Aggrobeat Germany レコード& CD

Review: Two-tone ska scallywags Bad Manners ruled the chart roost throughout the 1980s, racking up nine Top 40 hits and 111 weeks on the charts, fueled by a vary many memorable TotP appearance. By the late 80s, their chart success faded but they kept busy with Eat The Beat (1988), a collection of rarities and a standalone take on the 1969 Symarip track 'Skinhead Girl.' Later in 1989, Bad Manners offshoot Buster's All Stars released 'Skinhead Girl' with a fresh live ska twist, and this incurrent reissue of that flashpoint now also unveils the never-heard-before 'Skinhead Boy', which debuts in a foldout sleeve with liner notes by Lee Morris. Both songs are rife with nostalgia for a subculture mired in historic complication, and at times it's hard to distinguish whether the object of affection so considered is a real person or a representation of a genre and point in time: "she wore braces and blue jeans... she was mine."

Review: Boss Capone from The Upsessions collaborates with Keith Rowe of the legendary Jamaican duo Keith & Tex on this new release which is well worth hearing. The A-side features a love-inspired rocksteady gem while the flip offers a roots-oriented banger. Boss Capone shared his experience of making this one, saying "I recorded a song called 'My Girl Tomorrow.' I was struggling with it and wanted a voice full of soul. Keith kindly added his vocals, completing the beautiful puzzle." Each copy includes a recycled paper insert and both of these tunes will remind of summer with their earth rhythms and laidback, dusty drums.

Review: This is the official reissue of a rare Rudy Mills 7" originally released in the UK as Crab20 in 1969. The second of two Rudy Mills singles from that year, it was produced by Derrick Harriott and issued on the iconic Crab label but soon became hard to find and expensive. This reissue from Aggrobeat kicks off with 'Tears On My Pillow' with is a yearning vocal over mid tempo dub and nicely plucked guitar strings while a meandering melody transfixes your gaze. 'I Am Trapped' is similarly soul drenched and laid back reggae with a classic edge.

Review: This Rudy Mills classic was originally released in 1969 on the rare UK Pama subsidiary label, Crab. The production was handled by Derrick Harriott and pairs some signature reggae rhythms with breezy guitars and warm organs. On the flipside, this reissue features a rendition of Otis Redding's 'Wholesale Love' that is short at just over two minutes, but seriously sweet, with lovestruck vocals over a wobbly dub low-end. Each Aggrobeat single includes a sleeve note insert along with photos which offer a nice glimpse into the music's history and the visual culture surrounding it.