Hip-Hop News

* A classic roots instrumental from the late 1970s from legendary trombonist Vin Gordon, who played on numerous Studio One classics, as part of the in-house band Soul Vendors as well as countless sessions with Joe Gibbs, Lee Perry and many more.
* Vin played on Aswad’s classic `Warrior Charge’, which from that recording session, `Kojo Hoy’ was born.
* Featuring Aswad Riddim Section - Tony Gad on bass & keys, Angus Gaye on drums and “Bammie” Rose on flute.
* Previously released by Partial in 2015 on 10” (PRTL10005) which rapidly sold out. This issue features an extended dub version.

2024 Repress

Released on Cherry Red in 1981, Threat To Creation spotted the collaboration between two mystical entities: Creation Rebel and New Age Steppers. Forerunners of the british dub scene the two bands shared several members, a who’s who of the On U-Sound school and key figures of the Bristol and London scene. Adrian Sherwood is – obviously – the man behind the desk a craftsman on its own, a character with no borders and one of the most sought after producer of the time. The supergroup is ran by post-punk stalwarts Bruce Smith (The Pop Group) on drums and Keith Levene (PIL) on guitar. Ari Up of The Slits sits on piano and organ, while masters Crucial Tony is both on bass and guitars. Members of African Head Charge – bass player George Oban, Eskimo Fox and Style Scott on drums – are welcomed addition to the line-up. Threat To Creation is still recognizable as an album ahead of its time, a futuristic blend filling the gap between the Jamaican heritage, the so-called (post) industrial revolution and the studio witchery of the whitey man.

From his secret dub laboratory, Alborosie, the dub mechanic, reaches deep inside the echo chamber to unleash two crucial heavyweight dub testaments. Both vinyl sets collect on one value-packed 4pp CD dub master.

From his secret dub laboratory, Alborosie, the dub mechanic, reaches deep inside the echo chamber to unleash two crucial heavyweight dub testaments. Both vinyl sets collect on one value-packed 4pp CD dub master.

Bringing together the undisputed talents of Nigerian percussionist Aleke Kanonu and soul legend from Alabama, O.C. Tolbert, this 12' created quite the buzz when it was released in New York in 1982. Shops and leading DJs were clamouring for it, but short supply saw it disappear into obscurity. The A-side, 'Happiness' is an uptown style Gospel ballad where Tolbert's gravelly, soulful voice channels years of hurt an pain. The B-side, 'Nwanne, Nwanne, Nwanne', is an Afrobeat disco monster that rattles along on the back of Kananu's awesome percussion skills. Both tracks were written and produced by Jack Taylor, a producer, songwriter and purported gangster from Harlem and released on his own label. This reissue comes courtesy of the good folk of PMG, purportedly cool guys, based in Austria. - Peter Moore,

Released on Greensleeves in 1990 to glowing reviews ‘Blowing With The Wind’ went on to be Pablo’s most successful album since the seventies. The mix of nyahbinghi drumming and hardcore steppers was embraced big time by the new age sound-system culture bringing Pablo’s far east sound to a whole new audience. A successful tour of Japan followed where Pablo showcased Blowing With The Wind with a selection of his original rockers. Recorded at Tuff Gong & Dynamic and mixed at Tuff Gong & Music Works, engineered by Soldgie, Chunny, Sylvan Morris & Tony Kelly.

Chinafrica was one of the most unique groups in reggae history, started in the early 80s by Wayne Chin after the disbanding of his first group, the mighty Creole. Here is a killer double sider.

The A-side is a previously unreleased extended cut, the band's personal rough mix and the only surviving recording, of their wicked version of one of the best roots tunes of all time, "Declaration of Rights." The B-side is one we have long considered a great underrated piece of late '80s digital, an '87 style cut to the Jamaican classic "Bababoom." This was originally and scarcely released only in Jamaica, on a 45 on Sonic Sounds' in-house Thunderbolt imprint. Always on the cutting edge, Wayne Chin was an early adopter of digital reggae, and had a full MIDI studio setup in New York in the late '80s.

The best of two eras together on one 12", from Mr. Bullwackie Barnes himself, aka The Chosen Brothers. The A-side discomix a fantastic piece of conscious late '70s roots, the B-side a prime cut of the fantastic digital reggae that Wackie is less known for, but none the less has excellently produced for many years.

Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 hit again with a reissue of a rarely encountered piece of prime UK digi, courtesy of Franklyn Bernard aka Frankie B - mixed at Fashion's A Class Studio in Clapham, and released on the Ital Stuff label in early 1986.

Frankie B began his recording career with producer Bert Douglas, first releasing on his Reggae City label in 1984 with the No More Tears 7" under his birth name Franklyn Bernard. In 1985 he then linked up with Ital Stuff - a production team consisting of three brothers who also helmed the Sweet & Bitter Band. Operating a small eight track studio in the basement of their house in Balham, Ital Stuff had recently been responsible for putting together and laying down the backing track to Dixie Peach's classic Pure Worries, released on the Jah Tubbys label in 1985. Upon playing Pure Worries to Frankie he was immediately inspired to lay down his own vocal on the track, which too features Dixie Peach contributing vocal harmonies - it was recorded late 1985 and mixed down along with a ferocious dub side at South London's A Class Studio, eventually seeing release in early 1986.

During this period Hassell was inspired by the increasingly innovative production techniques being used in hip-hop, in particular the hyper-collaged sampledelic barrage of the Bomb Squad’s work with Public Enemy, hearing it as a kind of extension of the tape splicing that Teo Macero brought to his work with Miles Davis.

He began to incorporate more of this aesthetic into his own music, playing over loops of his own performances and riffing on angular juxtapositions of noise, rhythm and melody.

The resulting sonic stew is a kind of futuristic sci-fi funk with an appropriately melted production aesthetic - instruments and samples jumping to the forefront then disappearing in the manner of the best dub records.

‘The Living City’ captures the Jon Hassell Group in September 1989, performing as part of an audio-visual installation inside the World Financial Center Winter Garden in New York City, with Brian Eno mixing the band live.

A selection of 8 exclusive Dub cuts produced in the legendary Genevan squat “Goulet 25” between 2003 and 2013 and cut at 45rpm for deeper basses at Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin.

Give thanks to the Creator JAH RASTAFARI to make everything possible

• CLASSIC LATE 80S DIGI-ROOTS SET FROM THE LEGENDARY WAILING SOULS PRODUCED BY KING JAMMY

• “STORMY NIGHT” TAKES IT’S PLACE IN A LONG LINE OF CLASSIC WAILING SOULS ALBUMS FOR GREENSLEEVES STRETCHING FROM ‘81’S “FIRE HOUSE ROCK” TO THE RECENT ALBOROSIE PRODUCED “BACK A YARD”.

• INCLUDES THE HIT SINGLE “DOG BITE”

• RE-MASTERED AND RE-SEQUENCED WITH NEW COVER ART

The definition of deep roots, here are a pair of almost never before heard tracks from the mythical Creole.

The A-side "Fishers of Man" is an extended mix, while the B-side "Walls of Jericho" is a vocal cut followed by a synth added version retrieved from dubplate. The vocal cuts are the band's personal rough mixes, which thankfully survived to now be heard. These tracks were meant for an LP that never materialized

The Three Lives return with Across & Beyond, a 5 track EP taking their digi-dub explorations to unexpected dimensions.

Two albums that shook the world! The release of these two ground-breaking dubs sets in 1975 altered the course of modern music forever. Dub From The Roots & Roots Of Dub make up a crucial selection of King Tubby’s mind-altering dub versions.
Produced by Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee – both albums are essential!

The ace reissue of these wicked dub albums collecting together classic 70's dub versions by dub pioneer and leader of ‘roots’ music in Jamaica, King Tubby! Tubby’s vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny’s vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard. All the tracks on here are versions of classic tracks from Cornell Campbell, Johnny Clarke, Horace Andy, Linval Thompson, Derick Morgan & Hortense Ellis dubbed out by the King of Dub King Tubby!’

All Nations Records offers another splendid roots tune produced at Conscious Sounds studio by master chief Dougie Wardrop. This is another great one drop riddim with the notable participation of some top musicians regularly working for that studio: I David on keys, Hughie Izachaar on guitar and bass and Zinxx on drums! With the addition of great lyricist Danny Red from Kingston Jamaica
delivering another very relevant song warning all bad minded men to not trouble any roots daughter, this is a very fine roots tune fit for 2022.

Alternate mixes engineered at King Tubbys studio, produced by Tappa Zukie, with killer King Tubby version on the flip. Pressed on coloured wax.

Grammy nominated producer Gaudi (Steel Pulse, The Orb, Tricky, Lee Scratch Perry) joins forces with Italian Afro-funk band Savana Funk to revive the sound of "Cosmic-Disco" of the late 70s with this limited edition 7" vinyl (500 copies worldwide)


The terms "Afro-disco / Cosmic-disco" are used to describe various forms of African-influenced and Synth-based dance music with a particular method of DJing originally developed and promoted by a small number of DJs in Italy from the late 70s through the mid-80s, a freeform music-journey created with vinyl records, mixing and beat-matching a very diverse range of musical styles, from electro-funk to Brazilian-jazz, incorporating live percussion and effects. Pioneers such as DJ Mozart, Daniele Baldelli, Loda, Pery, Spranga, L'ebreo, Tosi Brandi, Lelli and venues such as Cosmic, Baia Degli Angeli, Typhoon, La Mecca, Chicago, Arlecchino to name but a few, had truly expanded and helped the development of the club-culture in Italy and subsequently in Europe. In his youth, producer and musician Gaudi was one of the punters who regularly attended these venues and followed the whole "Afro" scene, experiencing from the dancefloor that 90-110BPM hypnotic sound and subconsciously absorbing the essence of it. In fact, it is no coincidence that many of the productions he has released in his 35-year career have a strong Afro-influenced imprinting, the last of which is "Raha", the new collaborative EP released as a combo with Savana Funk, a vibrant tribute to what is considered one of the most exciting and original movement in the club scene.

This "afro-cosmic" 7" will be available next April 26 via Record Kicks on limited 500 copies edition crystal clear vinyl worldwide. On the A side the first single "Raha" that is driven by a solid "afro-cosmic" groove infused with an eclectic krautrock sound, very distinct and very psychedelic at the same time. A texture generated by analogue synthesizers and "space-funk" riffs from guitar and bass. RAHA means "Peace of mind" in Arabic, the native language of the Italian-Moroccan drummer Youssef, who also appears as a vocalist on this track. On the B side the groovy and sexy "OREWA" a funk track to dance to on the beach surrounded by a psychedelic-coloured sunset, with hypnotic guitar riffs that take us into a journey without time and without space.

Active since 2015, Savana Funk are one of the most sought-after "afro-funk" band in Italy, with hundreds of successful live shows nationwide including performances with Kokoroko, Seun Kuti and Nu Guinea, they have released 5 albums so far: 'Musica Analoga', 'Savana Funk', 'Bring in the New' 'Tindouf' and the latest 'Ghibli'.

London based music producer Gaudi has contributed to a number of albums nominated for awards and prizes such as: Grammy Awards 2019, with the album 'Mass Manipulation' by Steel Pulse), BBC's World Music Award, with the album 'Dub Qawwali' by Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. His work and music contributions have topped international charts such as: Billboard Reggae Chart no.1 with the albums 'Heavy Rain' by Lee "Scratch" Perry, no.1 with 'Mass Manipulation' by Steel Pulse and again no.1 with 'Vessel of Love' by Hollie Cook. Studio works include name acts such as: Groove Armada, Simple Minds, African Head Charge, Lamb, Horace Andy, Brian Ferry, Don Letts, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Mad Professor, The Beat and more.

Repress!

This is a recent recording straight out of Ethiopia, courtesy of the Sheba Sound crew.

Sheba Sound tour the Ethiopian hinterlands, capturing the mesmerising sounds of local talented musicians, using state of the art pop-up recording studios.

The process was captured in the highly acclaimed, award-winning documentary: Roaring Abyss, by Joaquin Piñero.

The hugely anticipated next release from the Sheba Sound archives, under license to NuAfrique (My45) features crazy, untapped talent of Nebeyu Hamdi, with the Sabat Bet Gurage Band, based in Welkite, western Ethiopia.

The original recordings from 2013 receive ethio-funk bassline overdubbing treatment from Addis Abeba's inspired masenko-bass man of the moment, 'Bubu' Teklemariam.

The full package receives ultimate mixing treatment at The Yard Studio by master dub producer Nick Manasseh (Roots Garden).

The B-side of this EP release features 3 exclusive ethio-dub cuts. Manasseh's inspiration of deep masenko bass and tribal drum rhythms is evident through his dub treatment of the originals. Playing the tracks back through his mixing desk like it was an instrument, the results are completely unique pulsating, punctuated Ethio-dub rhythm tracks.

Watch out Shaka – the Ethiopians are bringing their own dub cuts to town!

Coyote drop a special 7 inch single. Inspired by recent events over the last 2 years and their continuing love affair with all things dub and reggae sound system.related. They have been playing lots of this type of stuff at their monthly night at The Bodega in Notts. Apparently causing some heat at recent ALFOS parties too. Bubble Up!

7" reissue of Carlton Lewis' cover of The Whispers, originally left on Fashion Records in the 1980s.The flip side is a remix version by Japanese producer unit KH & The LASTTRAK.