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As many artists before them (Gainsbourg, Snoop Dogg, Lavilliers, Sinead O'Connor…), DA Break embarques us to revisit their best tracks “Inna Reggae Vibe”, and invites us listeners to rediscover their repertoire with a more than ever “Roots” sound. An enchanted break that will seduce the early fans as well as reggae connoisseurs; A suspended moment with a band on their new musical quest, assuming a different side of their DNA. The idea of an “old school reggae auto remix” had bloomed for quite a long time, with the will to dive into the 60s & 70s sound esthetics and to pay tribute to this reggae culture - this unique cultural temple they love and respect so much. DA Break concerts are always rich and intense musical moments, thanks to a crew of solid musicians, so the choice to record Live, all in the same room, was quite obvious; with “vintage” instruments and microphones, to enjoy this warm and authentic sonic texture. The result is a “Roots & Rock Steady” album without electronics, leaning towards sweaty and rough Jazz, tropical Soul or even Gospel with sand between the toes… definitely Reggae! DA Break remains DA Break, with its inner light, this time looking towards the Caribbean musical culture. Given the historical influence of Jamaican Sound Systems on the American Block Parties, it seemed logical for DA Break to pay tribute to the artists that influenced them since day one, and still do today: Bob Marley & the Wailers, Jimmy Cliff. Culture, Toots & the Maytals, Burning Spears, The Gladiators, YellowMan, Israel Vibrations, LKJ & Mad Professor, Ub40, Shaka Demus, Peter Tosh... Just to name a few.

picture sleeve

Synth lovers rock at its best! Jamaican born and New-York based, Laury Webb is a singer, musician, producer, actor, former model and writer. He's been called both the Opera Dread and the Frank Sinatra of Reggae. Laury's musical career began with a role as keyboardist and later backing vocalist with the reggae vocal group The Meditations (with whom he continues to perform). Laury Webb posses a unique and eclectic vocal style. He has performed at some of New York city's premier musical venues, including Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, The Village Gate, S.O.B.'s, The Ritz, The Lion's Den, Joe's Pub, Leopard Lounge, Kenny's Castaway, Central Park Summer Stage, The Baggot Inn and The Brooklyn Bowl. After enjoying years of being a back-up musician, Laury launched a solo career with his Tigerbone Band. During that period he recorded and releases singles "Woman My Queen" and "It Seems The Same". He was fresh out of college and touring with The Meditations, when he purchased a small organ for his girlfriend/mother of his two children for Christmas. By the time her birthday came around he was so broke and could not afford to purchase a birthday present for her so he gave her a writing pad and pen and told her to write down whatever came out of her mouth, and he sat at the keyboard and began playing and singing. “Woman My Queen”, was the result. “It Seems The Same” was begun in America but I did not finish writing it till the music was recorded. My cousin, Barry Biggs, worked with me on this one. We both sang on the backing tracks.

Peter Tosh's most "accessible" solo album, Mama Africa, would also be his best seller outside Jamaica, the only one his albums to break into the U.K. Top 50 and even push into the bottom reaches of the U.S. charts.

180g vinyl.

Wise Records is thrilled to announce the release of the EP 'Max Romeo Sings Classics'. The EP includes newly recorded versions of "Kingston Town", "Man Next Door" and "No Place Like Home", recorded with Max's touring band during a break between gigs on tour in France, and mixed by legendary producer Dennis Bovell.

Formed in Barcelona in 1989, these pioneers of Ska in the Spanish state played throughout Europe and shared the stage with ska and reggae heavyweights such as Laurel Aitken, The Skatalites or Toots and the Maytals. After 30 years of activity, they decided to take a break in 2019. Now back on stage they present the first of a series of reissues of their albums in Vinyl format. Barbarossaplatz was originally released in 1999 in CD format (K-Industria) and on vinyl (Groover Records) in 2000, Barbarossaplatz was their third studio album.

Kitchens inc. is a new label set up by Leeds based DJ and Producer duo, Marcus and Chris Kitchen. The first release comprises of three original tracks of their own material and will appeal to those that seek out genre crossing music. On a minimalist house tip, expect eery off tones and unearthly vocals that are seamlessly woven into understated grooves. Each track has its own personality, switching between 4/4 and breaks with a discordant jazz theme that runs throughout the EP.

Released in the UK as part of Brooks’ ‘One Love’ album in the early 1980s, ‘No War Over Woman’ was originally recorded at Channel One around 1975, with musicians apparently including Sly & Robbie rhythm section, Ansel Collins on keys and Deadly Headley on saxophone, and mixed at King Tubby’s. It is arguably the first time it gets issued as a 7’’ single including a version on the flip side. Extra tip: roots fans will recognise the riddim from Knowledge’s monumental ‘Stumbing Block’, which appeared on the Tamoki Wambesi label.

Eyes Open is the first official album for the up and coming Roots Reggae and Dub band Dubarise.

A self-produced project recorded over a week on a forested mountain in Germany in the middle of winter. Far from a typical landscape one associates with the genre but a perfect example of how powerful Reggae and Dub can be regardless of its setting.

While traveling the year before, for self-reflection and a break from societies expectations, lead singer Florian Görsch started writing lyrics and planted the foundations for the album. But it wasn’t until he returned home to the band until the real message of the album developed.

Told through deep warm Bass lines, hard-hitting drums, Dub effects creating atmospheric soundscapes, Inspiring Saxophone solos and classic Roots reggae arrangements, one experiences not only the meaning of Eyes Open but a mellow inspired musical journey.

Killer early '80s lick of the Java rhythm with the soulful voice of Roman Stewart on top and the inimitable Heptones on harmonies. First time reissue, direct from master tape.

Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 turns up the gold again with this repro of the much in-demand Flames cut of Nairobi Sisters' Promised Land. Sampled by Q-Tip for "Whateva Will Be" (appearing on ATCQ's final long-player) and on a range of earlier 90s boom-bap era productions, it is not at all hard to figure out why it's a coveted record. That break is as low-slung and funky as it gets, and best showcased on the superbly stripped-back dub on the flip.

The Nairobi Sisters were singers Terrie Nairobi and Judy Mowatt (later of the I-Threes, alongside Rita Marley & Marcia Griffiths). Promised Land was originally recorded together with The Gaytones for Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label, with this later version cut for Winston Jones' Brooklyn-based Flames Records. It is issued here under license from producer and songwriter Jones - the original singer and composer of Stop That Train (later made world-famous by Keith & Tex's version) with his Spanishtonians in the early 1960s - who later moved from JA to NYC where he established and ran the Flames label, a core imprint in Brooklyn's reggae scene from the mid-1970s until the early 1990s. 333 has licensed a range of Flames-era productions from the now Texas-based Jones, so keep and eye out for more as it comes... but for now, jump on this before it's gone!

Liam Bailey comes out swinging with "White Light," an instant-classic, dancefloor filler. The rough and tough drum break intro catches you from the first beat before the track gives way to an infectious and uplifting reggae-dis- co number. Liam's instantly recognizable voice showers his muse with praise over deep round bass lines and a four on the floor beat. The combination of Leon Michels' crushing production and Bailey's lyrics like "You love yourself, you're so exciting, like no one else"... is sure to make this a staple in dj sets around the globe.The B side "Cold & Clear" is a proper lighters in the air, slap the wall, top ranking tune. The track struts in the door with a natural and undeniable confidence. Liam weaves a heavy metacognitive story over the one drop drums, perfect basslines, and organ stabs that will have people stepping in rhythm. The lo-fi production weaves elements from the finest early rocksteady era with touches from the late 70s / early 80s digital era and takes the entire vibe into the present with unorthodox arrangements and vocal treatments. Bailey has a tune here that will hold up next to the classics in the dancehalls from the yards of Jamaica to the discotheques in his homeland of England.

Emotional Rescue and HMV Record Shop (Japan) end their Disco Reggae Lovers 7" series with reggae legend Sugar Minott and this utterly unique UK soul-boogie rarity, I Remember Mama. Reggae star, vocalist, producer and sound system operator, Kingston JA born Minott released over 50 albums and hundreds of singles for the likes of Studio One, Wackies, Suffering Heights and his own Black Roots label. His distinctive soulful voice pioneered the Dancehall style and following his UK hit "Hard Time Pressure" he moved to London in 1980, adopting the rising Lovers Rock sound. On a visit to Wackies' offices in Soho he met Steve Parr, who had recently opened a studio next door. Keyboard player for the likes of Desmond Dekker and Geno Washington, Parr moved into composition, mixing, sound engineering and production, before setting up the Sound Design Studio in Dean Street. Principally a studio, the meeting with Minott hatched the idea to create a label to showcase their capabilities. Produced by Parr, he played all the instruments except the distinctive sax by friend Andy MacDonald. With Minott's heartfelt lyrics, this marriage created a one-off, a ground-breaking synthesised 4/4 rhythm track with funk groove and soulful vocals. Released on 7" and 12", the versions noticeably differ and is the perfect closing to the Disco Reggae Lovers series.

Chapter Five in the ‘Songs Of Uplifment’-series features none other than the Far East dub ruler Mighty Massa with a fresh 2023 recut of a very special musical offering out of his Dub Creation Studio in Japan. The tune is entitled ‘Breaking Down The Barrier’ and comes inna heavy ska style. A melodious instrumental extravaganza by Massa and the ominous Ska Revolutionaries, to uplift mind and soul, a rhythm and groove that simply invite to dance and to get feet and arms moving. A mix was released on the ‘Armagideon Time’-album on CD in 2006, but no dub nor version has ever seen the light of the day before. Now unearthed, recut and remixed, ready for the sound systems north, south, east and west…

Special mention to Dandelion Soundsystem who made me listen properly in the first place, running the tune in session a few years ago in a beautiful way, and sending me on a serious journey with it - forever grateful! Been running it hard since that discovery, and it has created a many special moments on the road, one highlight definitely being at Dub Camp 2022 when it caused quite a furore in the sound meeting arena and left a number of sound(wo)man wondering. So after all it just felt right to give this slightly hidden gem the full light it deserves. Give thanks to Ras Kush for facilitating the link to Japan and immediate full support to make it happen!

These two avidly sought-after early Reggay tracks are quite rare. Splash Down is the instrumental version of Sufferer and both songs have been produced by Derrick Harriott. This is the first time these two wicked tracks are released together on a 7inch vinyl single.

THE Kingstonians Jamaican vocal trio, the Kingstonians were formed around 1966 by Cebert Bernard (aka Jackie Bernard) and his brother Lloyd "Footy" Bernard, along with mutual friend Lloyd Kerr. They began their recording career with producer J.J. Johnson, but had their greatest success between 1968 and 1970 with producer Derrick Harriott, who helped steer the singles "Singer Man" and "Sufferer" to the top of the Jamaican charts. An LP of the Harriott material was released in 1970 under the title “Sufferer”. The album was the career high point for the Kingstonians, who left Harriott to work briefly with producers Leslie Kong and Rupie Edwards before breaking up as the roots reggae era began.

THE Crystalites The Crystalites were the backing and studio band for legendary producer Derrick Harriott and included top 60s Jamaican musicians e.g. Bongo Herman, Bongo Les, Boris Gardiner, Gladstone Anderson, Karl Bryan, Winston Wright among others!

They were extremely productive between 1968 and 1974 and recorded 4 albums and countless singles covering many styles from Boss Reggae to Dub. More specifically, they recorded many wicked and awesome “versions” of hit songs of that time e.g. Sufferer by THE Kingstonians!

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.

The 45rpm vinyl edition is produced with a different track order across four sides and promises to deliver super fat loud audio.

Part 1 of a double album, ‘Special Edition Part 1’, comprises of six tracks of which ‘Raleigh Twenty’, ‘Trickle Down’ and ‘Six-Eight Instrumental’ were written and recorded undercover at the band’s Wellington studio, BAYS, while the other tracks; ‘Special Edition, ‘Kamo Kamo’, and ‘OneFourteen’, have all been developed and evolved from the band’s celebrated live jam sessions, whilst on the road in front of audiences worldwide.

Supremely crafted at Freddy’s own BAYS studio in hometown Wellington, the deep musical and rich vocal layers reflect Freddy’s inspiration from the black music lexicon and is a response to the crowd energy at their world dominating live shows.

‘Special Edition Part 1’ is the first release of a long envisaged double album project with separate chapters. The next journey, Part 2 will be released in 2020 after stringent road-testing with audiences over 35 shows across New Zealand, UK and Europe celebrating the release of the Part 1. These upcoming live performances will allow the band to fully explore new song-writing technology and give rise to a slamming Part 2.

The new album follows on from 2015’s ‘BAYS’ LP, which saw support from Financial Times, Resident Advisor, Dummy, the DJ Mag and Clash-acclaimed ‘Blackbird,’ second album ‘Dr Boondigga and the Big BW’ - which gained rave reviews by The Guardian and BBC Music - and the band’s record breaking debut album ‘Based on a True Story’, which went nine times platinum and remained in New Zealand’s top 40 charts for over two years after its release in 2005.

The album cover artwork is by Wellington artist Otis Chamberlain, a continuing evolution from his creation for the ist first single ‘Trickle Down’, a work that's morphed from digital cover art to the band’s massive summer tour backdrop and the recently released late-night buttery steppers ‘Kamo Kamo’.

Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, proudly presents Push Push, the new album by acclaimed producer Taggy Matcher aka Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart (Voilaaa, Mr President, The Dynamics, Uptown Funk Empire, Metropolitan Jazz Affair, Da Break, …). After the success of his previous LP Singasong, Taggy Matcher returns with 8 tracks exploring his wide range of Reggae & Dub influences, each time magnified by a fine crew of vocal guests as LMK, Birdy Nixon, Alexandra Charry, Hawa, John Milk & Elodie Rama. With a great sense of authenticity, they all bring their own touch to Taggy Matcher's compositions and covers. Always faithful to its inspirations, brilliantly produced, Push Push is your new invitation to follow the Lion to Zion. The album starts with "Push Push", a title already released last year as a vinyl single 7", in collaboration with rising singer LMK, who you may know from her successful previous reworks on Taggy's last album ("No Love Allowed", "My Man"). Sharing the same love for the early 80's Digital Rub A Rub productions, lyrics are about street harassment of women… with a pinch of humor! On "Little Things", Taggy invites old mate Birdy Nixon for a cover of an early rocksteady classic by Hemsley Morris. With the vintage bounce we love combined with modern sounds and productions, the song is all about tenderness and simplicity. "Volvere Mañana", the song has this very cumbia hip move with the participation of gifted singer Alexandra Charry from Cali in Colombia, where they both composed the song. Then, Taggy invited Boris Pokora to play the "gaita" local flute to give the song its proper Colombian Caribbean coast flavor. The album continues with "Two Dimes" featuring longtime collaborator Hawa (from Mr President to Mr Day and other numerous projects). This shaky disco reggae rockers is all about getting ready for the party… but with two dimes only! "Q Fashion" is a song full of wittiness and self-mockery wrote during the first Covid-19 lockdown. Parisian Soul singer John Milk was stuck in Paris while Bruno was in Lyon. On this minimalistic digital reggae tune, they give the ingredients to perfect your next quarantine outfit. Discoish reggae tune "Get Enough" featuring Birdy Nixon has a simple and successful recipe: just mix a big dose of Lovers with the same amount of Rockers and you've got this 100% soulful song. On "Suit and Tie", Taggy and John Milk go Pop with this version of Justin Timberlake, that fits perfectly with John's tender and mellow style. Finally, Elodie Rama with Taggy Matcher pay tribute to Erykah Badu and her legacy to the Soul music scene at the end of the nineties. The mood is jazzy, mellow and warm, with a tiny Lee Scratch Perry early 70's vaporous vibes.

The smooth and funky sound of prime-time Japanese reggae pop in the 1970s and ‘80s fired up an obsession with Jamaican music that persists to the present day.

If there is a year zero for the introduction of reggae music to Japan, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was 1979 when Bob Marley and the Wailers toured the country, trailed by an entourage of journalists, photographers and fans ready to spread the message of the music into all corners of Japanese society. But the story of Japanese reggae is not a linear one, and the music that is collected on Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985 captures the moment J-reggae entered the broader public consciousness, merging commercial city pop style with an infectious backbeat, that has drawn comparisons with the emergence of Lovers Rock in the UK.

Rather than look directly to Jamaica, many producers and artists in Japan were inspired instead by the more approachable sounds of The Police and Ub40, their reggae fix arriving pre-filtered through the lens of new wave pop from the UK. Playful and groovy, these album deep cuts have been overlooked for too long. Among them are Miki Hirayama, the idol singer who borrowed the bassline from Bob Marley’s Natural Mystic on ‘Denshi Lenzi’, Chu Kosaka, who headed to Hawaii to cut the Jimmy Cliff-inspired ‘Music’ and Marlene, the Philippine songstress whose cover of Roberta Flack’s ‘Hittin’ Me Wear It Hurts’ owed much to her producer’s obsession with Sly & Robbie’s Compass Point sound. Then there was Izumi “Mimi” Kobayashi, who enlisted the Babylon Warriors to perform on a dubbed-out version of her own track ‘Lazy Love’, the city pop-meets-new wave reggae sound of Miharu Koshi’s ‘Coffee Break’, Junko Yagami’s anti-apartheid deep cut ‘Johannesburg’ and Lily, whose ‘Tenkini Naare’ was produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto and closes out the compilation with a flourish.

While these stories may not always conform to neat narratives, they do provide a more accurate reflection of the indirect ways in which styles infiltrate one another and, in their naivety, have the potential to create something beautifully strange and entirely new. Previously only available in Japan, the tracks on this compilation are a testament to that curious alchemy.

Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985 is released on vinyl and as a full album download (no streaming), featuring original artwork by Japanese Fukuoka-based artist Noncheleee, whose cover pays homage to the iconic dancehall album art of Wilfred Limonious. Released on 1st September, Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985 is part of Time Capsule's Nippon Series, a loose series of compilations exploring different musical scenes from Japan between the 1960s and 2010s.