Alvin Ranglin's memories about his productions with U-Roy
"At the time I started working with U-Roy on the LP Dread In A Africa in 1975, I already recorded a few good songs two-three years before with him. But sometime after this project with U-Roy my Record Village shop at 5 Hope Road -on Half Way Tree- got broken into, and these thieves set the place on fire. At the back of the shop, I had a storeroom in which I kept many of my tapes. So some tapes were destroyed with songs from artists like Eric Morris and also some of the U-Roy project. I rented that place from a Chinese lady and she wasn't insured so I lost a lot of money there! At that time this all happened I was in England for business. So it was very stressful to me as you can imagine. Anyhow, I decided a year later on to release the five songs which I still had on tape with some instrumentals from the backing band Skin, Flesh and Bones, as a kind of a showcase album. I don't know what at Dynamic Sounds where the album master was cut by Carlton Lee. Something went wrong as the stamper didn't came out 100% how it should have been. Anyhow, I pressed a very small number of the album, around 12 copies or so, and put them in blank jackets as I didn't made a printed jacket yet. As I rented a shop to TonyRobinson on Slipe Road it make sense a few of the U-Roy albums are carrying his sticker. It got a good reception on the test pressing so I just disbanded it as I thought it was better to concentrate on recordings I did with Gregory Isaacs and Maytones, which were big sellers at that time. U-Roy was of course going strong with Tony Robinson as his producer in 1976, so I'm glad after so many years passing by this album is finally getting a proper release on the Jamaican Art label.
After a first outstanding collaboration on the song ‘Mother Nature’, Greenwhich Farm's singer Sylvan White teams up once again with Fruits Records!
On a 80's dancehall rub a dub type of riddim played by The 18th Parallel, Sylvan White sings about his faith in Rastafari and shares his knowledge of the traditional culture, the mystic of the nyabinghi drums.
The French rub a dub specialist Westfinga is responsible for the heavy mix, inspired by the Channel One days. Notice the experimental dub on the flip side, the perfect example of the engineer acting as a musician and arranger. Fantastic!
Available on black wax 7” records and on limited white color vinyl with screen printed sleeves (only 90!) on February 18th 2022. Pre-order starts on February 4th, also available on all streaming platforms from February 18th. Flash it!
Who would ever think to hear a reggae collaboration between Switzerland and Denmark? This is what you get when the heavy sound of The 18th Parallel meets the subtle play of the Horns section of Guiding Star Orchestra.
Layed on the Wonderland of Green riddim (The Silvertones, Burro Banton), this instrumental “Meeting Ina Wonderland” proposes a perfect mix between the raw and wild rub a dub vibes of the riddim and the lightness underlined by the jazzy influences of the horns players.
Built especially for sound systems, this record is mixed by French engineer Westfinga on his custom analog console, in the purest tradition of the great wizards of the genre such as King Tubby and Scientist. This is raw instrumental roots music!
Available on black wax 7” records and on limited forest green color vinyl with screen printed sleeves (only 90!) on February 18th 2022. Pre-order starts on February 4th, also available on all streaming platforms. Flash it!
Skari is a talented & versatile singer songwriter hailing from the rural hills of Manchester parish in central Jamaica. His fresh and & energetic style coupled with his poignant social commentary and culturally themed lyrics, represents a new generation of reggae artist that continue to fly the flag for the Islands 'conscious roots music'.
Producer Manasseh delivers a contemporary roots rub-a-dub styled riddim track equipped with sparse militant live drums, driving bassline & deep piano skanks, designed to rock any sound system session. Skari moves with ease across the rhythm track on 'Seven Times Rise'. His sweet soulful vocal delivery accelerates into a 'fast chat' 'sing-jay' style flow on the verses as he lays out his mystical and Rastafari inspired tale of life's trials & tribulations.
Veteran Jamaican singer Robert Dallas joins accaliamed UK reggae saxman Leroy Horns on this contemprary rub-a-dub styled rhythm track from stalwart dubwise producer Manasseh.
D Brown, New Zealand's answer to Fatboy Slim, returns with another cut up frenzy - this time updating Bob Marley's "Mr Brown" to the 21st Century. As well as adding extra crunchy beats, he throws in vocal samples by Q-Tip, Capleton, Nas, Eric B and Rakim, Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Beastie Boys! And just when you thought you had the tune licked, in drops a heavyweight riddim plundered from Terminator X's "Mash It Up" = guaranteed floor filler for the discerning beats, hip hop and reggae community.
On the flip he reclaims the Tom Tom Club sample used by The Ones (on "Absolutely Flawless") for the breakbeat massive, with a downtempo groover called "Tombuoy".
Early plates have been sent out to and played by Rob Da Bank (Sunday Best), Sugar B (Dub Club, Austria), Greg Roberts (Dreadzone), Daddy Ad and Rob Wood (Jockey Slut/Sleaze Nation), amongst others.
“Curfew” is the first installement of the new collaborative series between Thompson Sound and Dubquake Records for Nazamba’s forthcoming project.
The idea sparked when legendary singer/producer Linval Thompson met Rico O.B.F. He asked if Rico wanted to rework stems from some of his label’s classic tracks from the 70s and 80s.
First track from this collaboration “Curfew” by Linval Thompson, played by the Roots Radics, was initialy released in 1980. The song was written as Jamaica was going through a civil war. Political conflicts between the JLP and the PNP, the country’s two main political parties, turned to the streets and over 800 Jamaicans perished to the violence. Linval sings about the curfew and the police oppression that took place during this troubled time.
Nazamba adds his dub-poetry on “Curfew Drop”, which draws a parallel between the original track and the recent worldwide lockdowns.
a1. Linval Thompson, O.B.F - What A Curfew
a2. Nazamba, Linval Thompson & O.B.F - Curfew Drop
Lapo & Ago (Numa Crew) are back to Moonshine Recordings after almost four years since their amazing 'Dub Searcher EP' got released. You can expect some serious weight on this 3-track Ep from the infamous Italian duo.
Arriving at the height of the antipodean summer, after the traditional series of short delays – and where would we be without delay lets face it – we here Echo Chamber Sound and Run It Red are proud to present the vinyl component of our first compilation LP. Featuring 9 tunes across two plates, and including exclusive tunes from from Bukkha and LQ, as well as a showstopping remix from RSD and star turns from X-Nation Pugilist & Tamen, this is our most ambitious statement to date, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed pulling it all together.
These tunes have all been built by consummate professionals, they have been hand picked, and then tested within an inch of their life to the extent that we are entirely happy that every last one of them is a weighty weapon that will move the absolute maximum amount of air possible. We hope you play these as loud as is legally possible (if not a little louder), to a crowd of your friends and neighbours dancing in the sun, on well-loved handbuilt wooden soundsystem the way nature intended it.
DJ support from J Kenzo, RSD, Bun Zero, Bukkha, Duburban, Tradesman, LQ, Jungle Fari and more.
Storming Dub Records continue with the release of strictly Dubplate vinyls for Sound Systems. This time we have the melodica maestro and producer Chazbo! Chazbo is well known for being part of the famous Bush Chemists for years and an essential part of Conscious Sounds studio and label in London and for his own label Roots Temple. For this release the now Japan based producer delivers a killer far-east flavoured rootikal tune leaded by oriental melodies wiyh a heavy bassline on a stepper riddim with an excellent Dub on the flip enriched by nyahbinghi drums. Also the title reminds of a far-east influence, Bushidub is a wordplay for the Japanese word Bushido (The Way Of The Warrior).
For the third release on Storming Dub Records we are proud to have on our roster one of the more talented dub producer from France: WEEDING DUB. He's well-known for a good amount of killer dubs released over the years which have been played all over Europe and beyond from the biggest Sound Systems on the scene.
Rough Signal Records featured talented Italian female MC/Singer of Marina P. As the backing and solo horn , her name is HAYAMI from ORESKABAND who is working as Japanese female ska band “ORESKABAND”.
This song is singing about 2020 when we have been hard time by covid 19 suddenly.
Our life has been changed many things by them and we are missing so much sound system session and lost normal life now. This tune will be our voice who is waiting for sound system session.
a1. Marina P ft Hayami - Downtown Seekers
a2. Marina P ft Hayami - Downtown Dub 1
a3. Dub Kazman - Downtown Dub 2
b1. Daman - No More Solidarity (Backing vocal by Jacko)
The Three Lives are a duo from Glasgow/Dublin where a shared love for dub music is strong. Here we have 5 tracks channeling pure dancefloor energy directly inspired by the 90's Steppers sound, with ambient moods and mystical vibrations.
Italian bass collective D-Operation Drop marks their debut on Dub-Stuy Records with “Pon Pause SP”, a heavyweight 12”single featuring legendary singer Al Campbell. Formed in 2010, the six members of D-Operation Drop have a wide range of experience and production styles, releasing on various labels such as ZamZam, Moonshine and Lioncharge. For their first collaboration with Dub-Stuy, they connected with the great Al Campbell, a singer with a storied career working with Studio One, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Black Ark, and more. Together, they crafted a modern steppers anthem that seamlessly connects old and new.
Through four different versions, D-Operation Drop brings the intensity on this 12” to a fever pitch. With a haunting intro, woozy, alternately pitched snares, and driving aggressive bass and sub-bass hits tempered with a deft flute melody, this tune is strictly business, Steppers style. Campbell’s instantly recognizable voice and powerful chanting anchors the brawny drumbeat while calling for unification and strength in the face of hate and ignorance, charging this track with justice and sovereignty. On the B Side, D-Operation Drop calls upon trumpeter Vale and talented melodica player Armin - both regular collaborators - for two righteous instrumental cuts that place the militant, compelling bass rhythm front and center.
Watch your subs. Pon Pause is a “last tune” worthy track that will surely resonate on sound systems worldwide and get the massive skanking!
A rootical steppers tune with Black Omolo on the vocals, several versions included and also a tuff Remix & Version by Dubbing Sun featuring the voice of Mowty Mahlyka. The release had great support by some of the greatest names in the roots and culture scene like King Shiloh, King Earthquake or Dandelion Sound System to name a few.
a1. Black Omolo - Africa Rise
a2. Joyful Lion - African Sax
a3. Darkwing Dub - African Dub
b1. Dubbing Sun ft Black Omolo & Mowty Mahlyka - Africa Rise Remix
b2. Dubbing Sun ft Joyful Lion & Piya Zawa - African Vibes