Back catalogue: Reggae

Review: Reggae Disco Rockers are Japan's leading reggae and lover's rock band. They have been active since they dropped their first ever single way back in 1996 and since then they have put a steady stream of sounds including six full albums and many more singles. This one is a cover of an absolute soul classic. 'What The World Needs Now Is Love' here becomes a slow, weighty dub with splashy cymbals, nice incidental melodies and a re-sung vocal that conveys the same emotions. Flip it over for a more steamy, sax-laced Silent Dream version.

Review: Ruffy & Tuffy were teenage twins when they dropped this one back in 1982. It might be one of the first recorded uses of a vocoder in reggae too as they served up their seriously heavyweight low ends and drenched them in synths in a rub-a-dub style. 'If The 3rd World War Is A Must' is one of only a few tunes this pair dropped and although they weren't prolific, they were influential. They were also in a film, Ted Bafaloukos' iconic 1978 Rockers, in which the twins are sparring in red Pony tracksuits. They were proud Rastafarians who remained symbols of defiance.

Review: For over 50 years, Mike Brooks has been a key figure in reggae music, both as an artist and producer. He co-founded the Teams label in the late 1960s with Patrick 'Jah Lloyd' Francis and gained fame producing at Channel One Studio with The Revolutionaries, notably on The Mighty Diamonds' 'Shame and Pride.' Brooks later worked at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio, contributing to Pat Kelly's "Night And Day," and collaborated with notable artists like Blacka Morwell and Earl 'Chinna' Smith. After a stint with The Tots, Brooks launched a successful solo career and his 1978 debut album, What A Gathering, came ahead of a hiatus which was followed by One Love in 1983, recorded at King Tubby's and supported by The Roots Radics. The reissue on vinyl by Burning Sounds includes tracks like 'Grooving,' a Bob Marley cover, and addresses themes of relationships, love, and personal reflections.

Review: Ras Jammy from Suns of Dub has curated a special release for Trojan Records that celebrates the deep cultural and historical ties between dub music and cannabis, all rooted in Jamaican music and Rastafarianism. This album, which arrives just in time for the stoners' best day of the year, 420, features iconic tracks from pioneering dub dons King Tubby, Scientist, Dennis Bovell and Roots Radics. These are the legends that helped shape the genre and this compilation highlights how they did it and what influence they had on the development of dub music. So, when the day comes, light up a fat one and turn this one up loud.

Review: Three years after the iTunes reggae chart topping first album on Trojan Records, More Fire is a second studio album packed with scorching reggae sounds from Reggae Roast, who have been at the core of the UK's sound system culture for years. This outing brings together some of the best names in the game both old and new from veterans Horace Andy, Johnny Clarke and Horseman to new school voices like Gappy Ranks, Mr Williamz and Soom T. The original artwork by Sophie Bass conveys the vitality of these sounds expertly and each copy is individually hand numbered.

Review: The Roots Man Dub album was originally released in 1978 on Hit, a label from the GG Records crew. It features a ton of superb dubs by Alvin Ranglin, who flipped versions of tunes by The Maytones, Al Brown, The Starlights and many more besides into sonic wonders for mind, body and soul. This compilation pulls them all together again and results in plenty of indisputable sonic fire for when the warmer months come, we laze about in the garden and partake in a toke or two.

Review: Mediation in Dub by The Revolutionaries, reissued as part of Death Is Not The End's 333 series, delves into the archives of NYC-based Flames label. The Revolutionaries, a renowned reggae session band, comprised a rotating lineup of top Jamaican musicians, anchored by the formidable duo of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. Recorded at Channel One studio in Kingston during the mid-1970s, under the guidance of producer Ossie Hibbert, these tracks feature dub versions of Winston Jones's Flames label releases. Jones, known for his work on 'Stop That Train,' established Flames in NYC in the early 1970s, becoming a key player in Brooklyn's reggae scene. Meditation in Dub is a collector's gem, offering essential dub versions of popular rhythms from the era. This reissue, licensed from Jones and mastered with assistance from DKR, provides a valuable snapshot of reggae's roots and early dancehall periods.

Review: Risco Connection were the perfect reggae-disco crossover act, founded by Studio 1 sticksman Joe Isaacs after he moved to Canada in the late 60s. Searching for a sweet spot between the plush orchestration of disco and the upbeat shuffle of rocksteady, he embarked on a series of covers with a strong cast behind him, taking on the likes of Chic's 'Good Times', 'It's My House' and a version of 'Ain't No Stopping Us Now' which became a staple at David Mancuso's mythical Loft parties. This collection gathers together all the singles - vocals, dubs and all - and comes packaged with an interview with Isaacs and liner notes, restored and remastered and sounding better than ever.

Review: Roger Robinson is a commanding presence in the dub poetry scene, blending the weight of social commentary with the power of sound system culture. In collaboration with Disrupt, he concludes an album trilogy that brings together deep bass, potent rhythms, and piercing lyricism. Across tracks like 'Dub Apprentice' and 'Zion Melody', built from the Jahtari vaults, Robinson's delivery fluctuates between a soulful falsetto and deep, thunderous poetry, each verse striking with the force of the riddim itself. Disrupt's production is lush and dub-heavy, ensuring the music moves both body and mind. The release features riddims from Tapes, Naram, Jura Soundsystem, Maffi, and Bo Marley, offering a fusion of oppression and optimism. The result is a project that urges listeners to both dance and reflect.

Review: Emmanuel 'Rico' Rodriguez was a British ska and reggae trombonist who was brought up in Jamaica and put out 19 albums from 1969 onwards. Up there with the best of them is Man From Wareika which has been reissued many times over the years and this time out comes on lovely translucent gold vinyl. His style of reggae is swaggering and sun-kissed, with lazy trombone leads bringing character to each tune and plenty of neat organ work and natty melodies layering in extra musical vibes. This is regarded as a classic of the genre for good reason.

Review: Rico Rodriguez, all-round brilliant Jamaican horn and and trombonist, played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of ska, rocksteady and reggae. Born in Kingston in 1934, he began his career in the 1950s then joined the Skatalites in the early 1960s, and whether one chalks this lucky break up to birthrights, shrewd decisions or chance sliding door moments is up to the historian. But his talent cannot be denied: over the years, Rico worked with Toots And The Maytals, Bob Marley, and The Specials. His masterful trombone solos lent parping bombast to a scene which abhorred tinniness, and the Man From Wareika album exemplified this. This dub edition is a crucial pre-release dub edition from the 1976 classic, in which we hear a full instrumental brass-and-bass dive-bombing across nine formerly unreleased Island Records trinkets.

Review: Ronnie Lion is one half of Ambient Warrior and this is his debut solo outing. It finds him paying homage to Spanish Town, which is the capital of St Catherine in Jamaica and that is apparent from the off with its lush Spanish guitar notes fluttering over the face of the dubbed-out low ends and shiny digital chords. Lead guitarist Sean Wilkinson pays plenty of the guitar and the rhythm section has Ronnie himself on bass while Horseman is on drums to bring a heavy foundation. Up to the intricate and memorable hooks add the colour and charm and elements of Bossa Nova and Flamenco guitar also help add extra layers to this fine debut.

Review: From Then 'Til Now marks Roots Architects' debut full-length album, a monumental project bringing together over 50 of Jamaica's most iconic session musicians. Spanning from the birth of reggae in the late 1960s to the present day, the album is a celebration of the unsung heroes of reggae music: the rhythm builders or Roots Architects. Conceived by Swiss keyboardist and producer Mathias Liengme, the album is the culmination of years of dedication to honoring Jamaica's musical legacy. Liengme's journey began in 2013 with "The Inspirators" project, leading to his immersion in Kingston's studio scene and the eventual formation of Roots Architects. Recorded in Kingston studios over February and March 2017, the album features a stellar lineup of veteran musicians aged 60 to 85, including legends like Robbie Lyn, Fil Callender, and Dalton Browne. Together, these Roots Architects revive the spirit of reggae, creating nine instrumental tracks that pay homage to their enduring legacy and timeless artistry.

Review: Sax player Prince Lincoln Thompson and his Royal Rasses - Keith Perkins (aka Cap) and Clinton Hall (aka Johnny Kool) - joined forces for this one in 1979. It's a definitive roots and reggae album with perfectly horizontal sound and deep cut grooves into which you can sink over and over again. The lyrics touch on standard reggae fair - love, jah, pain - and are effortlessly smooth and seductive over the organic, jumbled rhythms, The reissue has extensive sleeve notes and comes on yellow vinyl with engineering and mixing at Harry J. Studio.