VIVIAN JONES Vinyl & CDs

Review: 'Crazy Baldhead' is a killer and classic slice of UK yard roots from the Stingray archives that gets revived here with love and care and. It finds the legendary Vivian Jones delivering a deeply soulful sound that is about as heartfelt and heavyweight as roots gets. The synths bring hints of digital freshness and it was originally released on 12" in the 1990s but has since been long out of print. On the flip, "Crazy Dub' from the Stingray All Stars blurs the edges and spaces things out with plenty of mixing desk magic and cavernous drum and bass tweaks.

Review: UK dub label Partial Records welcomes dub cats Vivian Jones and Vinney Satta for a new split 7". Jones's 'Return Ticket' kicks off in slow, libidinous fashion with sparse wooden rim shots and joyous horns bursting out of the laid back rhythm while the wailing vocals bring a traditional touch. On the flip, Satta steps up for a dub out version of the original which is more roomy, liquid and heady for those late night sessions when you can hook on to the endlessly echoing chords and bass. Two classy sounds with a contemporary twist.