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Franco Rosso’s epic cinematic opus of reggae social commentary, Babylon, landed in November of 1980. Moving through the film’s opening frames of grey dreary London, two spars – Blue and Ronnie – run with unrestrained anticipation to link with their Ital Lion Sound System brethren. Simultaneously the rest of the crew does what sound crews have done from time: Load them boxes up in the van and trod with vigor to the dance.

But that bassline…The soundtrack notes that carry the celluloid movements of the film’s opening scenes…That bassline…Upside down…Jazzy…Dubby…A bassline like no other reggae bassline the Ital Counselor has ever heard. The hook that got me deep into UK roots music from the band that is my number one inspiration.

If there is bassline that represents the core imperative of Ital Counselor Records, it would have to be Aswad’s Hey Jah Children. It seemed therefore only fitting to bring its absolutely resplendent glory to a new generation. Lovers of sounds and blues, it is time for the dread ital lion sound to once again rise to meet the day. So it is with the deepest of gratitude and respect to the legacy of Aswad (RIP Drummie Zeb) and Franco Rosso, that we present a deeper than deep next cut…Christened here…the Ital Lion Serenade.

In line with all IC releases, we have enlisted top tier session musicians and studio men. Long time IC collaborator, Inyaki BDF, is at the center of the action as the musical maestro. Hopping on the BDF sonic lorry are Aratz Diez on Trombone and James Zugasti on the dub mixes. This crew bring the original composition up-to-date with a heady dubwise weight. Syndrums ricochet while Inyaki’s bassline rumbles teetering as it does somewhere between a modern dubstep warble and its core roots-wise influence in Tony Gad’s original playing.

Diez’s trombone playing comes across like an x-ray of the Aswad Horn Section and keeps intact the jazzy abstraction of the original. In turn, Inyaki goes full 70s synth on the psychedelic dubwise of the B-side’s Operation Swamp 81. UK history buffs better you know the reference in that title and its thematic echoing significance from the UK depicted in Rosso’s film and carried on in remembrance on this here hotter than hot 12”.

A warning: the Zugasti dub cuts are devasting to speaker boxes.

These days it seems as if at every turn, week in week out, the Reggae fraternity grieves the loss of another journey man singer, unassuming session musician or foundational sound man.

The power of remembrance, of tribute, of deeply honouring the historical legacy of so many singers & players has been, from its very inception, central to the mission of Ital Counselor Records. The arrival of IC008 carries forth this tradition in the form of an epic tribute to two of our most cherished influences who have recently passed on – The ever-spirited drummer Angus “Drummie Zeb” Gaye of Aswad fame and the indomitable UK sound man, the Mighty Zulu Warrior Jah Shaka.

This release brings together some of the usual Ital Counselor collaborators Chris Lane (AKA the Dub Organiser, Fashion Records), Soothsayer Horns, Inyaki BDF, along with new IC collaborator Gil Cang (Riz Records, Tuff Scout Records).

Collectively known as the IC All Stars, their mission was to rebuild a mythic dubplate made legendary by Shaka in the early 1980s. Known on the scene as Rasta Serenade, this horns driven instrumental dubplate was a never released version of Aswad’s vocal cut “Just a Little Herb” only ever played on Shaka’s sound.
To achieve maximum effect, the Dub Organiser dug back into the Fashion records vaults to unearth an unused loop of ‘Drummie’ marching out a militant beat. Inyaki BDF was recruited to lay down the bassline. Soothsayers horns hit harder still. Chris and Gil put the final guitar, keys, and mix touches to make this 4-cut maxi 12” a sound system killer; a set of big people dubs for the young and old. Meditative and marching; Weighted and spritely IC008 must mash up sound system dance north, south, east and west. Take a listen and you will hear.

Drummie Zeb of the Tribe of Zebulon.
Jah Shaka of the Tribe of Simeon.
This is a tribute. This is a remembrance.
This is also a pushing forward of a tradition
In a new Direction
A movement Forward
Ital Counselor Style.