JOHNNY CLARKE Vinyl & CDs

Review: Johnny Clarke and Earth & Stone cooked up some real magic with 'Babylon'. It's a sumptuous sound that offers a symbolic representation of societal oppression and injustice. With Johnny Clarke's haunting vocals and Earth & Stone's mesmerising rhythms, the tune becomes a poignant commentary on the struggles of the marginalised and the quest for freedom. Through those lyrics and hypnotic melodies, it confronts issues of systemic inequality and political corruption, urging people to rise against oppression. As such it is anther great tune that proves the enduring relevance of reggae as a voice for the oppressed.

Review: 1994's original pressing of Steely & Clevie's outstanding leftfield production with Johnny Clarke's vocals is well worth inspecting, but you might struggle to find one these days, and it'll be pricey if you do, because it's become something of a classic 45. Thankfully it gets reissued here with A-side original 'Leggo Violence' rolling lazy drums while the Clarke vocals soar high and sweet despite what they sing about. On the flip is a smooth rolling version that allows that super bassline to do its thing free from any distraction, and all with extra dub goodness.