A stupendous haul of sound-system specials and inspired experiments conjured from some of the greatest reggae rhythms of all time, from the inner sanctum of King Tubby’s studio in the mid-seventies (where Philip Smart was second engineer).
Seething with lethal touches of Tubby; dotted with head-spinning walk-ons for Hugh Mundell, Johnny Clarke, Jacob Miller and co; steeped in the genius of young Augustus Pablo, Smart’s childhood friend.
A staggering turn-up. Utterly crucial.

Biff, baff, boof.
Two hunks of deep Wackies roots; and an amazing, previously unreleased coup de grace.
First off, a haunting, dazed, raving account of being kicked out of a squat; with heavy bass, killer organ, sublime backing vocals, and a hurting, searing Stranger Cole. ‘We’ve got to find a better place.’
Then a tough instrumental outing on the same deadly, signature Wackies rhythm as Clive Hunt’s Black Rose, by Wanachi.
And on the flip: stark, visionary, semi-acoustic primitivism, from the same drama school as early Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus.
Unmissable Wackies.

Ten killer dubs of Barrington Levy, mixed at Tubby’s, mostly unreleased. (The album was shelved in late 1980.)

Terrific, deep roots, protesting the imprisonment of Desmond Trotter for the 1974 murder of a US tourist in Domenica. (Trots was fingered by a young lady from Antigua called Pretty Pig, the court was told.)
Originally released on the Jumbo Caribbean Disco label run by Brooklyn’s African Record Center shop. Discomixes, both sides.
Don’t miss it.

An intrepid, winning survey of Wackies’ precious first forays in Digi. Old boys Horace Andy and Milton Henry deal the aces. Step forward, Chris Wayne.
With three previously-unreleased sides.
Silk-screened sleeve.

Prime, early-eighties Barrington, expertly fronting chunky Radics on rhythms like The Russians Are Coming and Get In The Groove, in Scientist mixes. No losing with those cards.

Both these sides are previously unreleased blends of the old and the new, in extended mixes.
Can’t Fool I re-unites the born-a-fighter roots warrior with Tasha producer George Nicholson, his chum from school — at last voicing a rhythm from the label’s first-ever recording session, at Channel One in 1978, with the Revolutionaries.
Easy Skanking is Alla on a brand new rhythm by Danny Bassie and Barnabas.

Two previously unreleased sides by this compelling singer: Get Up Natty was cut at Channel One in the mid-eighties, with backing by the Gifted Roots Band, featuring some sick synths and effects; No Peace is new, with Icho still in fine voice, debuting a rhythm by Danny Bassie from the Firehouse Crew, and Channel One legend Barnabas.

Two knockout Wackie’s 12” sides, paired together for maximum pressure. Each originally appeared on separate twelves, around ‘85 and ‘80. The A-side is another deadly Sugar shot, one of so many for Wackie’s. Backed here with the more obscure Zion Land, a stunning, shimmering roots chant. Both sides extended mixes.

‘Double-sided murder Wackie’s from 1978. Originally released on the Jumbo Caribbean Disco label from Brooklyn. Big Leg Mary is on the same rhythm as Wayne Jarrett’s killer Come Let’s Go. Wasn’t It You is a different cut from the earlier one on the Senrab label, but equally lethal. Both sides fully smoked-out dubwise trademark Wackie’s style, and essential.’

The dubwise companion to the recent Roots From The Record Smith compilation, featuring the B-side dub versions from the original 45s, nearly all taken from master tapes, and culminating cataclysmically in Tubby’s out-of-this-world dub of Ronnie Davis’ Power Of Love.

Sublime, masterful singing — poetic, polyphonic, evocative sufferers — over a stately and atmospheric Java excursion, more sombre than mystical. Super-soulful. Ace.

First time out for this Paragon’s feeling excursion on the same Java re-lick as Roman Stewart’s Rain A Fall.

Magnificent, hypnotically insurgent, boogie-down bubblers, with Sugar Minott at the mic, leading burnished horns and dapper, soulful backing vocals. Like a cross between Ain’t No Stopping Us Now and Armagideon.
Jerry Johnson heads out on the flip: a killer uptempo instrumental, with swirling brass over a pared-down, propulsive rhythm.

One of the unsung movers and shakers of 1970s reggae, Ivan Smith worked as in-studio producer and record promoter for both Bunny Lee and Channel 1, whilst quietly producing and releasing his own catalogue of high-quality 45s.
Here is the first ever compilation, pure classics, all taken from master tapes, in a lovely silkscreened sleeve.
Ace.

Creole’s personal rough mixes of sides recorded at the same late ‘70s session as the Channel One killer Beware.
Fishers Of Man is an extended mix, and Walls Of Jericho is teamed with a version retrieved from dubplate, adding synth.

Upful, late-eighties singjaying, with nuff namechecks and squiddly diddlies, over a crisp, bustling rhythm.