VP レコード& CD

Review: Busy Signal has been blowing up the dancehall scene for a hot minute. He has the ability to cook up real crossover hits as heard on opener "Stay So" (which clocked up an incredible 32 million hits online) and "One Way" (with 17 million). With "Parts Of The Puzzle", the long time star wanted to show off his range, which he duly does across 10 crisp and contemporary cuts. The production is reflective and shiny, with a range of rhythms that take in classic reggae ""Girl Like You"", funk ("Balloon") and deep dancehall ("Bring Back The Vibes (feat. Josey Wales)". It all adds up to a comprehensive, forward looking record from one of the game's best.

Review: The man known as the 'mellow canary' is Barrington Levy, a legendary Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist who was born in Geel, Belgium. This one is a stonier cold classic of his from 1980 that gets a welcome reissue here. 'Black Heart Man' has lively drums and wooden hits, twisted guitar riffs and noodling bass with Barry's lovely versos up top. On the flip is a fine dub from Roots Radics that takes the tune into psyched and dubbed out Scientist territory. It was produced by Henry 'Junjo' Lawes and recorded at Channel One.

Review: VP have got some special and long-lost roots reggae classics here on 45rpm for the first timer in forever. The A-side here first dropped in 1979 and was recorded at Channel One, mixed at King Tubby's and produced by Prince Jammy not one before he went digital - something of a holy trinity of top-class reggae quality. The original is full of proper good and authentic dub flavour with fat bass and smoky atmospheres. Prince Jammy's own superb dub cut features on the flipside which is full of his usual mixing desk magic.