HORACE ANDY Vinyl & CDs

Review: Jamaican reggae legend Horace Andy has many great tunes in his back catalogue, but 'Get Down' is a classic roots gem often said to be one of his best. It's a signature sound with his trademark smooth and soulful vocals and is known for its deep, socially conscious lyrics and heavy bassline. This is one of those tunes that showcases Andy's ability to blend powerful messages with mellow rhythms and now gets pressed up to a tidy limited green smokey vinyl 7" thanks to Ruderalis. It comes with a fine instrumental version on the B-side

Review: Horace Andy's Midnight Rocker, produced by Adrian Sherwood and released on On-U Sound, is a stunning late-career triumph that reimagines classic tracks and introduces fresh material. Known for his iconic vibrato-heavy falsetto, Andy has long been a defining voice in dub, having first gained fame in the 1970s through collaborations with Bunny Lee. Over the years, his voice has deepened and grown richer, adding layers of vulnerability and maturity that are beautifully showcased in this album. Sherwood's production enhances Andy's vocals by stripping down the original arrangements and introducing live instrumentation, which brings a modern clarity to the classic dub sound. Tracks like the reworked 'This Must Be Hell' lose their jazz piano but gain a driving bassline, making the song more dancefloor-ready. Similarly, the updated version of 'Materialis' uses a synth bass to amplify the emotional urgency in Andy's vocals, while Mr Bassie transforms from a plea into a powerful declaration. New songs like 'Watch Over Them' and 'Try Love' take Andy into the realm of lover's rock, with his voice perfectly complementing the syncopated rhythms. Throughout Midnight Rocker, Sherwood draws out some of Andy's most compelling performances, particularly on the intense 'Safe from Harm'. This album is a testament to Andy's enduring talent and leaves listeners eager for what's next from the 71-year-old legend.

Review: Horace Andy dropped one of his most well-known cuts back in 1987. It's a lovely rootsy dancehall skank in the form of 'What A Problem' that he produced himself alongside Michael Taylo and Andy Bassford. His mic work is exceptional as he twists and turns his vocals to ride on top of the drums and deliver his message with style and grace in his textbook smooth vocal tone. The version on the flip drills down into darker and more gritty dancehall vibes with the fat bassline front and centre next to plenty of echo and reverb.

Review: Hope & Faith Records has put together three different 7"s featuring the original 'Standing Tall' riddim, which is a slick production in the early 70s roots reggae style. Acclaimed Spanish singer Payoh Soul Rebel is behind one, the female harmony trio from Basque reggae band Tacumah another, and this one comes from Jamaican legend Horace Andy who brings a fresh take on the classic roots sound. His smoky vocals bring real warmth and depth while a flip-side dub goes deep.

Review: Horace Andy, the iconic Jamaican roots reggae vocalist, joins forces with former PiL bassist Jah Wobble for Timeless Roots, a fresh collection of studio recordings. Known for his collaborations with Massive Attack, Andy's unmistakable voice brings new life to classics like Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition', The Beatles' 'Come Together', and America's 'A Horse With No Name.' He also revisits his own hits, including 'Skylarking' and 'Natty Dread A Weh She Want', adding a new depth to these beloved tracks. Wobble's production seamlessly blends reggae with modern dub and world music, creating a rich, contemporary sound. Notable highlights include 'One Love', a revamped version of Andy's 1991 Massive Attack collaboration and a reinterpretation of 'Spying Glass.' The combination of Andy's timeless vocals and Wobble's masterful basslines results in an album full of vibrant, fresh takes on both classic and new material. Released on yellow vinyl through Cleopatra Records, this is shaping up to be one of the standout reggae albums of the year.

Review: Timeless Roots is a brilliant collaboration between reggae legend Horace Andy and renowned bassist Jah Wobble. Known for his ethereal vocals, Andy breathes new life into classics like Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition' and The Beatles' 'Come Together', while also revisiting his own iconic tracks like 'Skylarking' and 'Natty Dread A Weh She Want.' Wobble, former PiL bassist, Orb collaborator as well as a solo artist of some renown, blends reggae, modern dub and world music to create a rich sonic landscape that perfectly complements Andy's distinctive voice. The album stands out not only for its reinterpretation of well-known songs but also for its innovative production, which maintains the essence of roots reggae while introducing contemporary elements.
Wobble's deep bass grooves provide a solid foundation, allowing Andy's vocals to soar, particularly on new takes of his classics. This collaboration is a seamless fusion of two musical worlds, making Timeless Roots one of the standout reggae albums of the yearia true match made in musical heaven.

Review: Mole Audio present a very special new quart of tracks from Daktari (Oliver Linge & Olaf Pozsgay), who've teamed up for a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration with vocalist and dub legend Horace Andy for an original set of versions. Actually, it's a welcome comeback for both artists; Daktari also haven't released anything since the brilliant back-to-back waxes for Luxus in 1997, then 1999. Now that the Y2K scare has abated (25 years later, no doubt) Daktari are back with 'Rasta Forever', which moves minimally and spatiously, and manages to sound much "slower" than its dancehall tempo would initially betray. Andy's star line has to be, "we don't smoke spliff, we smoke chalice," alluding to the kind of cannabis smoking pipe often used by Rastafari. Alt mixes from DB ART, Rhauder, and Zion Train transition from greezier dancehall, to something more dub technical, to a bubblers' delight in a more classic sound; all do stellar reparative justice to Andy's towering, implicit demand for dues and honour paid, and, true to the Daktari name, prove amply effective at remedying our symptoms.