet melancholy and delicate vocals and a chorus work that builds to euphoria towards the latter half of the song

Debut album from DC roots reggae / lovers rock band mixed by VICTOR RICE. Formed by current and former members of THE PIETASTERS, feat lush vocals of KELLY DI FLIPPO. Think THE BEATLES meets DENNIS BROWN, a must for fans of THE FRIGHTNRS, HOLLIE COOK or THE SKINTS. Songs of heartbreak...

Original limited edition vinyl (500 copies)

Original limited edition vinyl (500 copies)

Michael Edgehill aka Mikey Melody was born in the parish of Portland, Jamaica. As a youth he constantly raised his voice in song and performing with sound system in the neighborhood community. Known by his sweet voice, his friends gave him the nickname «Mikey Melody».
Mikey Melody was influenced by 60’s and 70’s US R&B icons and Jamaican singers like Bob Marley, Sugar Minott, Burning Spear, Dennis Brown, Bob Andy and Half Pint. In the 1980’s he went to Kingston and was identified early by Lord Sassafrass, who gave him his first recording single “Under Mi Fat Thing” that was covered by many reggae artists. He was then signed by Black Scorpio Corporation which he was a singer on the sound system and recording label. He did songs like “World Is A Disaster”, “Jumbo Mi Jumbo”, “Romance For The Moment”, “Ragga Muffin”, “Unemployment”.
He then moved on to Dennis Star Label which he did songs like “Mona Lisa”, “Maranda” and the hit song “Soldier In Town”. Released in 1988 on Dennis Star International records, ‘’Soldier In Town’’ by Mikey Melody is a pure late 80’s dancehall vocal over heavy digital rhythm by Firehouse Crew.

12" reissue of killer cuts from the Canadian label, Oswald Creary's Half Moon.

Frankie Jones’ “Gun Fever” is a dark
and heavy piece of digital roots; a rare representation of 80s Jamaican music that appealed equally to the UK roots and dancehall crowds. Originally released in 1986 on a Third World 12”, the record was limited in distribution and became a heavily sought after tune by serious collectors and selectors alike. This Pressure Sounds release on a crisp, newly mastered 45 is the first time “Gun Fever” has been reissued; and the first time it has appeared on 7” vinyl. Comes in a hand stamped bag.

For decades, any sound system worth their salt headed to the dub cutters to get a piece of the “Late Night Blues” riddim. Acetate after acetate of the riddim rumbled through speakers from Brixton to the Bronx, making it a certified sound system classic. Now, Pressure Sounds comes with four exclusive cuts of the Late Night Blues rhythm. The first 2 cuts combine Diggory Kenrick’s always-in-demand flute with the legendary Matic Horns on Side A. The flipside takes the riddim into deep, dubbed-out territory with two dangerous cuts, one laden with dreamy chimes, the other snatches of vocal. A welcome addition to the Late Night cult!

For years, Diggory Kenrick has been re-energizing classic roots and rocksteady through his musical collaborations with original source material taken from master tape. For “Vengeance,” Kenrick crafts a welcome, new addition to the Yabby You catalog with a sax-led, scorching take of “Jah Vengeance.” On the B-Side Kenrick takes to the mixing board for a vital dub mix.

Ten selected tracks have been compiled for the LP-vinyl edition with Singers on side one and the Deejays on side two, including Tessanne Chin's "Breakfast In Bed" and Noah Powa's "No Stress" feat. Shams The Producer as exclusives. The cover art is by Japanese illustrator Murasaki.

With the original version already proving a massive hit with DJs such as Target, Mistajam, Toddla T and Rene Lavice on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, as well as becoming something of an anthem at festivals across the summer, we've enlisted the help of the one and only Gentleman's Dub Club to give "Stranger In Town" the roots reggae remix treatment. Taking the original parts and dubbing them up, adding extra guitar, bass and horns, they've taken the vocals of Canadian reggae star Exco Levi back to its roots in a classic style adding some vintage sounding vibes. With a dub version that is exclusive to this vinyl (not available digitally) - this should be massive with DJs.

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.

Willie Williams' roots rock reggae classic Armagideon Time – the rare 12" extended Discomix version split into two sublime heavyweight slices and cut super-loud on a 12" single.

Produced by Studio One supremo Coxsone Dodd this is a huge Reggae anthem on the classic 'Real Rock' rhythm, famously covered by The Clash and sampled by KRS One, The Fugees and many more.

Jah Cure is a musical adventurer, exploring rhythms, moods and meaning with his latest album "Royal Soldier", his first longplayer since "The Cure" in 2015. Jah Cure writes songs about love and consciousness and reality. His music moves between classic roots and smooth R&B and often challenges the boundaries of the reggae genre, his presence and influence among Caribbean fans has reverberated around the globe and earned him top status among reggae artists internationally. The music videos for set-up tracks "Telephone Love", "Risk It All" and "Marijuana" are all +1 million streams on YouTube. Guest appearances on "Royal Soldier" include Damien "Jr. Gong" Marley, Popcaan, Melanie Fiona, Mya, Phyllisia Ross, Tory Lanez two special multi-feature tunes with Yami Bolo, Junior Reid & Capleton ("Street Kings") and Dru, Sketch Carey & Alx ("Eyes On Your Body")

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.

Tommy McCook’s mighty hornsman version of Yabby You’s “Jah Vengence” re-mastered and reissued in perfect style. This 7” finds the great multi-instrumentalist re-imagining the dark vocals of the original track as a slithering horns track that bursts to crescendo amid the heavyweight bass and drums. The B-side offers up echo-drenched dub.

Powerful, inspiring roots reissue of one of Yabby You’s finest songs. From the moment this tune was released in the 1970s, it became a sound system classic, sought after by both collectors and DJs. This plea for repatriation glows with a mystic vibe accentuated by stunning harmonies, driving flute and horn arrangements. Repatriation Rock flips the A-side on its head, with a mesmerising dub.

A collection of contemporary reggae, dub and electronica, which marks a broadening of musical horizons for the label beyond reissues of lost African guitar dance music. The LP covers a range of Jamaican inspired sounds, including roots reggae, dancehall, dub and jungle, which may act as a taster for potential future releases.

The album was originally released in Nigeria by Tabansi Records and recorded at Afrodisia/Decca studio in Lagos. The Lp never really saw a commerical issue and was probably pressed in very few promotional copies for Radios and Djs making the original nearly impossible to be found nowdays.
Musically it comes with some dope , slow and one-a-way digital roots riddims filled with mad synths , deep conscious lyrics and a deep bassline, it's quite unique as the two main track comes with a raw Dub which is very hard to be found on any other African Reggae albums , the last track call “If I'm To Rule The World” is a very interesting blend of Reggae and Boogie.
We have been working together with the lead singer of the band , Sharon Escco Wilson that we met personally in Lagos, to finally make the album available worldwide.
The cover have been fully restored and the Audio remastered , in the LP we'll add an insert with Lyrics , original pictures from back in the days (and a few new ones) , a newspaper article from 1990 and an extensive interview by Sharon Escco Wilson.

"I Man A The Stal-A-Watt" gathers together 13 sure shots from Cornell Campbell blending the very best of his all-conquering hit run of forty-fives for Bunny "Striker" Lee alongside a stretch of crucial cuts produced by Joe Gibbs - from the 1970s - 80s classic era. The title is a boast from the early soundclash era when many of Campbell's tracks, here produced primarily by Bunny Lee, would play first on King Tubby’s Home Town Hi-Fi in Jamaica. The songs run the range from clash-ready standards like "Mash You Down" and "The Gorgon" to cultural commentaries like "Jah Jah Me Horn Yah" and "Bandulu" to the lover’s masterpiece "The Investigator" which leads off the set. Stretching into the early 80s, the collection includes two originals that would spawn countless re-interpretations, "Rope In" and "Boxing Around".

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This release by The Band of Enlightenment, Reason & Love presents a new instrumental version of the heavily sought after debut release "Zota Yinne" by Alogte Oho, the meanwhile classic second release on Philophon from 2014 (PH45002). So far, The Band of Enlightenment, Reason & Love, as Philophon's house band, never had any release under its own name, but here we go! It's sure: more will follow.

"Zota Yinne" is a dubbed out variation of the original Frafra gospel classic with the one and only Jimi Tenor as a guest on flute and synth. "Starlet Road Filling Station Romance" is an other-worldly search for love, perfectly characterized by Jimi Tenor's love cries on the saxophone.

First time re-issue for this golden age righteous rastaman business from Barrington Levy & Trinity. In the rockers era Trinity cemented his place as the number one deejay scoring countless hits and becoming almost an almost essential ingredient on the onslaught of discomixes from yard. Moving into production with his own Flag Man label this 1979 crucial combination killer with Barrington „Lose Respect“ was also the first in a long parade of Mr. Levys 12-inch single hits for Greensleeves Records. The flipside features the soulful lovers rock lick of „Since You Are Gone“ / „Give Love A Try“ from Roman Stewart & Trinity to rival the previous and much loved versions by Delroy Wilson, Pat Kelly & David Isaacs.

"Music Is Our Business" is a premium blend of the very best of Cocoa Tea's non-album tracks recorded for Bobby Digital alongside a gold leaf selection of previously unreleased nuggets. All recorded between 1985 and 1986.
The tracks gathered together here are amongst the most loved tunes in Cocoa Tea's illustrious catalogue and this collection is sure to please Cocoa Tea's many fans both old and new, his message are songs of the struggle, Love, Peace...
The success of VP's recent two Bobby Digital anthologies "X-Tra Wicked" and "Serious Times" has shone the spotlight bright and alight on the outstanding work that was coming out of the Digital B studio during this golden period. The release of "Music Is Our Business" shows there is still a lot more gold in the Digital B vaults.

Featuring Johnny Clarke, King Tubby, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Tommy McCook, The legendary Aggrovators, The Mighty Diamonds & many more.

Wonderful album. Previously released on CD within the Paris DJs Reggae Boxset, this album is now re-mixed and re-mastered by Grant Phabao. Gem!