A brazenly irresistible blend of unlikely secret weapons and stone cold classic killers, Soul Jazz style and fashion.
Deliriously creative wordplay overflowing some of the mightiest reggae rhythms of all time.
Surely a must.

Surely there’s a word missing from the sub-title. Ivan was terrible; Coxsone wasn’t downbeat. Coxsone was the Downbeat Ruler, with the Downbeat Sound System, spinning fabulous tunes like these.
An embarrassment of musical riches here, still.

The key Black Victory album, produced by Bullwackies and Sugar Minott: a devastating, chilled, dread run of King Tubby’s Tempo rhythm. Surely the greatest one-rhythm LP of all time, with unforgettable versions of the Red Rose classic.

Jah Upton joins Lloyd Barnes and Prince Douglas at the desk for another must-have Bullwackies dub set, originally released in 1977. From tapes recorded at Tubby’s with the Soul Syndicate band.

A third entertaining, deep selection of Studio One roots.

Ska classics produced by Ken Khouri (who founded the first recording studio in Jamaica), including deadly unreleased selections.
Murders from the get go — a knockout acoustic version of You Made Me Warm, by The Sharks.

The classic set of Scientist / Jammy / Roots Radics dubs, originally out on Starlight Records in 1982, now matched with its vocal counterparts, including previously unreleased cuts by Hell & Fire, Sister Nancy and Papa Tullo. The vinyl comes with a two-feet-square colour poster of Tony McDermott’s cover art.

Brilliant toasting and singing by the likes of Prince Hammer, Echo Minott, Trinity and Lee Van Cliff, over gold-plated Roots Radics rhythms. A precious blend of heavier-than-lead roots, new-thing dancehall flow, and youthman promotion, curated by Hammer himself in 1982. Deeply enjoyable from start to finish.

Ska And Jump Up For Your Happy Dancing And Listening.
Ebullient Sonia Pottinger showcase out on Doctor Bird in 1966. Oswald ‘Baba’ Brooks and his group backing The Saints, The Techniques and co.

The 1969 High Note LP, on the cusp between rocksteady and reggae. Three of the former, with backing by Lynn Taitt & The Jets; nine of the new thing, featuring Sonia Pottinger’s in-house Soul Rhythms band. A great lineup of singers includes Delano Stewart, Ken Boothe and Delroy Wilson.