Glaswegian youthman producer and Mungo's Hifi's Walk & Skank resident Escape Roots returns to NICE UP! with his debut vinyl release, enlisting the talents of Hempolics vocalist Dandelion for a tribute to the many uses of the herb. Riding a reconstructed classic dancehall riddim, Dandelion extols the many different uses of the cannabis plant, from soap, toothpaste and shampoo to milk, butter, CBD oil and of course his treasured Ganja Socks!
Already getting runs on big sounds, expect to hear this blasting out in a dance near you soon.
A collection of contemporary reggae, dub and electronica, which marks a broadening of musical horizons for the label beyond reissues of lost African guitar dance music.
The LP covers a range of Jamaican inspired sounds, including roots reggae, dancehall, dub and jungle, which may act as a taster for potential future releases.
01. Majah Tunder - Wicked Man
02. Teshay Makeda - OMG
03. Owen Hender & Trevor Westcarr - Last Days (Dub Version)
04. UK Principal - Theme (feat. Charmaine Holder)
05. Mosi - Search
06. D'Oxman - The Best Is yet to Come
07. Mad-X - Real Sensimilla
08. Charmaine Holder - Carry Come (feat. UK Principal)
09. Markee Ledge - Conscious Brother
10. UK Principal - More Peace (Junglist Remix by Sasha Khan)
Versatile presents part one of a two-part 7 inch series featuring dub versions of selected tracks from Etienne Jaumet's latest album, "8 regards obliques", in which he gathered and covered his personal jazz favourites. The first volume sees DJ Sotofett turn 'Unity' into a proper digi dub on the A-side, whilst on the flip I:Cube revisits Miles Davis' classic, 'In A Silent Way', turning it into a stellar 135bpm version.
Ophir Kutiel AKA Kutiman is a multi-instrumentalist from Tel Aviv, a “psychedelic space funk architect” to quote Straight No Chaser. When we were approached by his label Siyal about recruiting ZamZam/Khaliphonic artists for a remix project, we loved the idea right away - dub without borders or boundaries is our passion, and getting our hands on Kutiman’s freeform analog explorations felt like an amazing opportunity to push that passion further. All four remixes revel in the freedom of the original tunes, and each, while anchored in dubwise techniques, are totally unhindered by tempo or other genre constraints.
Alter Echo & E3 open with a remix of “Unknown,” the set’s only 140 tune, full up with a bubbling cauldron of bassline and flutes, esoteric vinyl archaeology, spring reverb shocks, and swung percussion.
J:Kenzo, known for 140 and 160 bpm sound system bangers, here takes the chance to stay deep - but in a chill mode - unfurling a beautiful journey of syncopated drum work and slapping percussion framing the lush, meandering melodies of the original “Behind The Noise."
Gulls’ rework of “Mineral” rocks with an offbeat feel, technically in four, but swaying like it’s in three. Plucked guitar figures recall the African roots of contemporary bass music, and tape hiss buffets the listener back and forth through a sonic hall of portals and passages.
Perhaps the most surprising of all four four versions is Headland’s closing “Lucid Dream” remix, which sets course for dub techno country and never looks back. Combining the best of the producer’s masterful sound design and sense of build-and-drop dynamics with the idiom’s 4/4 pulse and focus on immersive space, Headland closes a set as inspired as the album it was based on.
In six short years, over as many releases, Corin Bornhoff AKA Karma has carefully built a name as one of the most trusted and sought after producers in dubwise dubstep. His releases are few and far between, with most tunes gaining legendary status on acetate long before they see release. To date only System and Innamind have released his works on vinyl - ZamZam 73, our first release together, continues Karma’s path of strict quality control with two eagerly-awaited sound system tunes.
Heads have been clamoring for A Side “Crampton Beat” to be released for no less than five years. In that time it has aged beautifully, showing itself to be a truly timeless track, as captivating now as it was when first played out. Buoyed by a massive, melodic bassline and pounding kick, thick atmospheres ebb and flow like tidal movements, and hard-skanking stabs drive the track forward. Deeply melancholic pads that could almost be processed horns create a sense of loss, while lasers, test tones, and lacerating snares resolve in sheets of echo and feedback. A gorgeous study in contrasts, Crampton Beat is a rare steppers that is both rhythmically ruthless and rich in emotion.
Awash in tape hiss as thick as a sneaker wave, the B Side is an equally deep tune in collaboration with Karma’s longtime friend & musical sparring partner G.Goodz. Blanketed in fog, rocking with shaker & sly drum turnarounds, "Shortwave Step” has all the hallmarks of the most beloved Karma tracks - propulsive half-time riddim, lonely reverb-soaked spaces, masterful EQ, mournful melodics, and subtle dub effects. Together these two sides show once again that Karma is an artist who fully integrates emotion, intuition, and serious craft to maximum effect.
Seanie T is a true veteran of the UK music scene with a jaw dropping discography featuring some of the most important releases in the history of UK Hip-Hop. Consistently tearing up tracks with collaborators such as Roots Manuva, Blak Twang, Rodney P and Estelle, his inimitable vocal style of hip-hop dancehall fusion has won him critical acclaim amongst fans and peers alike. Growing up in the depths of East London, Seanie was drawn in to the world of reggae sound systems at a very early age.
As a youth he followed sounds like Saxon, Coxon and Unity, and DJed with the Ragga Twins on a sound called Unity Hi Power out of North London. A featured vocalist on both Roots Manuva and Blak Twang's debut albums, "Brand New Second Hand" and "Dettwork SouthEast" arguably 2 blueprints for much to follow in UK Hip Hop, he released his debut single "S.O.S (Same Old Sean) in 2001, followed by his legendary "Dark Horizons" mixtapes which featured the cream of UK hip hop artists at the time.
1. Seanie T - Get Hustlin (ft. DJ Suro)
2. Seanie T - Warning (ft. Roots Manuva)
3. Seanie T - The Bird
4. Seanie T - More To This (ft. DJ Suro)
5. Seanie T - Mad Dem (ft. DJ Suro)
6. Seanie T - Plush
7. Seanie T - Blaze Fire Bun (ft. Serocee)
8. Seanie T - Veterans (ft. Donovan Kingjay, Blak Twang, Raggae Twins, Karl Hinds, TY & Ricky Ranking)
Seanie T is a true veteran of the UK music scene with a jaw dropping discography featuring some of the most important releases in the history of UK Hip-Hop. Consistently tearing up tracks with collaborators such as Roots Manuva, Blak Twang, Rodney P and Estelle, his inimitable vocal style of hip-hop dancehall fusion has won him critical acclaim amongst fans and peers alike. Growing up in the depths of East London, Seanie was drawn in to the world of reggae sound systems at a very early age.
As a youth he followed sounds like Saxon, Coxon and Unity, and DJed with the Ragga Twins on a sound called Unity Hi Power out of North London. A featured vocalist on both Roots Manuva and Blak Twang's debut albums, "Brand New Second Hand" and "Dettwork SouthEast" arguably 2 blueprints for much to follow in UK Hip Hop, he released his debut single "S.O.S (Same Old Sean) in 2001, followed by his legendary "Dark Horizons" mixtapes which featured the cream of UK hip hop artists at the time.
a1. Seanie T - Get Hustlin (ft. DJ Suro)
a2. Seanie T - Warning (ft. Roots Manuva)
a3. Seanie T - The Bird
a4. Seanie T - More To This (ft. DJ Suro)
a5. Seanie T - Mad Dem (ft. DJ Suro)
a6. Seanie T - Plush
b1. Seanie T - Blaze Fire Bun (ft. Serocee)
b2. Seanie T - Veterans (ft. Donovan Kingjay, Blak Twang, Raggae Twins, Karl Hinds, TY & Ricky Ranking)
Two Jah Warrior / Peter Broggs classics never before seen on vinyl. Hail Him backed with a heavy previously unreleased dubplate mix. Backed with Rastaman A Trod It In A Babylon a rootsy steppa backed with a tasty dub!
a1. Peter Broggs - Hail Him
a2. Jah Warrior - Hail Him Dubplate Mix
b1. Peter Broggs - Rastaman A Trod It In A Babylon
Years before Scientist and Jammy battled the space invaders, Tradition dreamt up a sci-fi jazz/dub odyssey in north London.
Captain Ganja and the Space Patrol is one of the most singular dub albums that barely saw the light of day. A conscious effort to create a new breed of dub centred around the cosmic synths and keys of Paul Thompson. Making use of an early Roland sampler, Tradition broke away from the standard drum / bass workouts that ruled the day. With the Captain, dub becomes an atmosphere, a feeling, not a formula - littered with baby's cries, tribal chants, radiophonic noodlings and library soundtracks for space-age bachelor pads.
Originally issued by Venture Records in 1980, this small run was easily lost beneath the weight of their huge vocal LPs for RCA and everlasting lovers-tinged tracks like 'Movin On','Breezin' and 'Summertime'. The experimental strains in one of their early 45s led the BBC to approach them about contributing to the Dr. Who soundtrack, Captial Radio did likewise for the Hulabaloo theme. Neither saw fruition and this facet of the band's sound is easily forgotten by diehard fans.
Brooklyn-based label and sound system collective Dub-Stuy prepares for the summer with a brand new EP alongside Jahdan Blakkamoore, who first appeared on the label’s “Pool Party” single back in 2014 and again in 2017 on Von D’s Wicked Scam EP. This time around Jahdan is front and center, flexing the creativity and versatility that has kept him at the cutting edge of Jamaican music for more than two decades: whether collaborating with hip-hop icons like Smiff-N-Wessun and Snoop Dogg or with global bass providers such as Major Lazer, Liondub and Dutty Artz (who first introduced Jahdan and Dub-Stuy!).
The Linkage EP is a family affair, born after Jahdan and Dub-Stuy connected for a gig in Montreal in December 2018. The energy and vibrations from their performance that night inspired both parties to discuss a new label project. Soon enough, Dub-Stuy had sent Jahdan a pack of dancefloor-minded riddims and beats crafted by in-house producer DJ Madd. Within a few days, Jahdan locked himself up in a studio, writing and recording the five songs that make up the EP in a burst of creativity. Dub-Stuy then enlisted Bay Area based producer Kush Arora to mix the tracks, putting the finishing touches to a showcase of deft songwriting and melody-driven singing that has made Jahdan a favorite of many.
On “Absolutely” and “Properly” Jahdan celebrates the fun and vibes of a good session, switching effortlessly between singing with an irresistible lilt to rapid-fire lyrics against revamps of two timeless dancehall riddims - “Hot Milk” and “African Beat.” The results are surefire party starters! “Sort Out” taps out a syncopated skanking riddim to keep the dance going while the rest of the EP addresses more serious themes with Jahdan reaching for the deeper parts of his range. The hip-hop infused “Round of Applause” reflects on everyday struggles, and the EP’s namesake track “The Linkage” draws for deeper bass as Jahdan calls for unity.
a1. Dub-Stuy ft. Jahdan Blakkamoore - Absolutely
a2. Dub-Stuy ft. Jahdan Blakkamoore - Round of Applause
This release by The Band of Enlightenment, Reason & Love presents a new instrumental version of the heavily sought after debut release "Zota Yinne" by Alogte Oho, the meanwhile classic second release on Philophon from 2014 (PH45002). So far, The Band of Enlightenment, Reason & Love, as Philophon's house band, never had any release under its own name, but here we go! It's sure: more will follow.
"Zota Yinne" is a dubbed out variation of the original Frafra gospel classic with the one and only Jimi Tenor as a guest on flute and synth. "Starlet Road Filling Station Romance" is an other-worldly search for love, perfectly characterized by Jimi Tenor's love cries on the saxophone.
Names You Can Trust's long-running Swing-A-Ling party in Brooklyn has become an epic warm weather celebration of all classic styles of Jamaican sound system music on vinyl. The party itself, set in the deepest crevices of BK's Caribbean community, has been known to stretch for 12+ hours each session, serving non-stop musical entertainment and buckets of jerk chicken & curry goat to an adoring crowd of all ages, young and old. The event has also been the occasion of some extremely limited edition record presses that have come to embody both the ethos of the party and the NYCT label.
The second in the series of the playfully titled Swing-A-Ling NOW SOUNDS is a new entry in modern reggae production from The Mad Geezers. Like the party's signature sound, the tunes on this double-sided single are timeless, intriguingly left-of-center, and most importantly in deep homage of the vast influences and inspirations that have been carved to vinyl throughout Jamaican recorded history.
Elements of rock steady, dub, soul and middle eastern snake charmer sounds all find their way through the hands of the Geezers' skilled musicians and the resulting 45 record is sure to be another sneaky staple in sound systems all over.
![Cessman - Day 1 Dub / Nubianites [Ltd 12" Stamped White]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/whitecess001_{width}x.jpg?v=1564579859)
![Escape Roots - Ganja Socks ft. Dandelion [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/nup063_{width}x.jpg?v=1563878019)
![V.I.V.E.K - Different Sound ft. Dego Ranking / Galactic [w/ Dub Mixes]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/vivek001_{width}x.jpg?v=1563977831)
![Adam Prescott - Freedom Sounds EP [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/4wdv014_{width}x.jpg?v=1561637920)
![Etienne Jaumet - Etienne Jaumet in Dub Part 1 (DJ Sotofett / I:Cube Remixes) [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/ver126_{width}x.jpg?v=1561552402)
![Karma - Crampton Beat / Shortwave Step [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/zamzam73_{width}x.jpg?v=1561041174)
![Thorpido / Salute / Vin Gordon – Unto Jah / Declaration of Dub [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/mbx131_{width}x.jpg?v=1561021790)
![Winston Reedy / Vin Gordon / Salute – There’s a Way / Declaration of Rights [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/mbx130_{width}x.jpg?v=1561021785)
![Winston Reedy and Salute – None Shall Escape the Judgement [7" Vinyl]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/mbx129_{width}x.jpg?v=1561021780)
![Seanie T - Ruff, Rugged & Smooth [CD]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/nuplp007_537e800c-7c32-46a9-ad6a-fc62391fe79c_{width}x.jpg?v=1560857244)
![Seanie T - Ruff, Rugged & Smooth [12" LP]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/nuplp007_{width}x.jpg?v=1560857233)
![J.Robinson WhoDemSound - More Than Music LP [ltd Clear Vinyl version]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/whodemlp001_73f1bf69-208a-4b06-a422-21a0c545c70c_{width}x.jpg?v=1559296194)
