The best of Ern’s sixties LPs. A lovely bunch of rocksteady instrumentals, featuring a cool and deadly Summertime, bumping versions of Hold Me Tight and Flamingo, a moody Story Book Children, some bluesy honky-tonk, and the far-eastern stylings of Sling Shot, to close.

Soul jazz from the jazz pianist plus trio. The first half’s a bit soft, before Aquarius marks the dawning of the funky stuff — Evil Ways, Shaft, Booty Butt — ending with a cooking cover of The Meters’ Funky Miracle.

‘What really impressed was its precision, its 14 guitar miniatures bringing to mind the cascading melodies of Steve Reich, or Malian kora music… There’s so much going on in these dense constructions, you’re likely to hear new layers and combinations with each spin’ (The Wire, Releases Of The Year).

A singing trio from Charente-Maritime, reviving folk songs from the neighbouring department of Vendée, on France’s western seaboard. Mostly recorded at home, with guests playing accordion, violin, piccolo and contrabassoon, and cigar-box guitar.

In his liner notes, old admirer and collaborator Alasdair Roberts registers ‘a deepened richness’ in these new recordings, ‘unfolding with a patient confidence… considered and poised.’
‘There’s a greater complexity and subtlety to their unique three-part harmonising, too. Their voices mesh in even stronger — almost telepathic — ‘fraternité’ than ever before: now commanding and mighty as a full-rigged counter-vessel, now gentle and lulling as a mother’s cradle-croon, or a whisper in a lover’s ear.’

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.

‘Style Scott and Flabba Holt, bedrock of the mighty Roots Radics, holding together the monstrous rhythms, while Adrian Sherwood works his magic at the controls. Features guest appearances from Lee Perry, Michael Franti, and Talvin Singh.’

‘From 1996, with Style Scott gathering even more crack Jamaican players together for the rhythms, featuring musicians who between them had done time in the likes of the Roots Radics, Soul Syndicate, Joe Gibbs’ Professionals, and Bunny Lee’s Aggrovators.
‘This incredible legacy is augmented by Adrian Sherwood’s work at the mixing desk back in London, overdubbing the London-based Skip McDonald and Akabu, and working his sonic magic on the raw material, a true transatlantic dub collaboration.’

‘A brand new set of Dub Syndicate excursions utilising rhythms from their classic 1989 - 1996 period. Adrian Sherwood has gone back to the original tapes, working his mixing desk magic to find new angles on the timeless pulse of Lincoln Valentine ‘Style’ Scott, with fresh overdubs from Cyrus Richard (Dub Asante Band). Featuring new dubs of tracks originally found on albums such as Time Boom X De Devil Dead and Stoned Immaculate.’

‘Probably the best known Dub Syndicate album, this 1991 set was recorded between Jamaica and London, with the rock solid rhythms of band leader Style Scott augmented by a number of additional players, including guitar from Skip McDonald, vocals by Lee Perry and Akabu, samples of the late, great Prince Far I, and keyboards from Keith Levene.’

‘Another great set, with vocal contributions from mainstay Bim Sherman on a cover of Lloyd & Devon’s Cuss Cuss, and Shara Nelson (just prior to Blue Lines) on a version of Serge Gainsbourg’s Je T’aime. Originally released in 1989 and coinciding with the beginnings of Dub Syndicate as a touring unit.’