Back catalogue: Reggae

Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.

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: Danubian Dub hails from Vienna and step up to their own self-titled label with a deep, steppers-style cut that delivers conscious energy and militant grooves on one impactful 7". 'Move Dem' is driven by a thunderous bassline and echo-laden snares and has a nice ass-wobbling weight to it as it rolls up and down while I Nando's commanding voice delivers his own message. Though rooted in classic dub traditions, it has a fresh edge and sleek production aesthetic that very much places it nicely the here and now. The Smalltowndubz brings some more winky dubstep style bass weight to the flipside and both versions are sound system-ready anthems built for serious rotation.

Review: 'Ain't No Sunshine' is one of the great soul songs. Originally recorded by Bill Withers, a legendary vocalist who simply walked away from the scene once he had said all he had to say, it has been covered many times. Here it is Yasushi Ide who steps up with a new version that comes featuring Ken Booth & U-Roy on this new 7" from Grand Gallery out of Japan. In original form, it's dubbed out to the max with oodles of echo and dark pads next to some original vocal toasting. 'Border Town' is then a more acoustic sound with gentle guitar strums and slow, persuasive rhythms.

Review: Dub dons The Inn House Crew keep it as real as ever with this latest outing on Southside Productions. Come to the Party is a new 45 rpm that kicks off with the title track featuring the talented vocal guests Laylah Arruda & Mad X who bring some fiery Spanish-sounding vocals to a breezy dub groove with sunny melodies and dubwise swagger. 'Rock Your Body Baby' (feat AJ Franklin) on the flip is another sunny one with a warped bassline and humid organ chords up top. The contributions from Franklin are playful and boogie-inducing with plenty of soul.

Review: As we continue to enjoy some warm weather here in the UK there will never be a better time to be dropping your finest reggae sounds. And this new 7" deserves a place amongst your collection with an original by King King featuring Eek a Mouse. 'Wake Up The Town' is a contemporary-sounding dub with some digital synth lines as well as nice echoing hits and dub-wise vocals. On the flip, you can find the Irie Ites All Stars seeing up the 'Wake Up The Town' (riddim) for a more paired back sound.

Review: The third volume of the Strike Out Series on Bat features Emanuel and the Bionites taking on an Ikadub riddim and delivering an outstanding performance. Following their previous successful releases with Pinnacle Sound, Emanuel again showcases his talent on the dynamic Ikadub riddim and turns out something perfect for playing loud on sound systems everywhere. With 'Rumours,' Marcus I, a prolific songwriter and skilled singer, finds hit potential by crafting a powerful chorus from some new dubs. All five of these cuts have anthem potential and demand to be heard outdoors in the sunshine.

Review: Prince Chamba joins forces for a superb new roots cut here with Slimmah Sound and Ital Horns. Their 'Secret Light' is a smoky and seductive sound with wobbling low ends and impassioned vocals delivered with a heart-aching twist as the melanotic horns fly up top and rousing chords add some hope. Slimmah Sound & Ital Horns then add their own heavily reverbed dub version and Slimmah Sound offers 'Melody Of Light' which is full of hypnotic harmonica leads. A second dub version once again reworks it into a stoner's delight that will sink you deep into the sofa.

Review: Prince David, Aba Ariginal and I Jah Saloman are some serious names when it comes to reggae. Their attest outing comes the Salomon Heritage label. First up is Prince David's original 'Solid As A Rock' with its plucked guitar riffs and endless echo doing sauce to the rolling drums and wooden hits. His stylish vocals are effortlessly cool up top, and then comes a nice deep dub version. Flip it over and you get the more rousing sounds and stepping rhythms of 'Majestic Melody' with its brassy horn leads. A raw dub of this one dials things right back to the bare essentials and it makes a different kind of mark as a result.

Review: Superb package here for dub heads: Dub Cuts: Mixed By Paolo Baldini Dubfiles on Pressure Drop is an LP made up of different Al Brown obscurities. They're given plenty of trippy studio effects and heady reworks by Paolo Baldini Dubfiles at his studio in San Foca in Italy. The tense and moody sounds are finished in places with some top vocal work from Al Brown. This is the sort of collection that works in many different environments from sunny sound systems to darker stoner sessions on a Sunday afternoon.

Review: Last year Japanese street musician Yasushi Ide released Cosmic Suite 2 -New Beginning- to widespread acclaim, garnering plenty of attention thanks to the heavyweight cast of collaborators from Afrika Bambaataa,ADon Letts andAJeff Mills toADJ Krush andATony Allen. Now he's reached out to Grammy-winning sound engineer Steven Stanley to bring a heavyweight, premium grade dub treatment to the original album, and the results are astounding. The source material was eclectic to start with, which gives Stanley a wide scope to bring his own precision dubbing onto a wide variety of moods. Listen out for legendary drummer Style Scott laying down the beats under DJ Krush's cuts on 'Outer Space Dub' and lose yourself in the spiralling boom bap of Bambatta's appearance 'I'm Thinking, I'm Spacing Dub'.

Review: On Higher Dreams is the debut LP from Italian producer and guitarist Isaac de Martin, aka IKE. It is couched in jazz and electronic fusion and draws inspiration from the time the artists spent in Egypt during the COVID pandemic back in 2020. It was there that themes of nature, contrast and cultural reverence for music informed the record's conceptual foundation. Tracks like 'Nilo' and 'Sidda' channel the life-giving force of the Nile and its surrounding traditions, and the whole thing was recorded live to analogue in Berlin so effortlessly merges vintage warmth with modern textures while offering a contemplative, cinematic experience shaped by cultural immersion and personal reflection. A strong debut, then.

Review: Room In The Sky's latest limited edition release showcases The Inn House Crew and delivers some heavyweight roots rockers dubs featuring an impressive lineup of musicians from Jamaica and the UK. The collection includes performances by legends like Sly Dunbar, Flabba Holt, Vin Gordon, and Robbie Lyn, alongside talents such as Ben Bell, Horseman, and Jerry Lionz. Recorded at renowned studios like Tuff Gong in Jamaica and Ariwa, this is a record that is steeped in authentic roots vibes. The DIY-inspired artwork, featuring eco-friendly, inside-out sleeves, complements the music's raw and organic feel and makes it a must-cop for roots dub enthusiasts, especially as this pressing comes in a lovely scree-printed jacket so beautifully celebrates some deft craftsmanship and real heritage.

Review: Leeds' Iration Steppas have spent over three decades reshaping dub into a raw, high-voltage force, blending classic roots selections with futuristic, bass-heavy energy. Here, Mark Iration delves into the Greensleeves archives, curating a deep selection of foundation cuts that have fuelled their sets since the early 90s. The first disc centres on heavyweight vocal performances - Michael Prophet's 'Righteous Are The Conqueror' and Johnny Osbourne's 'Mr Marshall' embody roots reggae at its most defiant, while Ranking Dread's 'Shut Me Mouth' and Wailing Souls' 'Busnah' channel the militant energy of early dancehall. The second disc turns up the pressure, diving into dub with Roots Radics' 'Conquering Dub', Augustus Pablo's 'Revolution Dub' and The Revolutionaires' 'Respect The Version'. Following the success of Down In Dub From The Vault, this latest Soundsystem series instalment reframes vintage selections through the seismic weight of Iration Steppas' vision.