Back catalogue: Reggae

Review: Emotional Rescue completes another set of Discomix collaborations, this time with the Idjut Boys' Dan Tyler, with the dub-disco-reggae of JA meets Brixton's Floyd Lloyd Seivright.

Born in Brown Town, 1948, his music life was formed while attending the cradle of Jamaica music, the legendary Alpha Boys School that spawned the likes of Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Johnny Osbourne, Cedric Brooks and Rico Rodriguez. Leaving for London in 1969 to pursue music he soon established himself, recording with Vista Sounds and Trojan, where he also worked on A&R, before setting up his Tropic label, as well as signing to KPM Music that has seen his compositions appear in film / TV from Eastenders to Friends and recently, Stranger Things.

By the 80s he was working with Red Cloud (ERC102/123), mixing a fusion with soul and disco. Check Out Your Mind comes from these sessions, appearing on his sophomore album. Jazz keys and horns, funk bass and infectious guitar back Seivright's call to awaken, a rising consciousness of the times.
The righteous groove is exemplified on the super rare instrumental. Appearing on the Sexy Lady 12, it now commands serious attention. Featured together for the first time, the interplay shinning a light on Rudy Steel's guitar, before the B side is commanded again by Dan Tyler. His longform utilises the best of both versions, cutting and dubbing to abandon while maintaining total control of desk for a fitting finale.

Review: Anyone who has followed Emotional Rescue knows it has always does a fine job of documenting pock punk and UK punk dub's early years, in this case showcasing the previously unheralded work of Skinbat Scramble, who emerged from the mundanity of the Home Counties to converge on London during the early 80s. Core members Mark Eason and Fergus Crockford were simultaneously inspired by the speedy punk thills of the Roxy Club and the Two Tone scene of ska and reggae which ran alongside it, as well as counter cultural heroes of the generation before like Gong and Velvet Underground. They got to work distilliing slow tempos, experimental sounds, dub and much more into leftfield rhythms, and while the likes of 'Basement Voltaire' - all echoing electronics, high frequency blips and merciless drum machines - or the Clash-in-dub workout 'North By Northwest' are rooted very much in the Cold War/Thatcher years, their individuality and experimental vibe mean they've endured remarkably well. Scramble to get yourself a copy.

Review: Emotional Rescue and HMV Record Shop (Japan) end their DISCO REGGAE LOVERS 7" series with reggae legend Sugar Minott and this utterly unique UK soul-boogie rarity, I Remember Mama.

Reggae star, vocalist, producer and sound system operator, Kingston JA born Minott released over 50 albums and hundreds of singles for the likes of Studio One, Wackies, Suffering Heights and his own Black Roots label.

His distinctive soulful voice pioneered the Dancehall style and following his UK hit "Hard Time Pressure" he moved to London in 1980, adopting the rising Lovers Rock sound. On a visit to Wackies' offices in Soho he met Steve Parr, who had recently opened a studio next door.

Keyboard player for the likes of Desmond Dekker and Geno Washington, Parr moved into composition, mixing, sound engineering and production, before setting up the Sound Design Studio in Dean Street.

Principally a studio, the meeting with Minott hatched the idea to create a label to showcase their capabilities. Produced by Parr, he played all the instruments except the distinctive sax by friend Andy MacDonald.

With Minott's heartfelt lyrics, this marriage created a one-off, a ground-breaking synthesised 4/4 rhythm track with funk groove and soulful vocals. Released on 7" and 12", the versions noticeably differ and is the perfect closing to the DISCO REGGAE LOVERS series.

Review: "Emotional Rescue presents the first ever reissue of Sugar Minott's rare 12" of I Remember Mama. Recorded in Soho in mid-80s London, the Boogie meets Reggae song comes in vocal and instrumental mixes, as well as a wonderfully teasing long Discomix by NAD aka Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys).

Having grown up and become a star out of Kingston, JA, with over 50 albums and hundreds of singles for the likes of Studio One and Black Roots labels, the legendary vocalist was a pioneer of the Dancehall and then later Lovers Rock sounds.

Based in London for much of the 1980s, a chance meeting in the Wackies offices he met producer Steve Parr, who had recently opened the Sound Design Studio next door.

Hatching the idea to create a label to showcase their capabilities, Parr played all the instruments except the distinctive sax by friend Andy MacDonald, while Minott's delivery is at his prime, storytelling in the Jamaica tradition of hardship and praise.

Released on 7" and 12", they have striking differences. The "Sound Design" instrumental / version sees the studio team craft a disco meets reggae in a cod-style to wonderful, almost Balearic effect.

The collaboration with Dan Tyler continues, as he again works his desk dubbing magic. Extending and editing between the two mixes, teasing the instrumental before finally bringing the sax and vocals together for a 'discodub' finale. "

Review: REPRESS ALERT! Spearheaded by Stuart Leath, Emotional Rescue is a label committed to unearthing forgotten gems and giving them the exposure they richly deserve, with all releases officially licensed by the artist and remastered in full. This 12" sees two classic tracks by the world music collective Suns of Arqa take pride of place. Incorporating elements of raga and dub, "Brujo Magic" is a much more straightforward dancefloor number than its description would suggest, with its rolling bassline and vocoder effects fusing irresistibly with its psyche-rock styles. On the B-Side, "Ananta Snake Dance" combines traditional Indian percussion and harmonium with conventional drumming to create something completely unique. A strong start to what will no doubt be an indispensable label.

Review: Suns Of Arqa are back on Emotional Rescue with a new single that finds them building on their illustrious career fusing Indian classical approaches with dub energy. "Acid Tabla" works off a steppers thrust but equally capitalises on the textural, rhythmic delights of the titular tabla. Who better to remix such an outernational dub excursion than Adrian Sherwood? His treatment is a light, respectful tweaking that keeps the spirit of the original intact. "Asian Rebel" on the B side is a more confrontational track with its abrasive sonic splashes and unsettling bassline. Hyphen Collective then seek to make a more meditative brew out of such fiery ingredients, and their dub mix more than rises to the challenge.