Back catalogue: Roots/Lovers Rock

Review: Spanish musician Bass Lee delivers a strong debut instrumental album with Roots across 10 tracks of deep roots rockers led by his signature melodica. The collection was produced alongside Roberto Sanchez at A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio and features standout tracks like the uplifting 'Enlightenment' and the meditative nyahbinghi-inspired 'East African Rift.' The album was developed during a studio session that also birthed albums by Clive Matthews and Lone Ark Riddim Force and completes a trilogy focused on timeless reggae foundations that are rich in analogue warmth and melodic finesse. All of this affirms Bass Lee's place in the new wave of roots reggae musicians pushing the genre forward.

Review: The Cimarons were pioneers of UK reggae and were formed by Jamaican teenagers in a London bus shelter in 1967. They broke barriers as the country's first home-grown reggae band and were beloved in towns like Huddersfield during the 1970s. Their journey from struggle to recognition has been celebrated in a documentary and this powerful new album, which features 11 fresh roots recordings with Spanish producer Roberto Sanchez and his A-Lone Ark crew. Highlights include the haunting 'Ship Took Us Away' and a rework of 'Morning Sun,' which they originally played on in 1970. The vinyl comes complete with lyrics and rare archival photos.

Review: French producer duo Dub Shepherds team up with Clermont-Ferrand vocalist Junior Roy for a nine-track set that follows the traditional showcase format: each vocal cut is paired with its dub. The A-side opens with 'Trodding On Jah Road' and 'Start a Revolution', both built on heavyweight rhythms and restrained instrumentation. Roy's delivery is clean and direct, rooted in 80s-style cadences without overplaying the retro angle. 'Fittest (Discomix)' stretches the format slightly, offering a longer vocal-to-dub transition. Side B begins with 'Problems' and its dub version, again prioritising balance over effects. 'Run' leans into a looser melodic structure, while the dub flips it into a more echo-driven space. The overall mix i handled by Jolly Joseph and Doctor Charty i keeps the low end upfront, but avoids excess. The dubs are labelled "Hardmix", though the approach stays disciplined: no over-saturated FX chains, just clean edits and steady pressure. A solid roots release from a studio clearly comfortable in its identity.

Review: ONEGRAM, the cult Japanese reggae band formed in 2011, is back with a new album that takes in everything from their genre-defying journey so far. Though known for blending reggae with lovers rock, they also fold in conscious vibes and disco grooves to their sodden and here the Tokyo-based outfit delivers ten tracks that reflect their unfiltered present. It's their first original album in five years following 2021's cover-focused Random Access Music and highlights include the soulful hit 'After the May Rain,' the groovy 'Crazy For You' (which even got praised by Incognito members) and a dreamy take on Bread & Butter's 1974 classic 'Pink Shadow.'. It's an honest, heartfelt and unmistakably ONEGRAM sound.

Review: The title of this new rarities retrospect-trove of King Tubby and Augustus Pablo's magnetic meeting of minds references the address of the former dubber's legendary studio, where each of these 13 never-heard-before collaborative renditions were mixed. The King Tubbys studio was instrumental in shaping the dub genre, and this release captures the essence of that era, with the closing notable 'Stop Them Jah' hearing vocals by roots icon Jacob Miller, closing out an otherwise near whole-numbered blitz of versions.

Review: The scale is staggering, but the result is as focused and spiritual as any great dub record should be. Helmed by Swiss producer and keyboardist Mathias Liengme, this set draws together dozens of Jamaican session players from the 70s to todayithink Sly Dunbar, Vin Gordon, Ernest Ranglinion nine instrumental dubs cut and sculpted by Roberto Sanchez. '1000 Light Years DUB' opens with spacey textures and a tightly coiled rhythm section, easing into the skanking horns of 'In The Shadow DUB'. 'Whitewater DUB' flows warm and steady, while 'Memories of Old DUB' evokes roots nostalgia without drifting into pastiche. 'Rose Hall's Birds DUB' stands out for its bright brass interplay; 'Squirrel Inna Barrel DUB' rides a darker groove, led by echo-laden percussion. 'Under The Cotton Tree DUB' softens the tempo with flute and keys, followed by the spacious bass work of '45 Charles Street DUB'. The closer, 'Everlasting Love DUB', arranged around Errol Kong's melody, feels like both a send-off and an embraceiglowing, open, eternal.

Review: Sugar Minott's 1977 debut Live Loving is reissued here, a timeless piece from a pivotal figure in the shift from roots reggae to dancehall. Minott was one of the first artists to carve out a solo path on the legendary Studio One label, finding his groove as a solo artist after coming up singing harmony in the group African Brothers. This reissue shines a light on a record that's warm, honest, and full of feeling. Tracks like 'Vanity' and 'Jahovia' balance conscious themes with a loose, soulful delivery, while 'Give a Hand' and the title track show off Minott's flair for melody - always more heartfelt than flashy. Still sounds easy, sincere and full of life.