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The first 7" by "Boso Vinyl Aikoukai," formed by record-loving members in Kamogawa, Boso, Chiba Prefecture, is now available! The recording features Pancho from K-zion, active in Kamogawa, Boso, and guest performers MR Hero and Matsurika united, who is well-known for her work on "the Entertainer" produced by Naniwaman. The song "Toki Wo Koete Yukou" (Let's Go Beyond the Time) is a wonderful song filled with positive messages like 90s Japanese reggae. Limited Pressings!!

Kazufumi Kodama is a Japanese trumpet player and producer for some of Japan's earliest and most influential dub groups. His claim to fame is the work he did with the group Mute Beat in the late 80s, many articles citing this group as the very first dub group to exist in Japan. Even if this isn't true, he certainly pushed the genre to its most popular in the country. His current band "Kodama And The Dub Station Band" released their first cover album "Tomoshibi" in 2023 from P-vine, and now some finest songs are released on 7inch ep! This 7" ep includes a cover of Bob Marley's classic 'Is This Love' which inspired Kodama to make a covers album. Bob Marley's positive vibrations are arranged as an instrumental song and made into a dynamic and excellent cover.

Kazufumi Kodama is a Japanese trumpet player and producer for some of Japan's earliest and most influential dub groups. His claim to fame is the work he did with the group Mute Beat in the late 80s, many articles citing this group as the very first dub group to exist in Japan. Even if this isn't true, he certainly pushed the genre to its most popular in the country. His current band "Kodama And The Dub Station Band" released their first cover album "Tomoshibi" in 2023 from P-vine, and now some finest songs are released on 7inch ep! "You’ve Got A Friend" was written by Carole King for her album "Tapestry" in 1971, and Kodama & Dub Station band arranged the masterpiece as a dub song.

Muffin Records' second single is an original song by Sonia, created based on the concept of "making music out of requests for radio programs". Singer-songwriter Sonia from Aomori emotionally sings about a heart shaken by being dumped by a loved one. EMI (radio DJ) and GEL (guitar) from Nagoya's Japanese duo "EMI&GEL," who captivate listeners with their unique worldview, will complement the Showa mood of the music. Enjoy it with a killer dub b-side by 2shanti (Dub mix) and Goja Bongos (Kette Drums).

Once more, Japanese digital dub legend Takafumi Noda, aka Mystica Tribe, and Dutch synth wizard Danny Wolfers aka Legowelt reunite for their highly anticipated second album under the Noda & Wolfers project on Nightwind Records. Evil Fades IN Echo offers a unique concoction of digital dub, raw lo-fi electro and acid hall influences, creating a deviant captivating sound. Wild untamed synths clash with raw sloppy rhythm boxes. Seductive spring reverbs dissolve into clouds of space echo. Heavy intense bass crumbles on decaying fuzzy tapes while Noda's haunting melodica melodies elevate this LP to new heights!

RAS Tamano, who spreads Nyabinghi and Roots Reggae to the world, produced and is releasing a 7-inch vinyl! Included are a track by Hikari Zion, who stayed in Ethiopia for a long time and had many sessions with local musicians, and a dub by 2Shanti, a Himeji-based artist who provided the sound system for JAH SHAKA's tour in Japan, and also provided tracks for Alpha Steppa. A great recommendation for Japanese spiritual roots!

In the Afro×jazz×global Bass scene, Galliano's Constantine Weir adds a new dimension. And incredibly, Congo Natty is joining as a producer. Featuring lyrics inspired by Islamic mysticism, accompanied by robust electronic bass music that floods the auditory senses. Constantine Weir initially signed with Acid Jazz Records, helmed by Gilles Peterson, and rose to prominence in the 1990s with the acid jazz group Galliano. He has also collaborated with S'Express, Paul Weller, Pressure Drop, Amy Winehouse, Outside, Ocean Colour Scene, Congo Natty, as well as contributed to works by Japanese artists such as United Future Organization (U.F.O) and Hirosi Kamayatsu.

The new release from Zouen Keikaku, an independent label that has released works by Ooyamada Daisanmyaku and Yaryu, among others, that made a splash at last year's RSD and Record Day Japan. This is the second collection by Tokyo electronic musician, Yo. The sharply polished post-industrial sound tangles the feet that line the dance floor and interrupts their dance steps. The dub-derived heavy bass swings aimlessly, crawling around like a snake with bizarre sound textures that cannot be enclosed in any musical genre. A DL code for "B," a special collection of remixed and unreleased sound sources, is included along with a mini booklet that resembles a sightseeing pamphlet.

Rikitakeman Meets Hummingbird's second release is, as the title suggests, a party tune!! The message, however, is as strong as ever. "Life is a party, let's have some fun before we get old!" - This is a call that resonates with those of us who have experienced the pandemic. The melodica on the familiar rhythm track is provided by Anna Ozawa, who has also worked with THE Slits and DRY & Heavy, and the dub mix by Hummingbird is unexpected, but also has a deep, lingering feel. The debut single was so well received that it almost sold out, so we recommend you get this one as well as soon as possible!

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.

Natsu Summer, whose name is becoming known not only in Japan but also in other Asian countries as a rare city-pop reggae singer, recorded her 2018 album with her steelpan-fuelled band Dub Sensation, which is being recorded for the first time. Kunimond Takiguchi (Streamline), who has produced almost all of her work in her career, is also involved in the production of this album. The song 'Japanese Reggae Woman', a tribute to the steelpan disco classic 'Reggae Is Here Once Again' by Steel An' Skin, and the songs by Kunimond Takiguchi, who has been responsible for producing the album since its debut, all The singer's personality is perfectly utilised and e-mura (bim ONE, Rub-a-dub Market), who mixed the album, has done an excellent job.

The first release from the new label "Donryu Record" is a brand new 7" by Erika Crymson, a singjay who has been consistently releasing works from Loop DUB Records and is supported both in Japan and abroad for her solid singing ability and great live performances, as well as for her guest performances with a variety of artists!! Side-A is a club banger that mixes steppers rhythms with passionate and glamorous vocals and catchy Japanese lyrics to get the floor going, and Tinnen adds a tropical flavor with congas and guiro to a moody arrangement by Shiono of Dubjuana Midnight System. Side-B contains a superb Loop DUB MIX with intense bass that gives a certain addictive and ecstatic feeling. Both tracks were mastered by e-mura of Bim One Productions for club use.

This is rebel music! The vocals are gentle, but the message is powerful. The lyrics are full of suggestions, and you can feel the essence of roots reggae. The track is a bold and delicate rhythm track produced by Hummingbird, an internationally acclaimed dub creator, who has taken the original source material and expanded it into a pleasant dub. Reggae / DUB club "open" in Shinjuku, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer, proudly releases this 7-inch single, and at the same time, it is the record debut of Rikitakeman in his 60th year!!

Little TEMPO's first full-length album in 11 years, "love Max" is an organic sound that brings together the knowledge of nine skilled music craftsmen. This album is truly a milestone in instrumental reggae, and promises a supreme musical journey away from the chaos of the world for a while! The musicians, who are active in all genres in Japan and abroad, as well as Naoyuki Uchida, now one of Asia's leading engineers, and the rare melody maker Takeshi Toki's compositional sense are, of course, still alive and well. Starlight Serenade" with Yumiko Ohno (Buffalo Daughter) foreshadows a new foundation, and the one-of-a-kind style achieved in the album title track "Love Max" is a strong reflection of each member's steady and innovative way of life. Mastering was done by Barry Grint of Alchemy Mastering in the U.K., and Uchida's mix was sublimated into an overwhelming sound image. The pressing was done by Sony, renowned for the best sound quality in Japan, and the quality of the disc itself was also thoroughly pursued. "love Max", which was produced 30 years after the formation of the group, will surely be a legacy that will continue to shine for several decades to come.

Yuichiro Kubo, bassist/producer/engineer and founder of one of Japan's best Afrobeat bands, JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra, has been working in a wide variety of fields as a project to output various Roots Music that he has been influenced by with his own sensitivity, In 2017, he launched Rootstribe DUB Septet. A superb instrumental by a Japanese Afrobeat band exploring the roots of Afrobeat!

Brand new release from french dub label All Nations Records. It features artists from Japan, Chazbo and Jah93, which combine their talents to deliver a soulful and powerful track. Deconstruction of the track is proposed on B side, as traditional reggae 7" requires.

Two brand new instrumental thrillers from the UK’s premium dub outfit The Disciples. Both tracks -`Sabotage’ and `Steppers Nah Sleep’ - are followed by their respective dub versions which have both been tried and tested on various sound systems throughout Europe over the past 12 months. Highly regarded for their custom built dubplate cuts for Jah Shaka. The Disciples have a sizable following worldwide, particularly in the UK, France, Germany and Japan.

Joan Reggae Drummer, based in the region of Catalonia in Spain, is a great lover of Jamaican music, at a very young age he began to be so passionate about drums that he created his first musical projects, among them, the band that was a turning point was The Pepper Pots. With 6 albums already released and several tours in Europe, UK, Japan, USA & Czech Republic , Joan has opened for internationally artists such as Jimmy Cliff, Kymani Marley, Laurel Aitken, Derrick Morgan, Ticken Jahfakoli or The Pioneers among others. He performed at major festivals such as Summerjam Reggae Festival (Germany), Rototom Sunsplash (Italy), Primavera Sound (bcn), Rock For People (Czech Republic) or Sxsw (Austin, Usa).

Joan as a drummer has also worked with a lot of top international soul artists such as Curtis Mayfield's legendary band The Impressions, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, Maxine Brown, Binky Griptite from Daptone Records that has been in bands such as Antibalas, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The Dap-Kings or The Mellomatics.

In 2020, after a time of musical hiatus due to the Covid, he began his more personal adventure, creating his own channel dedicated solely and exclusively to the world of drums in Reggae and Dub. Currently his Instagram channel has more than 34.000 followers and the content published has so much repercussion. First this major collaboration last year with Aston Barrett Jr for a special tribute to his uncle , Carlton Barrett (Bob Marley), one of Joan's favorite drummer. And at last all this work led him to record his first debut EP "dub Explosion" on the label Two Flames Records, a real explosion of DUB, where the common thread of the songs are drums.

JRD "dub Explosion" is a performance in the form of an EP, consisting of 4 instrumental Dub tracks with a totally different concept than what we are used to, since the songs were created from the drum beats.

Great musicians from different countries have participated in this EP: Guitar - Arturo Landaeta (Venezuela), Bass - Elie El Ossais (Australia), Keyboards - Ireneu Grosset (Spain), Nyahbinghi Drums - Maurici Bongo (Brazil), Trombone and Trumpet - Pablo Martín (Catalonia), Tenor sax - Tomy Muñoz (Catalonia), Bass - Miliu Llorach (Catalonia), Flute - Lluís Doménech (England), Bass - Joshua Jones (Jamaica), Keteh & Triangle - Aurel Cade (France), Trumpet - Glenn Holdaway (United States).

Finally, the production, mixing and dub was done by the musician and producer Ireneu Grosset, in the analogue studio of Dr. Dubwiser. It was quite an experience as the studio has a team very similar to what Jamaican producers had in the golden age of Reggae in the 70's.

After releasing Undefined, Kazufumi Kodama and Babe Roots, the 4th release from a Japanese experimental dub label newdubhall welcomes the ever-evolving pioneer of minimal dub and dub techno Deadbeat, a solo project of Scott Monteith hailing from Canada. Side A 'Things Fall Apart' will feature a beatless dub ambient which shares a perspective of free jazz and 'Adieu Chez Cherie,’ an absolute knockdown four on the floor dub techno on the flip side. Though simple, both sides are layered with complexity, let yourself experience the profundity of newdubhall with this masterpiece.

Single cut from the album "Reggae Interpretation Of Kind Of Blue", reinterpreting the Miles Davis' masterpiece "Kind Of Blue" into reggae / dub covers. The front cover is newly designed with the Japanese title!!

New cover version of Les Femmes "Yes You Thrill Me" from Funk Freaks Dub Spliff Funk series - Always limited!

"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!

* In-demand slab of revolutionary dub that was originally released on the Boom-Shacka-Lacka label in 1994, featuring three mixes of an instrumental sound system shaker in the shape of `Dub Revolution’.

* Highly regarded for their custom built dubplate cuts for Jah Shaka. The Disciples have a sizable following worldwide, particularly in the UK, France, Germany and Japan.

* Tracklist: A. The Disciples - `Dub Revolution'

B. The Disciples `Dub Revolution - Innovation Mix', `Dub Revolution - Chambers of Echoes Mix'

Japanese iconic dub band Mute BEAT’s landmark 1st album, released in 1987, is finally being reissued on vinyl. This album, which received international acclaim, including being selected as one of the best albums by the U.S. magazine "BEAT," is a true testament to their passion and dedication. The cutting is planned to be done by Dave Turner at Curve Pusher in the UK.

A very rare independent LP known among Japanese new wave maniacs is officially reissued on Music That Shapes! THE AIR Music International is an experimental band that brings a background of dub and roots reggae to avant-garde free jazz sessions with fuzzy psychedelic guitars. The album was self-produced in 1984 in collaboration with the indie label ICR. The album is dedicated to LEE Perry and quotes Holger Czukay and Upsetters. This album has an unparalleled vibe and is highly recommended for dub, free jazz, new wave, environmental music and ambient music lovers.

Absolute collectors item, the culmination of wildly unexpected trajectories in music, originally released in 1980, this is Japan meets Jamaica at its finnest. Pecker (aka Hashida Masahito) takes the Japanese "Otaku" consumer behavioural phenomenon and directs it towards deep world percussion knowledge, teaming up with legendary Minako Yoshida for vocals and lyrics, Sly & Robbie and Vitamin Dread (aka Aki Ikuta) with other heavyweight names sprinkled on top like Augustus Pablo and Carly Barrett...and this is the result: three tracks of pioneering "Japanaican" sound. A truly international effort, recording and mixing between Jamaica's Studio One and Tuff Gong studios, and, Japanese Columbia and Sony studios. B2 features a beautifuly dreamy rendition of Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Kylyn", remastered and re-released in original 10" format.