Known for his dub excursions on labels such as Dub Stuy, Zam Zam Sounds and Moonshine Recordings, Bukkha steps out under his Preacha moniker once again for NICE UP! with a deep, dark and brooding grime and trap influenced track. What started out initially as a remix project for another artist soon turned into a track of its own when badman MC and poet Rider Shafique stepped up on vocals, going deep on the subject of what drives us in his own inimitable style.
Remixes come from US dubstep don DJ Madd who flips the pace a bit for his signature 160 style - heavy on the vibes, bass and bounce, while up and coming producer Casement twists it into a grime style banger incorporating elements of garage and jungle along the way. An acapella version is included as an exclusive to the vinyl.
Bristol's finest reggae producer meets Doncaster's number one dancehall MC as Mr Benn & Parly B join forces for an EP chock full of vibes. First up "Gwarn Go Bathe" is a cautionary tale of lacking personal hygene in the dance underpinned by a bubbling dancehall riddim. "Heat Up" is much of the same as things get hotter, whilst "Session Cork" slows things down a little with some more laid back vibes.
Despite working on various remixes together, this is the first time Mr Benn and Parly B have worked in a combination - hopefully the first of many more to come!
Taken from the acclaimed "Migration" album, "Kypoli" sees Poirier sharing production duties with fellow Ninja Tune alumni and hot property Machinedrum. Taking vocal samples from Aleisha Lee (co-writer of Tinie Tempah's recent smash "Girls Like" amongst others) and twisting, chopping and manipulating them into a completely new composition, the pair create a brooding post-dancehall/soul fusion, gaining the perfect balance between ethereal beauty and heavy dancefloor menace. Bukem-esque pads and deep dub elegance give way to pounding kicks and floating harmonies, relentlessly building a wall of sonic beauty.
Remixes come from France's dub mad scientist Moresounds, who ups the jungle influence with a classic Reese-style bassline and signature rolling snare chops, whilst retaining the balance between dark & light and Montreal-based newcomer Thomas White who flips the vibe completely for a slo-mo Soulection style builder.
Ltd 10" Vinyl. Already a huge track in the reggae scene, due in no small part to a show-stealing vocal from Gappy Ranks, Blend Mishkin & Roots Evolution's "Hol Dem" gets a deep remix from dubstep wunderkind Compa.
Stripping it back to a broody pulsating and sparse dub and then dropping into an all-out Steppers monster for the climax, this tune has been destroying dances on dubplate for some time. Limited edition hand stamped 10" vinyl.
One of the most popular tracks from last year's "Survival Of The Fittest" LP finally gets a single release and the remix treatment from Reggae Roast's Vibration Lab. Taking the track in a deeper, more digital direction, the veteran duo have crafted a classic slice of modern dancehall, reminiscent of the legendary sounds of Gussie Clarke and that timeless 90s vibe. Flip it over for a dubwise version for your own MC or singjay to get busy with.
Robust collaboration between Nice Up! UK and Bim One Productions outta Japan. Oriental future dancehall remix of Original Onex ParlyB - Mi Bredren only been dropped recently. Manufactured in one and only pressing plant in Japan with special Katakana logo for the occasion. Limited to 500 copies only. No repress.
a. Origin One ft. Parly B - Mi Bredren (Bim One Productions Remix)
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic and legendary reggae labels to come out of the UK, Fashion Records has a rich and deep history that reaches far beyond the world of reggae. The brainchild of John MacGillivray and Chris Lane, two music devotees who started the Dub Vendor market stall in Clapham Junction selling imported reggae and dub vinyl during the late 70s (which later went on to spawn the hugely popular Dub Vendor shops), a dub cutting studio and label was set up in 1980 and started generating hits instantly, regularly topping the UK reggae charts and attracting attention further afield. Soon a recording studio was built, which served as a drop-in for most of the Jamaican stars passing through London at the time.
Horace Andy, Johnnie Clarke, Alton Ellis, Frankie Paul, Junior Delgado and many more household names all spent time in the A-Class studios during the early days, although it was the stars of the new UK reggae explosion that really put the label on the map. Alongside artists such as Dee Sharp, Keith Douglas, Papa Face & Bionic Rhona, the label was a springboard for talents such as Asher Senator, MackaB, Andrew Paul and Smiley Culture, the latter scoring a top 20 hit and a couple of appearances on Top Of The Pops with his 1984 single "Police Officer".
Going from strength to strength, it was the chart explosion of dancehall in the early 90s that saw more international names come flocking to the label and more hits racking up - far too many to list here, but a brief glance through the discography shows Cutty Ranks, Papa San, General Levy, Top Cat, Tenor Fly, Daddy Freddy and Wayne Wonder all recording sides for the label. Subsequently another more uniquely English style of dance music began using acapella samples from the label; jungle. Based around the soundsystem style of Jamaican music, with an emphasis on the cutting drums and heavy basslines, young jungle producers used many of the tracks recorded and played by the previous generation as the music’s backbone, the vocals given new life by the rudimentary samplers being used in bedroom studios all over the land.
Fast forward 25 years and those reverberations are still being felt today - drum & bass, dubstep, hip hop, trap and almost any other sub-genre of what many now refer to as "bass music" has the DNA of reggae and dancehall running through it, so its only right to expect a little payback. A&R'd by music fanatic and owner of the NICE UP! record label, Jon Sheppard - "Inna NICE UP! Fashion" aims to bring new life to some of these legendary tracks by having modern day producers rework them in their own style and re-introduce them to a new audience. From the frantic breakbeats of rave-revivalist Special Request and the bottom end sonics of Radio 1's ToddlaT & Melé, to the modern minimalist dancehall-tech of Machinedrum and the digital dub drone of The Bug, there is plenty to get excited about here. Poland's Radikal Guru serves up some classic dubstep, Germany's Jahtari crew take it back into 80s nostalgia with their 8-bit dancehall style, whilst modern reggae producers Wrongtom, Jstar and Mr Benn all show why they are on the forefront of the UK reggae revival. The tempo gets upped for some heavier jungle inspired remixes from Aries & Gold Dubs, Serial Killaz and festival favourites Dub Pistols, giving a little bit of something for everybody.
1. Asher Senator - To Whom Respect Is Due (Jahtari remix)
2. Starkey Banton - I And I Saw Them Coming (Radikal Guru remix)
3. General Levy - Incredible (Wrongtom remix)
4. Papa San - Perdominant (Machinedum remix)
5. Cutty Ranks - As You See It (Mr Benn remix)
6. Bunny General - Mek Them Rock (Jstar remix)
7. Daddy Freddy - Yes, We A Blood (The Bug remix)
8. Tenor Fly - Rude Boy Talk (Toddla T & Mele remix)
9. Super Cat - Request The Style (Special Request remix)
10. Johnny Clarke - Young Rebel (Aries remix)
11. Andrew Paul - Who's Gonna Make The Dance Ram (Serial Killaz VIP)
12. Pato Banton - Nice Up The Session (Dub Pistols remix)
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic and legendary reggae labels to come out of the UK, Fashion Records has a rich and deep history that reaches far beyond the world of reggae. The brainchild of John MacGillivray and Chris Lane, two music devotees who started the Dub Vendor market stall in Clapham Junction selling imported reggae and dub vinyl during the late 70s (which later went on to spawn the hugely popular Dub Vendor shops), a dub cutting studio and label was set up in 1980 and started generating hits instantly, regularly topping the UK reggae charts and attracting attention further afield. Soon a recording studio was built, which served as a drop-in for most of the Jamaican stars passing through London at the time.
Horace Andy, Johnnie Clarke, Alton Ellis, Frankie Paul, Junior Delgado and many more household names all spent time in the A-Class studios during the early days, although it was the stars of the new UK reggae explosion that really put the label on the map. Alongside artists such as Dee Sharp, Keith Douglas, Papa Face & Bionic Rhona, the label was a springboard for talents such as Asher Senator, MackaB, Andrew Paul and Smiley Culture, the latter scoring a top 20 hit and a couple of appearances on Top Of The Pops with his 1984 single "Police Officer".
Going from strength to strength, it was the chart explosion of dancehall in the early 90s that saw more international names come flocking to the label and more hits racking up - far too many to list here, but a brief glance through the discography shows Cutty Ranks, Papa San, General Levy, Top Cat, Tenor Fly, Daddy Freddy and Wayne Wonder all recording sides for the label. Subsequently another more uniquely English style of dance music began using acapella samples from the label; jungle. Based around the soundsystem style of Jamaican music, with an emphasis on the cutting drums and heavy basslines, young jungle producers used many of the tracks recorded and played by the previous generation as the music’s backbone, the vocals given new life by the rudimentary samplers being used in bedroom studios all over the land.
Fast forward 25 years and those reverberations are still being felt today - drum & bass, dubstep, hip hop, trap and almost any other sub-genre of what many now refer to as "bass music" has the DNA of reggae and dancehall running through it, so its only right to expect a little payback. A&R'd by music fanatic and owner of the NICE UP! record label, Jon Sheppard - "Inna NICE UP! Fashion" aims to bring new life to some of these legendary tracks by having modern day producers rework them in their own style and re-introduce them to a new audience. From the frantic breakbeats of rave-revivalist Special Request and the bottom end sonics of Radio 1's ToddlaT & Melé, to the modern minimalist dancehall-tech of Machinedrum and the digital dub drone of The Bug, there is plenty to get excited about here. Poland's Radikal Guru serves up some classic dubstep, Germany's Jahtari crew take it back into 80s nostalgia with their 8-bit dancehall style, whilst modern reggae producers Wrongtom, Jstar and Mr Benn all show why they are on the forefront of the UK reggae revival. The tempo gets upped for some heavier jungle inspired remixes from Aries & Gold Dubs, Serial Killaz and festival favourites Dub Pistols, giving a little bit of something for everybody.
a1. Asher Senator - To Whom Respect Is Due (Jahtari remix)
a2. Starkey Banton - I And I Saw Them Coming (Radikal Guru remix)
a3. General Levy - Incredible (Wrongtom remix)
b1. Papa San - Perdominant (Machinedum remix)
b2. Cutty Ranks - As You See It (Mr Benn remix)
b3. Bunny General - Mek Them Rock (Jstar remix)
c1. Daddy Freddy - Yes, We A Blood (The Bug remix)
c2. Tenor Fly - Rude Boy Talk (Toddla T & Mele remix)
c3. Super Cat - Request The Style (Special Request remix)
d1. Johnny Clarke - Young Rebel (Aries remix)
d2. Andrew Paul - Who's Gonna Make The Dance Ram (Serial Killaz VIP)
d3. Pato Banton - Nice Up The Session (Dub Pistols remix)
Presenting a fresh signing to the roster, NICE UP! are thrilled to announce the debut single from Nottingham's Origin One! Centred around the work of one producer, the crew is a fluid collective of MCs, vocalists and musicians, covering a variety of reggae infused genres, from hip hop & soul to dancehall, dub and jungle.
Coming in heavy with their first release for the label, they've enlisted the help of one of the UK's finest and most prolific dancehall MCs - ParlyB. Having previously worked with heavyweights such as Mungo's Hifi, The Skints and Reggae Roast, Parly brings his trademark toasting to the bubbling dancehall beats of "Mi Bredrin", creating an instant dancefloor killer.
Taken from the acclaimed album "Migration", which covers a myriad of bass genres, this opening track "PositiveUp" finds Poirier in a deep dubby dancehall mood. Reminiscent of classic Unity or Jammy's productions, the 80s digital vibe is updated to suit modern dancehalls and soundsystems.
Regular collaborator Face-T provides the vocal counter, once again displaying his brilliant lyricism and delivery, whilst also evoking the legendary Shinehead with a whistling solo - its been a while since we heard one of those!
Fresh for 2016 comes a brand new 7" from Montreal based producer Poirier. Taken from his forthcoming album "Migration", "Jump" is his take on the classic dancehall sound of the 90s and features a bonafide legend from that era, NYC's very own Red Fox. In the producer's own words: "I wanted to reference the 90's dancehall vibe, but with a modern feel of my own. After I'd made the beat, Red Fox instantly came to my mind - because he IS that sound, that voice!".
Road-tested on his recent global DJ tours, the track is an instant dancefloor mover with its punchy bottom heavy production providing the perfect setting for Red Fox to do his thing. Available on 7" vinyl from 29th January, plus a couple of killer remixes for the digital package, keep your eyes out for this one!
Fresh off the starting blocks with a sure-fire summer bubbler is NICE UP! newcomer Cut La Vis. Based in Brighton, this debut single for the label encapsulates the bright sun and fresh sea air of his hometown perfectly and features up and coming starlet Maddy Carty, who has already been causing something of a stir with her latest album, picking up loads of support from David Rodigan.
Taken from his debut album "One Step Forward" this single is an ideal introduction to the Cut La Vis sound - reggae, hip hop and ska all rolled into one!
a. Cut La VIs ft. Maddy Carty - Still Have The Love
b. Cut La VIs ft. Maddy Carty - Still Have The Love (Version)
"One Step Forward" is the debut album from Brighton based DJ and producer Cut La Vis aka David Lavis. Raised on a healthy diet of 90s hip hop, roots reggae and ska, Cut La Vis debut album for NICE UP! is a melting pot of exactly that - the sounds and culture he grew up around whilst learning his trade. Starting off as the DJ for a reggae band in his hometown of Hereford, he soon gravitated to the turntablist explosion of the mid 90s, competing in local competitions and B-Boy jams. At the same time, his love for dub and roots reggae led him into trying his hand at the fertile reggae mash-up scene, making a name for himself with an array of dancefloor shaking blends of classic hip hop tracks infused with a feel good skank, as well as remixes for for artists such as Blend Mishkin, Dreadsquad and Max Rubadub.
Making the transition from mash-up maverick to original producer, you can still expect the same reggae infused bangers, dubwise hip hop and ska shakers complemented by an impressive array of guest vocalists plus a little help from a tight band of session musicians. Following their summer hit "Still Have The Love", London-based reggae/soul singer Maddy Carty appears on a number of tracks, as well as Bristol songstress Eva Lazarus who has been bothering the top 40 recently alongside Etherwood (Hospital Records). Roots Manuva collaborator and Speech Debelle's Mercury-winning producer Lotek blesses the mic on the bouncing "Rinse & Repeat" as well as UK Dancehall legend Tippa Irie who crops up on "Love My Music" pus an appearance from regular collaborator Mystro who opens the album with "Hit Me One Time". Rounding things off are JA dancehall MC Peppery and vocalist from Origin One, Parisa - giving the album a healthy balance of established artists and newer talent.
With a cheeky nod to the classic Max Romeo track, "One Step Forward" also refers to this being Dave's debut album and making his first step into the future whilst retaining inspiration from the past.
a1. Cut La Vis - Hit Me One Time (ft. Mystro)
a2. Cut La Vis - Still Have The Love (ft. Maddy Carty)
a3. Cut La Vis - Full Contact (ft. Skunkadelic)
a4. Cut La Vis - Represent (ft. Peppery)
a5. Cut La Vis - It's Alright (ft. Eva Lazarus)
b1. Cut La Vis - Love My Music (ft. Tippa Irie)
b2. Cut La Vis - Rinse & Repeat (ft. Lotek)
b3. Cut La Vis - Yuh Nuh Bad (ft Peppery)
b4. Cut La Vis - Checkin' Out (ft. Maddy Carty)
b5. Cut La Vis - Apple Sauce & Cinnamon (ft. Parisa)
![Preacha - Chasing Dreams ft. Rider Shafique [w/ Acapella]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/Artwork_{width}x.jpg?v=1548155124)
![Blend Mishkin & Roots Evolution (feat. Gappy Ranks) - Hol Dem (Compa Remix) [10" Vinyl] , Vinyl - Nice Up, Unearthed Sounds](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/nup023_{width}x.jpg?v=1473668077)
![Origin One ft. Parly B - Mi Bredren (Bim One Productions Remix) [Japanese Press] , Vinyl - Nice Up, Unearthed Sounds](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/nup026x_{width}x.jpg?v=1467907455)
