Hip-Hop News

Originally Released In 1974, Flesh Of My Skin Is Keith Hudson's Key Achievement: Magnificently And Deadly Serious, Hauntingly Unique.

Electyro Dub dans l'esprit KHALY live Dub / Uzinadub. So Good !
One of the early Electro DUb indie prod from france !

Must re-discover !

- 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
- INCLUDES I SCARE MYSELF' AND BROKEN ENGLISH'
- LIMITED FIRST PRESSING OF 1.000 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON YELLOW VINYL

Barry Reynolds earned his reputation in the 60s when he was working as a key session player in the Compass Point Allstars. It meant the start of his collaborations with among other Marianne Faithfull and Robert Palmer. In 1981 he released his first and only solo album I Scare Myself, which consists of both own material as covers written by other artists. With the help of his earlier band the Compass Point Allstars he recorded some intense songs with sincere words. His music is a great mix of singer-songwriter stuff and reggae music. From the sad ballad Times Square to the impressive title song I Scare Myself'.

After the release of I Scare Myself Barry Reynolds continued working together with Marianne Faithfull, with whom he recorded songs like Broken English' and Why Do You Do It'.

I Scare Myself is available as a limited first pressing of 1.000 individually numbered copies on yellow vinyl.

MESSAGE TO THE BLACK MAN CHAPTER 1 & 2 - PRINCE BUSTER FORGET PUBLIC ENEMY! CHECK NATION OF ISLAM'S MINISTER MOHAMMAD YUSUF ALI (AKA PRINCE BUSTER) TALKOVER ROCK STEADY CUTS OF LOUIS FARRAKHAN'S 1958 CALYPSO MANIFESTO A WHITE MAN'S HEAVEN. RECORDED IN KINGSTON JA. 1967. EXPLICIT LYRICS. EXCLUSIVE REISSUE.

Tony Clarke is from Waterhouse, St. Andrew Jamaica. At the tender age of 10 he started following sound systems like Sir Mike The Musical Dragon with the great toaster Prince Ruff at the controls, and King Tubby's with the legendary U-Roy. Tony Clarke did his first recording in New York in 1971 at Hugh Hendricks recording studio called "Righteous Man" of which he played both bass and lead guitar. The band was later managed by the legendary band leader/trombonist Carlos Malcolm.

Tony Clarke decided to write the song 'Going Home' to reference the roots of his music. In those days and even now good reggae music that was being recorded in the United States was not receiving the approbation from home because, in Jamaica they felt that the best reggae music could only come from and be created in Jamaica to substantiate the true feeling of the genre. So he decided to go back to Jamaica and record 'Going Home' at Harry J Studio with Sylvan Morris as engineer. The rhythm track was played by Lloyd Parks (Bass), Devon Richardson (Drum), Andy Bassford (Lead Guitar), Winston "Bo-Pee" Bowen (Rhythm Guitar), Franklyn "Bubbler" Waul (Keyboard), David Madden & Junior "Chico" Chin (Horns). He also recorded the cover version to 'Hey Little Girl' originally done by Dee Clark. For this 12'' vinyl edition, the artwork was done with a vintage photo of Tony Clarke in front of his house at Waterhouse and extended liner notes on the back cover.

Barry Brown Is One Of The Enigmatic Roots Reggae Vocalists That Rose Up From The Sound System Circuit And Talent Shows Of Western Kingston, Which Has Always Formed The Bedrock Of Jamaican Popular Music. Horace Andy Was An Obvious Vocal Influence, But Brown's Phrasing Was Distinctly Different, His Slurring Interjections Leaning Towards The Dancehall Style Of The Future. During The Late 1970s, Tons Of Material By The Singer Surfaced From Recording Sessions For Producers Such As Bunny Lee, Sugar Minott, Carlton Patterson And The Hookim Brothers At Channel One, And By 1980, Brown Was Also Issuing Finely-crafted Self-produced Work. Vibes Of Barry Brown, An Album Of Deep Roots Reggae, Surfaced In Limited Quantity In 1981 Via Sonic Sounds' Gorgon Imprint, The Sub-label Reserved For Producers That Lacked An Established Label Of Their Own, And Although Production Is Not Specifically Credited, The Album Is Likely Self-produced Work, Since Brown Is Credited As Sole Songwriter, Just As He Was On The Self-produced Cool Pon Your Corner Lp From 1980. The Albums Are Stylistically Similar Too, With Brown Singing Over Hard Roots Rhythms, Most Likely Laid At Channel One With The Core Of The Roots Radics, And Voiced And Mixed At King Tubby's.

First Time Reissued On Vinyl! This Is In Fact More Than Just A Rare Record And Definitely More Than Just A Vinyl Share For Insatiable Collectors Who Only Judge A Record By It's Monetary Value. This Is A Prime Example Of Overflowing Talent Coupled With A Simmering Passion For Music And The Hunger For Life Right At The Moment. The Story Begins On Jue 7th 1957 In A Small Ghanaian Village Where Kofi Kwarko Gyan, Nicknamed Kiki, Was Born Into A Middle Class Family. Soon His Talent As A Musician Began To Show When He Started Taking Piano Lessions By The Age Of 5 And Went Professional By The Age Of 12. He Dropped Out Of School Shortly After And Began Living A Life On The Road With Regional Ghanaian Bands. One Trip Abroad Took Him To London In The Early 70s Where His Career Received A Giant Push At The Age Of 15. He Joined Afro Rock Legends Osibisa In 1972 As Their New Keyboardist After His Predecessor Had Left The Band. By The Mid 70s Kiki Gyan Had Played With Osibisa To Giant Audiences Allover The World And Met Personalities From The International Music Scene Such As Elton John And Mick Jagger. He Was Not Only A Steady Keyboardist For Osibisa But Also A Very Popular Session Man For Fellow African Bands And Musicians, Among Them Ofege From Nigeria. He Released A Couple Of Solo Albums And We Take A Closer Look Now At His Second Effort From 1979, feeling So Good'. The Music Keeps What The Title Promises As This Is A Delightful Example Of Joy Manifesting In Music. Everything Is Bright Here, The Grooves Are Complex And Powerful, Yet Always Accessible. The Harmonies Enchant You With Their Friendly Approach. The African Sun Shines From Each Note Played On This Record. Gyan Mixes Western Disco Sounds, Funk, African Traditional Chants And Reggae Sounds Into An Ever Flowing Groove Music That Has Lot's Of Melody And Mesmerizes By The Swirling Percussion Patterns. feeling So Good' Is An Equally Physical And Spiritual Affair And Contains Six Lengthy Tunes. Tunes That Live From The Tight Interplay Of All Instruments, The Crisp, Clear And Powerful Production And A Wild And Steaming Atmosphere. Kiki Gyan Was On The Step Of Entering The 'hall Of Legends' Like Stevie Wonder Did, To Whom He Often Got Compared To. His Legacy Remains Huge, Not Only For African Music But For All Black Music That Ruled The Early Disco Scene In The 70s And Whose Popularity Is Still At Full Blossom. Next To Fela Kuti And Geraldo Pino, Kiki Gyan Can Be Called A True Force In African Pop Music Of The 70s!

Greensleeves classic dancehall re-issue on vinyl 12 inch backed with "Trench Town School"

On The 50th Anniversary Of The Band's Inception At An Event In Harlem, Ny To Commemorate Malcolm X's Birthday On 19 May 1968, Influential Spoken Word Artists, Poets And Commentators The Last Poets Are Set To Make A Glorious And Relevant Return With Their First Album In Over 20 Years, 'understand What Black Is'.

Produced By Ben Lamdin (nostaglia 77) And Brighton Legend Prince Fatty, Whose Speciality Is Traditional Reggae And Dub Production's, 'understand What Black Is' Is A Ten-track Album Which Speaks Of A Revolutionary Struggle Defined By Both Race And Identity, That Has Never Sounded More Relevant. Released On Studio Rockers, There Will Also Be An Accompanying Single Featuring Remixes Of The Title Track "understand What Black Is" By Mala (south London Collective Digital Mystikz) And Uk Dance Music Innovators Dego And Kaidi.

Since The Initial Line-up Of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain And Felipe Luciano Formed In East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets Have Produced Under Various Guises Over The Subsequent Years. However, It Was Their Seminal Output, Namely 1970's 'the Last Poets' Under Both Umar Bin Hassan And Abiodun Oyewole That Secured Their Legacy, Becoming One Of The Most Important Influences In Early Hip Hop.

Throughout The Last 20 Years, The Band Have Remained Largely On Hiatus. But Their Influence Could Still Be Felt With Their Tracks Being Sampled By The Notorious B.i.g, Nwa, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.dre And Snoop Dogg. Umar Has Recorded Various Solo Albums And Featured On Common And Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'the Corner'. Abiodun Appeared On The Red Hot Organization's Album, Stolen Moments Which Was Named "album Of The Year" By Time. He Also Conducts Weekly Open House Poetry Readings, Where He Constructively Critiques Upcoming Poets, Helping To Nurture Them. He Has Also Conducted Classes At Columbia University, Where He Teaches Creative Writing.

The Inauguration Of Donald Trump As Us President In 2016 Inspired Hassan And Oyewole To Resurrect The Group To Create A Brand New Record, Modern And Edgy, And Deeply Relevant And Reflective Of Our Times.

Tracks On 'understand What Black Is' Include 'how Many Bullets', Which Bridles With Defiance As Oyewole Works Through A Litany Of Injustices Suffered By Black People In The Us: " You've Tried

To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'what I Want To See' Describes A Utopia - A Refuge From Hurt And Those Who'd Make "our Vision Blurred, And Our Faith Obscure", Whilst The Title Track 'understand What Black Is' Aims To Transcend Ethnicity: "understand What Black Is....it's The Source From Which All Things Come...black Is A Hero, Not A Villain."

The Album Even Takes Reference From Prince's 2003 Album Of Instrumentals, 'news', Which Hassan Drew Comparisons From With His Own Childhood Experiences: "that Poem Took Me About A Year To Write....i Just Kept Writing And Writing But Not Getting Too Far And Then I Heard That Album And The Musicianship Was Amazing. I Was Left Wondering If It Was Jazz, Classical, Rock Or Maybe Something New But All Those Images That I Write About Came To Me From Listening To That Album. I Loved Prince In That Movie Purple Rain Because My Father Was A Talented Musician But He Was Into Brutalising Mama At Times And In The Movie There's A Jerome And My Name Is Jerome, So It Was Like He Was Telling My Life Story As Well."

The Album Acts As A Body Of Work Between Individual Members Each Speaking Of Their Own Personal Journeys, But Feeding Into The Much Larger Narrative Of Struggle And Oppression, Alongside A Fervent Hunger For Social Change. These Are Struggles And Tests Of Personal Resolve That Have Directly Shaped And Moulded The Bands' Unique Sound Over The Course Of An Impressive 50 Years, And Their Powerful And Influential Commentary Remains As Relevant As Ever.

On Black Woman' Queen Ifrica implores young ladies to know their worth and not be swayed by objectifying trends in popular culture. This is message music' from a veteran performer and livicated' servant. Her sound is unmistakable and the lyrics stay with you. These songs come to me as I am watching the world, I see myself as a social worker that uses music as my tool, because music is the greatest weapon to impact societal change, to help young people to understand themselves.' Ifrica says

Steppa dubwise sound ! A masterpiece, once again !

The Badasonics mixes soul and funk together with Jamaican riddims and horns with the soulful rock and reggae voice of Caz Gardiner to deliver a pulsating party of soul steady beats. Band members' experiences playing with various Jamaican artists like Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Doreen Shaffer, Rico Rodriguez, The Pioneers, Dave & Ansel Collins, Pat Kelly to name but a few and Caz's ska chops that can be described to be like The Meters meet The Upsetters or Lyn Collins goes to Kingston. Funky Soulsteady Beat from Washington D.C. & Belgium. Single taken from their debut album to be released in September 2018 on Badasonic Records.

180g

Up until now, this dubplate has only been heard in session, a heavy nod to classic Jamaican dub, fused with UK steppers and contemporary bass music. Grand Ancestor is thrilled to offer a limited run 12" to the public, no digital, no repress.

50's Jamaican mento at its best, reissue of a double 10 inch album into one solid disc.

Happy and delightful Jamaican mento played by local jazz musicians, recorded in the golden age of 78rpm SP singles.

Calypso Rose Sure Has Style And Zeal, And Her 2016 Album, Far From Home, Goes To Prove It. Much Loved And Made With The Support And Blessing Of Manu Chao, Far From Home Was Well Worthy Of The Praise And Its Victory At The Victoires De La Musique French Music Awards. And Now She's Back With A New Album, So, Calypso!

There's No Doubt About It, As The Self-proclaimed 'queen Of Calypso', Calypso Is Her Thing And No One Has Ever Come Close To Dethroning Her. She Remains The Voice Of This Musical Style Originating From Trinidad And Tobago And Standing Out In A Traditionally Male Dominated Musical World She's Very Much A Contemporary Emblematic Figure In The Fight For Women's Rights.

For Her New Album, With A Back Catalogue Of More Than 800 Songs And 22 Albums, The 78-year-old Tobagonian Diva Decided To Go Back To The Start, And Re-record A Number Of Her Career Defining Numbers And Cover Songs From Those Artists Which Have Inspired And Continue To Inspire Her, Like Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, The Melodians And Angélique Kidjo. Common To All The Covers, Be They From American, Jamaican And African Artists, Is They All Share Their Sentiment With Calypso Rose's Social And Musical Values.

For Example, Calypso Rose Has Covered Nat King Cole's Calypso Blues. Born In Montgomery, Alabama In 1919, The Piano-playing Crooner, Who Took A Stand Against Racism And Segregation, Wrote The Song In 1949. Nat King Cole Embraced The Cause Of All North Americans Who Came From Other Lands, From Africans To Caribbean People And Hispanics. Calypso Blues (lyrics By Don George, Accompanied By Duke Ellington) Simply Tore Apart American Ideals, Praising The Wonders Of Papaya Juice And Shrimp And Rice Over Hot-dogs, The Douceur De Vivre Without A Dollar To Your Name, And The Virtues Of Trinidadian Women Over Icy Blondes.

7"

* A welcome reissue of a UK dub favourite dating from 1995.
* Features the voice and some fine bongo work from the man like Bongo Zebby alongside the Dub Crusaders collective.
* This originally appeared on the Jah Works LP `Universal Spirit Warrior, but has been long since deleted.
* `Drum Talk' is a wild dub cut to `Readings from the Book of Life'
* Mixed and produced by Rej Forte.

Lee 'Scratch' Perry Experryments with his magic, this time with the mighty Mad Professor taking over some of the controls! Black Ark Experryments delivers tracks like 'Super Ape In A Good Shape', 'Jungle

Safari' and 'Black Ark Experryments' dubtastically kicked into shape by the likes of William The Conqueror on Bass, Victor Cross on keyboards and trombone legend Rico Rodriguez. Sounds fantastic!

U Brown's Repatriation Album Includes 8 Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks By Dickie Ranking (aka Snagga Puss) Produced By U Brown, This Is Available On Cd And On 180 Gram Vinyl With The Bonus Tracks Included On A 10' 8 Track Ep. Advertising In, Black Echoes, Record Collector Magazine And Riddim

Big Big one here again ! Ragga Jungle and ragga Drum & bass dancefloor... Flavour number one !

Big one... offering a true big choice of vibes, with that Midnight Ravers from Anna... bringing a pure new House groove for the best surpise here... The Gulls remix is also a very nice easy listening house sound... A side opens with Dabora Hip Hop Techn oremix... full surprise ! Karoni Foli is probably the most modern track here, exploring the roots of bass Music in a very african sound design. This record is a pearl ! Don't miss!

Editions Gravats kick off the club-ready Les Disques de la Bretagne series with exclusive edits of 8 tracks from Low Jack's half of the Glacial Dancehall 2 tape with Time Cow (Equiknoxx) for Bokeh Versions, all making their first appearance on vinyl.
Arriving 4 years since Philippe Hallais a.k.a. Low Jack started up the Gravats label with his îlot 7', Hallais returns to his roots with these ruddy dancehall bangers, each nipped and tweaked from the OG tape for optimal, freaky impact inna dance.
Dubwise and direct but laced with strange details that light up on repeated listens, the plate turns up some massive highlights with the loping Linn drum cracks and digickal synth torque of Partei and the rogue bogle of Brass up top, then with some killer sino-flavour on the rugged '90s rub 'n tug of Raid Leader and the Flex Dance Music-compatible knocks and horns of Light, but you can take it on trust: this one is properly top-loaded with heavy gear.

"war Ina Babylon" By Max Romeo & The Upsetters Was Originally Released In 1976 By Island Records. Produced By Lee "scratch" Perry At His Black Ark Studio, With Backing By His Superb Band The Upsetters, This Record Has Perry's Trademark Gritty, Swampy Sound While The Socially And Politically Conscious Songs And The Musicians Performances Show All Involved At The Height Of Their Powers. This Is A Classic Of The Roots Era And An Essential Record For Reggae Fans. On Translucent Red Vinyl.

- 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
- Mono Recording
- Limited Edition Of 750 Individually Numbered Copies On Orange Vinyl

The Jamaican Reggae Producer Harry J Recorded Some Of His Most Successful Artists During The Late 60's/early 70's. The First Local Hit He Recorded Was The Beltones' no More Heartaches'. This Compilation Album Puts Down The Focus On The Classics From His First Years In Music Business. It's One Of The Long Players From Trojan's Early Years When Boss Reggae Ruled The Dancehalls All Around The Uk And Jamaica. The Fine Production Of Songs By King Cannon, Herbie Carter And Trevor Shield Can All Be Found On This 12-track Lp.

The Album Is Available As A Limited Edition Of 750 Individually Numbered Copies On Orange Vinyl.

UK Dub legend Vibronics brings you a new vocal & dub album that celebrates women in Reggae & Dub. 'Woman On A Mission' is a new release featuring 8 female vocalists on 8 brand new Vibronics tracks. The album presents time-honoured Vibronics associates, Boney L (recording for the first time in 10 years), Nia Songbird, Vanya O and Saraléne , alongside first time collaborations with Trilla Jenna, Nanci Correia, Nish Wadada & Sis I-Leen. Each track vocal track effortlessly glides into an extend dub mix that showcases the sonic skills that Vibronics is known for.

RSD2018 TITLE
London Artist MAL-ONE is releasing a limited edition 7'' single to celebrate everything Punk and as a lead up to his PUNK Art show 'Never Mind The Punk 45' .

The show feautures decallages of the debut singles of the leading names in PUNK,such as Adam and the Ants,The Clash,The Damned all the way to X Ray Spex.
It seemed only fitting to record a single that name checks some of the great record shops that sold these PUNK tunes in this fine city of ours for a Record Store Day release..

Artist MAL-ONE emerged at an early age from the Punk scene in West London and now has successfully exhibited alongside such artists as Banksy, Goldie and Peter Blake amongst others.
Inside the 7'' sleeve which is made up of a collage of a 100 PUNK singles you will also find an invite to he exhibition in May in The Herrick Gallery,Piccadilly.

Grammy-nominated Ostinato Records presents "Abu Obaida Hassan & His Tambour: The Shaigiya Sound of Sudan" in a gatefold LP packaging with vintage photos and authentic Sudanese designs.
A complex blend of Arab melodies, Nubian rhythms, and signature Sudanese call and response by a legend of Shaigiya music from nothern Sudan.

Abu Obaida Hassan and the wonders of his five-string tambour remained largely a mystery. In the early 2000's, a prominent Sudanese newspaper declared him dead. Internet forums confirmed his passing. Many in Khartoum, Sudan's capital, said he had indeed died.
But rumors that he was still alive persisted.

What was always certain is Abu Obaida Hassan's mercurial talent.
His command of a modified tambour, backed by a chorus and two drummers, unleashed swirling melodies alongside complex Nubian rhythms and hypnotic Sudanese call and response. His bands roster constantly changed, but he remained at the helm, playing for sold out shows in cities across the country and capturing the dancefloors and youth of 1970's and 80's Sudan. This is a rich, raw example of the human experience with sound from northern Sudan, an ancient part of the world, and the birthplace of civilization. Music like this isn't mastered overnight.

The Ostinato team first came across Abu Obaida's recordings in 2011, finding scratchy bits and pieces along the years. We traveled to Sudan in 2016 to find the clues to piece together the Abu Obaida Hassan puzzle. Through some extensive detective work with our man in Khartoum, Ahmed Asysouti, and a generous dose of good fortune, we tracked Abu Obaida to the rural outskirts of Omdurman, the old capital just across the White Nile from Khartoum. Age has taken its toll, but he remains full of life and music, ready to jointly curate a selection of his eight best cuts. He has written over 100 songs, only 30 were recorded.

Abu Obaida comes from the Shaigiya people, whose culture is spread around the ancient city of Merowe, home of traditional Nubian culture, where pyramids older than those in Egypt still stand. They trace their entire lineage to one man, Shaig, who migrated from the Arabian peninsula in the 15th century. An endlessly rhythmic syncretism between Arab and Nubian styles, Abu Obaida's Shaigiya music was an in demand party affair in an era when a vibrant nightlife and roving sound systems were a staple of life in Sudan.

It was music for a modern era, and Abu Obaida, at just 19, rebelliously abandoned traditional Shaigiya music traditions, pioneering a new sound by adding an extra string to his tambour and electrifying an instrument adored across East Africa. The result was complexity in simplicity and a hyper-talented artist who mirrors the story of Sudan's highs and lows, from the leading tambour maestro of the hour to such obscurity on the fringes that he was believed dead. "They killed me!", he likes to joke.

Abu Obaida Hassan, his music and the musical traditions of the Shaigiya remain alive and kicking. A culmination of a 7-year journey — from first hearing Abu Obaida's distinct sound, found only in Sudan, to finding the man — has produced the first global release of Shaigiya music and is just the beginning of Ostinato's immersion into Sudan, with a full compilation of the lavish musical history of one the most diverse countries in Africa due later this year. All brought to you by the Grammy-nominated team behind last year's "Sweet As Broken Dates."

Debut album from Okawa & The Rulers!

Takeshi Okawa a.k.a. Okawa 78 is a skilled saxophonist also knows as one of a very few DJs specialised in 1920-50's world roots music who only plays out on 78 RPM records. Under his wing a whole bunch of Japanese musicians gathered to form The Rulers, experimenting with the authentic music from Africa, South America and blending into ska and soul funk creating a new groove of their own. Musicians include members from The Netandars, Sly Mongoose, Oi-Skall Mates, Rub-A-Dub Market, The 69 Yobsters, and Soil & Pimp Sessions.

7"

*More classic UK roots gets revived from Partial Records, this time from the vaults of the Jah
Works stable and roots daughter Donette Forte.
* `Time For a Change' is taken from the now long-deleted Donette Forte LP from 1991 `Wilderness', and this welcome reissue comes backed with previously unreleased dub cut `Time For a Dub'.
* Mixed and produced by Rej 'Jah Rej' Forte at Channel One UK studio.

7"
*Something fresh out of the Echobus stable in Dublin, Ireland with a tune with a solid
80's vibe using a Casio MT-40 and a Yamaha CS-01 but with a slight nod towards Basic
Channel / Rhythm and Sound.
* Vocals controlled by Lariman, longtime sound system mic man.
* Flip over for a minimalist dub wise excursion from Dan Taliras.

180 Gramm schweres, limitiertes und farbiges Vinyl im Gatefold Sleeve

Das siebte Studioalbum des achtfachen Grammy Gewinners Ziggy Marley!
Ziggy ist nicht nur der Sohn von Bob Marley, sondern mittlerweile selbst eine Reggae Ikone, er ist Autor, Unternehmer und Philantroph. Das neue Album Rebellion Rises' ist politisch motiviert mit starker Message, es regt zum Nachdenken an, möchte aufrütteln und dazu animieren, aufzustehen für die Zukunft, das eigene Leben und das der anderen.
Tausende Live Shows in über 50 Ländern und 17 veröffentlichte Studioalben gehen auf das Konto von Ziggy Marley.