Back catalogue: Reggae

Review: Susan Cadogan is an esteemed reggae vocalist who has been since the 1970s. Now she continues her musical journey with this cover single which is taken from her excellent 2020 album Hurt So Good - Storybook Revisited, distributed by Burning Sounds. Side-A features a rendition of the reggae classic by Dawn Penn, while Side-B offers a sweet soul interpretation of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' track. Enhanced with Japanese-inspired artwork on the jacket, this release showcases Cadogan's timeless talent and versatility as it bridges the gap between reggae and soul music across generations.

Review: The magical 'All in My Life' is an unreleased and heartbroken lovers rock steady track sung by a humble figure over a smooth rhythm. While missing the glamour of a horn section, it's driven by a lilting organ reminiscent of Buster Allstars. The B-side, 'Dancing Floor,' is the only song Gregory Isaacs recorded under Buster's production and so it is a rather rare gem. It features a melancholic melody and Isaacs' signature sweet voice that very much come from the golden age of early reggae. Both tracks showcase a raw side of the genre and as they are lesser known, they are sure to make a big impact whenever played.

Review: Matthieu Chedid and Seu Jorge's long-running collaboration reaches a new peak with this latest release. A-side, the track 'Parioca' brings together the duo's signature stylesiChedid's French flair and Jorge's Brazilian rhythms, resulting in a seamless fusion of groove and melody that invites listeners into a warm, joyful world where their distinct musical identities meet. The B-side's dub mix of 'Parioca' takes things in a deeper direction, layering hypnotic rhythms and atmospheric textures that open up the track, creating an expansive, dubby atmosphere. It's a perfect companion to the original, showing the depth and versatility of their musical partnership, which continues to evolve after more than a decade of collaboration.

Review: Cool Up Records's latest 12" maxi single features Spanish vocalist Yeyo Perez on two dynamic tracks, each presented in dual versions. 'King inna di Ring' and 'Burning in Flames' is fresh digital reggae that pays homage to traditional Jamaican MCs while infusing authentic new school style. The A-side showcases Perez's commanding vocals over a bass-driven groove, which is reminiscent of classic reggae clashes. Powered by the Casio MT-40 keyboard, it embodies the signature digital-dub sound and on the B-side, 'Burning in Flames' introduces Coronel Brown's smooth chorus, blending lovers' rock with Perez's rugged delivery. Crafted with dub and riddim variations, alongside rich instrumentation, this release exemplifies Cool Up's production prowess.

Review: French-Spanish, Latin soul and Afrobeats singer-songwriter Manu Chao returns to the fore with Viva Tu ('Long Live You'), a heartwarming Latin ska and worldbeat album dedicated to uncovetable, amicable neighbourly relations between members of the public. After the release of the eponymous lead single, the full record comes now in full cordial force. With its sleepily descendant vocals giving off the sense of a narrator too sunkissed to care, Viva Tu is an al fresco listening experience, one that also nonetheless betrays Chao's seasoned, well-tanned skin in the game. Now 63, this is a comeback album "inspired by (Chao's) travels and people's daily lives", and it hears him hark after something like a universal language, flexing his multilingual chops by singing in Spanish, French, Portuguese and English. All this forms part of Chao's mission to address the various global issues facing humanity today, in such a manner as only he can do best; he treats music as a vehicle for a humanistic global activism, aiming to promote anti-capitalist, antifascist and without-borders content.

Review: French Latin ska/dancehall artist Manu Chao (Los Carayos, Hot Pants) shares 'Viva Tu', his latest single pre-empting his upcoming solo summer stomper of an album. A wholesome ode to the neighbourly charms of his Chao's home city, 'Viva Tu' translates to "long live you!", and sports a universal message of simple merriment and streetwise hobnobbing. From "the one who sells tickets on the subway, to the street-sweeper", Chao's call for love - mediated by the irresistible sweetmeats of rhythm guitar and trilling ad-libs - excludes no-one. It's also a great, sweet-hearted song.

Review: Dub producer Herman Chin Loy who was one of the pioneers of the style in the early 70s, and this reissue of two formerly unnammed and mislabeled, all but lost LPs - now combined to make up a compilation known as Musicism Dub - perfectly captures the earliest incarnation of the sound. 'Musicism' is a good term to describe the spectacular character of Loy's dub. Dub as a genre itself has been at times described as one of the first popular music styles to use the sound of the beat as a point of intrigue in itself, rather than relying solely on melodies or lyrics. The Chin Loy sound flaunted here is as indicative of this approach, though it is also staunchly rooted in the vintage style of analog production, with the likes of 'Armagideon War' and 'Don't Fight The Man' nailing that undeniably early chillout sound: nicely-glued lows and spitty tops.

Review: Congo Natty celebrates a decade of revolutionary jungle music with this anniversary reissue of a classic. Originally released in 2013, this album remains a cornerstone of the genre, blending reggae, hip-hop, and jungle influences into a powerful sonic tapestry. With timeless tracks like 'UK Allstars' and 'Jungle Souljah,' Congo Natty captures the spirit of the underground rave scene with infectious beats and socially conscious lyrics. This anniversary edition breathes new life into the record with remastered tracks and additional content, reminding listeners of the enduring legacy of jungle music and Congo Natty's vital contribution to its evolution.

Review: Much loved roots and dub outfit The Congos are often first come to via this seminal album, Heart of the Congos. It's one all collectors have on their racks and that's why it keeps on getting reissued. It's a brilliantly organic and authentic sound with the opening tune 'Fisherman' amongst the best - the falsetto vocals, the lush harmonies, the rolling rhythms - they are irresistible on a warm day. The rest of the record remains just as high on quality, with, of course, the brilliant drums and congas at the heart of each track, but the lyrical work not far behind.

Review: Although barely known outside of experimental electronic music circles, Simon Crab has been making avant-garde and cutting-edge music since the turn of the '80s. His latest album, and first for Leeds-based Space Ritual, delivers sci-fi daydreaming by the bucket-load, with the Hastings-based producer gently leading us on a journey through symphonic electronic ambient ('Headless Day'), shuffling ambient techno ('Invisible Cities'), gorgeous beat-free soundscapes ('Edgelands', 'Phantom Power'), low-slung IDM-dub fusion ('Battle of the Trees'), illbient influenced ambient dub ('Invaders') and bubbly-sounding, modular-powered electronica (the pin-sharp and wonderfully melodious 'By Product'). It all adds up to an immersive, evocative and emotive collection of vivid electronic workouts that more than stands up to repeat listens.

Review: Creation Rebel were the original On-U Sound house band, laying down some of the definitive riddims in the early days of Adrian Sherwood's voyage into dub. 40 years on from their last record, the trio of Crucial Tony, Eskimo Fox and Magoo have reunited with Sherwood at the controls for another masterclass in heavyweight sounds from a crack team of players. Originally they formed as a backing band for the late Prince Far-I, and some of his unmistakable tones manifest on this new record from archive tapes, while Daddy Freddy brings his famous fast chat flow to proceedings and Italian synth player Gaudi crops up on occasion too. Rather than dub-by-numbers, this is an exploratory record which takes in different grooves and influences, all filtered through the expanse of space-time manipulation the dub wise approach inspires.

Review: A comprehensive reissue campaign of the key albums by Creation Rebel, the original On-U Sound house band. The series encompasses out of print and much in demand UK dub reggae albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s, all highlighting crucial early production work from the mixing desk of Adrian Sherwood. The band's post-reformation, 2023 album Hostile Environment, is thrown in for good measure. This mammoth 6xCD edition houses five dozen tracks of indelibly experimental dub and reggae tracks, many of which tend towards the spacier and more cosmically-intoned ends of the dub tradition, which was above alive and kicking at the height of the genre's fame from the late 1970s onwards, and spearheaded by none other than group members Clifton Morrison, Eric 'Fish' Clarke and more.

Review: As part of a rather comprehensive looking back and reissuing of some of Creation Rebel's best and most enduring albums, On-U Sound pay due homage to their one and only in-house band. Close Encounters Of The Third World is one such album; it was first released in 1978, and draws a titular link between alienation and privation. The eight-track LP collates the instrumental talents of Lizard The Wizard, Dr. Pablo and Crucial Tony, and hears a fantastic mixing job by none other than Prince Jammy. With an initial charge to 'Know Yourself' before externalising the pilous inner monologue with 'Natty Conscience Free', Creation Rebel here demonstrate a stage of collective soul-searching and a subsequently serene set of songs.

Review: For the first time since 1982, Creation Rebel's Psychotic Jonkanoo is made available on vinyl. Curiously first released on the primarily post-punk oriented Glaswegian label Statik, their sixth album here keeps to the usual eight-track formula, yet hears a softer discographic progression; compared to their earlier works, it is less prodding and weighty, and instead opts for a headroomier and more reverb-laden atmosphere, through which the album's distinctive and novel call-and-response chants can peek. Bandleader Crucial Tony was aided on the vocal front by harmonies from other group members, in a style reminiscent of Black Uhuru, plus the occasional guest such as John Lydon of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Limited providing backing harmony (!) on 'Mother Don't Cry'.