Tough dubs of a clued-up selection of Techniques rhythms, from 1976, including Stalag, Cheer Up Black Man, and Johnny Osbourne’s interpretation of The Delfonics’ Ready Or Not. Ace.

A master-class in digikal dread, by the Cool Ruler and King Tubby.
Swingeing Firehouse rhythms, expertly dubwise, with driving, tumping bass, and the burning horns of Dean Fraser and Vin Gordon. Utterly masterful singing.
The overall mood is foreboding, sombre and distressed. ‘Your trouble wanna trouble you,’ warns Gregory. ‘War in the morning, war in the evening.’ ‘Everyone is wondering who will be next.’
The gist is the toll of everyday living — paranoia and alienation, loneliness and heartbreak, drugs and violence — and the gravitational pull of prison, so it’s great to see the emblematic art-work of the original UK issue, by the aptly-named Serious Business, back again. (We miss the Rudy Gone Whaling typo of an old bootleg, still.)
Typically dapper, trash-and-ready reissue by Dub Store in Tokyo, with ace sound, handsomely sleeved (though the tracks are listed in the wrong order).
Masterworks like Long Sentence, Once A Man — giant-slaying Fade Away excursion — and Badness.
Hotly recommended.

Melting, copybook Lovers Rock from 1977.
Willie Lindo, Harold Butler Robbie Lyn and co at Federal. Marcia Griffiths on backing vocals. A classy Waiting In Vain.

The great reggae saxophonist surfing a dazzling array of immortal Glen Brown instrumentals and dubs, like Dirty Harry, Mr Bald Head Aitken, Merry Up, South East Music, Fathers Call, Music From South Side…
GB the Rhythm Master is right up there in the first pantheon of reggae producers, with the Upsetter, Niney and one or two others; stuff like Dirty Harry is the food of gods.
A deeply pleasurable set, warmly recommended.

Jen rides the dread Sidewalk Doctor rhythm, with Woman Of The Ghetto lyrics.
Jackie Mittoo puts any survivors to the sword.

From 1967 Ras Michael occasionally sat in on recording sessions with Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors at Studio One. Instead of getting paid for his work, he requested studio time for his own Zion Disc recordings as the Sons of Negus Churchical Host…
‘Reggae is a vision. Reggae is the word that hits at the heartstrings the mind can’t control. I and I get the message of Rastafari out through reggae. It is the black music line of message to the world. It is the black Rastaman line of message to the world. It is the metaphorical Black Star Line’ (Ras Michael).

Brilliant jazz lyricism, in the style of Kenny Burrell, by the thirty-three-year-old, at an impromptu 1965 session in the Federal Studio, with pianist Leslie Butler, drummer Carl McLeod and bassist Stephen Lauz.

Ska classics produced by Ken Khouri (who founded the first recording studio in Jamaica), including deadly unreleased selections.
Murders from the get go — a knockout acoustic version of You Made Me Warm, by The Sharks.

Brilliant toasting and singing by the likes of Prince Hammer, Echo Minott, Trinity and Lee Van Cliff, over gold-plated Roots Radics rhythms. A precious blend of heavier-than-lead roots, new-thing dancehall flow, and youthman promotion, curated by Hammer himself in 1982. Deeply enjoyable from start to finish.

Irresistible 1950s mento — singalong tunes, ebulliently performed, over-spilling with scandal, smut and impudence, sex, dancing and booze, word-play, jokes and up-to-the minute social commentary, and general love for life.