New releases last two weeks: Dub

Review: 'Black Cinderella' which harriers on this new 7" as both a vocal and a dub, was written by Max Edwards Asher and offers a soulful and thought-provoking musical experience that challenges perceptions and societal norms. Originally engineered in Studio 1, this track reimagines Cinderella as a woman of colour. Written by Jimmy Rodway, the song aims to empower black women and urges them to envision themselves as the desired fantasy character. The limited edition 45 rpm showcases Asher's masterful production and features a lovely warm and inviting analogue sound and poignant message of empowerment and inclusion.

Review: Mikal Asher, a scion of Jamaica's Morgan family dynasty, reunites with Chocolate Star Records here and does so with a collaboration with disco legend Gary Davis. Asher, akin to his brother Denroy Morgan, upholds the family's legacy of righteousness through music. Known as the Binghiman, he crafts captivating tunes with profound lyrics and has recorded in Ghana's Hustle Hard Studios and collaborated with industry pioneers in Kingston and Brooklyn, setting new standards in musical excellence along the way. Here, 'Wicked Ah Fi' transforms into a modern dub stepper, while 'Black Woman' offers a soulful, laid-back dedication to Davis' wife, Sonjia. This 7" also comes with innovative remixes from California-based DJ and producer Knoe1.

Review: The Wackie label has been hard at work of late digging deep into the archives and turning out some crucial reissues. They have all been tasteful done with the 80s original stampers with blank Wackie's labels, all hand written and numbered and limited to just 300 copies. First up here is 'That's Not All' which comes in two parts across the A-side and is a spaced out and head twisting dub with some great studio effects, wispy melodies and freaky effects. 'Sing A Song' us a more traditional roots cut with low slung drums and 'Never Could Love This Way' is drenched in soul.

Review: Greyscale unveils its latest endeavour, the Spectrum Series, as a way to continue to evolve its offerings and this time it is with something that makes a vibrant departure from its traditional black-and-white aesthetic. The inaugural release features the iconic Lithuanian dub track 'Kasdienybes Sventykla' by grad_u & Eazystyle MC as a way of commemorating its 15th anniversary. It came as a double CD in 2011 but now gets a first vinyl pressing on a nice 10" slab of wax. The track itself taps into the earliest roots of dub in the 70s and traces a line through the 80s with its heavyweight drums and endlessly echoing bass topped by great mic work. A pared-back instrumental features on the flip of this latest crucial drop from the dub dons at Greyscale

Review: Freddie McKay collaborates with The Jah Apostles for new dancehall-tinged 7" 'Bag Over Shoulder,' a reggae gem capturing the essence of Jamaican sunsets. McKay's soulful vocals ride effortlessly over the Apostles' mesmerising rhythms here, meaning that it is impossible not to be transported listeners to the golden shores of Jamaica at sundown. The infectious groove rolls deep and the and uplifting lyrics bring effortless charm and soul that are a testament to McKay's timeless talent on the mic. As always with reggae, a dubbed out version is on the flip.