Review: The legendary Fatman is back with another must-have 10" release featuring Don Carlos's iconic vocal roots classic from 1980. The A-side includes the full 12" disco mix, highlighted by Robbie Shakespeare's unforgettable bassline which adds to the fresh, deep groove of this perfectly aged track. On the flip side, you'll find Delroy Wilson's infectious 'Live Good' alongside its dub version. The OG is a heavyweight cut with plenty of FX, echo and lo-fi sounds all making it an unforgettable jam. Essentially this is an absolute no-brainer for reggae and roots music lovers.
Review: Marking Indica Dubs' 100th release in serious style, 'When Jah Come' by Danman takes the form of a powerful tribute to the late Jah Shaka, whose influence shaped generations of dub and roots sounds and musicians. This long-anticipated dubplate was famously championed by Shaka himself and comes laden with deep, earth-shattering basslines, spiritual vocals that touch your inner psyche and militant rhythms with unmistakable reverence. It is a celebration and a memorial that honours Shaka's legacy while showcasing Danman's ever-commanding voice and Indica Dubs' unrivalled production strength.
Review: A crucial 12" version of Karen Dixon's sweetly innocent version of the insta-clock-it, insta-cop-it classic, 'I Just Want To Be Free' by Deniece Williams. Sung and rendered in a new lovers' rock style, and sifted from the Neville King archive for license on 7" press, this one comes with a brand new instrumental dub version on the flip. This one's not a mere vocal scrubbing either, as it amounts to a full heavyweight reshake; the overall feel is muted, allowing for extra reams of bass to riffle systems underneath.
Review: Sao Paulo's Junior Dread brings his world reggae excellence to this latest gem from Red Peak Sound. The collaboration began when J.Brenner met Junior at Minneapolis' Word Sound Power Festival back in 2022 and soon after they began making music and it led to two powerful tracks act were finely crafted through extensive mixing and testing. On the A-side here is a slow, heavy stepper evoking a vision of resilience atop Babylon's heart, paired with a dubwise mix that strips the rhythm to its core. The B-side offers a meditative one-drop rhythm and uplifting lyrics and is also accompanied by a swirling dub version that transcends space and time.
Review: UK favourites Dub Pistols are back with the second release in their Version excursion series. The original is a great cover an Edie Brickell classic which brings this outfit's usual blend of ska, 2-tone and dub to the fore. The drums are mid-tempo and have a real swagger while the sub-bass adds serious weight, gentle wood block hits and rim shots pepper the mix and the lovely vocal from Prince Fatty regular Shniece brings seductive and smoky soul. On their 'What I Am Manasseh Dub' things get more laden with echo and reverb and mixing desk effects twist the low ends into perfect stoner territory.
Review: Vin Gordon, also known as Don Drummond Jr, is a celebrated trombonist from Jamaica who now drops a second 12" on Finnish Dub & Sound International with the Dubsetters. It carries on the good work of their first outing with rootsy and organic reggae rhythms topped with the signature smooth sounds of Gordon's melodies up top. After the original version of 'Get On The Groove', the B-side keeps things sweet with a Groove Dub that is as deep as they come and stacked with echo and reverb for that lovely authentic sound and then closing it out is 'Groove 78 Style' which is more percussive, splashy and cavernous with some deft studio effects added in.
Review: American label Deep Bow makes a notable vinyl debut with this heavyweight 10" featuring King Stanley and Prince Jamo, both voicing over a thunderous riddim crafted by producer Dub Sev?. This roots-driven slab stars with King Stanley's passionate cries over sleek drums with shiny digital synths and neat guitar licks. It stays true to the deep, meditative spirit of sound system culture and becomes much more roomy and spaced out in the hands of Dub Seva. Prince Jamo's 'Joke' has a cleaner vocal and some natty keys, and also gets dubbed out by Dub Seva. A strong introduction from Deep Bow that showcases talent from both sides of the Atlantic.
Review: Robert Dallas's latest album is another doozy for lovers of real reggae. Each soulful vocal track is paired with a companion dub version by Hermit Dubz which makes this a dual-pronged attack with jams for all caissons. Dallas's signature style shines throughout as he blends conscious lyrics with rich melodies while Hermit Dubz's expertly crafted interpretations add depth and dimension. In all, this means this one is a perfect fusion of traditional reggae vibes and modern production techniques.
Review: Noel Phillips aka. Echo Minott opens up the Mango Tree Showcase with a rallying cry to conquer Babylon. Such a claim encapsulates the vibe of this record, one of several to grace and immortalise the Dub Master Clash project: a 2016 concept that saw and heard several dub producers "battle it out", so to speak. A solid friendship was thus born between the Jamaican and the young Clermont-Ferrand producers; and from these so-called "reverb and echo clashes" came the first 12" maxi of the series, 'This World Is Inna Mess'. You don't hear that one here, though: instead, the Dub Shepherds have since met with Echo Minott, who greeted them at the Bat Records studio with a further bagful of dubs and roots from the time - all of which make up the Mango Tree showcase.
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