Out originally mid-70s on the Aires label, in a plain, stencilled sleeve, this is based around three cuts of the dreader than dread Free For All rhythm.
The music is Melvin ‘Munchie’ Jackson and Lloyd Barnes productions begun in Jamaica and finished at the Sounds Unlimited studio in New York. Several surfaced at different stages as sevens on Bullwackies’ Aires imprint, and in JA on the Tafari label which Munchie ran with his brother Maurice and Little Roy, in the Washington Gardens district of Kingston.
The title track was recorded at Randy’s, and came originally on The Heptones’ Hepic label, featuring Family Man Barrrett on keyboards, and - on the deejay cut here, Meditation Dub - sounds like Charlie Ace. There are dubs of Little Roy’s Tribal War and Black Bird; Stranger Cole’s My Application, later re-voiced by The Heptones, turns up as Dis Ya Dub; and if things weren’t smoke-filled enough, Roots is the rhythm of K.C. White’s All For Free.
A contender for the heaviest dub of all time.
When the Rootical Dubber had a go at reissuing Trevor Byfield and co, many years ago, he omitted this, saying it was just too awesome to mess with.
Ten vivid, dynamic dubs from Randy’s legendary Studio 17, in North Parade, with Karl Pitterson taking over from Errol Thompson, alongside Clive Chin… stripping, tweaking and burnishing these superbly limber rhythms by Skin Flesh & Bones, the Wailers Band and Now Generation.
Pure, expert instrumental reggae — no bells, no whistles — to run alongside vocal cuts by Ta-Teasha Love, Tony Tuff, Carlos Malcolm and co.
Originally released on Impact! in 1975, in a pressing of barely two hundred copies.
Adrian Sherwood marshals Bruce Smith, Keith Levene, Ari Up, and Crucial Tony; and George Oban, Eskimo Fox, and Style Scott, from African Head Charge.
The sublime, essential collaboration of Lloyd Charmers, Ras Michael, Willie Lindo and co, in 1974; plus an entire disc surveying Charmers’ dub excursions around this time, nearly all new to CD.
‘Style Scott and Flabba Holt, bedrock of the mighty Roots Radics, holding together the monstrous rhythms, while Adrian Sherwood works his magic at the controls. Features guest appearances from Lee Perry, Michael Franti, and Talvin Singh.’
‘From 1996, with Style Scott gathering even more crack Jamaican players together for the rhythms, featuring musicians who between them had done time in the likes of the Roots Radics, Soul Syndicate, Joe Gibbs’ Professionals, and Bunny Lee’s Aggrovators.
‘This incredible legacy is augmented by Adrian Sherwood’s work at the mixing desk back in London, overdubbing the London-based Skip McDonald and Akabu, and working his sonic magic on the raw material, a true transatlantic dub collaboration.’
‘A brand new set of Dub Syndicate excursions utilising rhythms from their classic 1989 - 1996 period. Adrian Sherwood has gone back to the original tapes, working his mixing desk magic to find new angles on the timeless pulse of Lincoln Valentine ‘Style’ Scott, with fresh overdubs from Cyrus Richard (Dub Asante Band). Featuring new dubs of tracks originally found on albums such as Time Boom X De Devil Dead and Stoned Immaculate.’
‘Probably the best known Dub Syndicate album, this 1991 set was recorded between Jamaica and London, with the rock solid rhythms of band leader Style Scott augmented by a number of additional players, including guitar from Skip McDonald, vocals by Lee Perry and Akabu, samples of the late, great Prince Far I, and keyboards from Keith Levene.’
‘Another great set, with vocal contributions from mainstay Bim Sherman on a cover of Lloyd & Devon’s Cuss Cuss, and Shara Nelson (just prior to Blue Lines) on a version of Serge Gainsbourg’s Je T’aime. Originally released in 1989 and coinciding with the beginnings of Dub Syndicate as a touring unit.’