YABBY YOU Vinyl & CDs

Review: Pressure Sounds' latest release takes us back to 1976 and "Wall Of Jerusalem", a soulful reggae album by The Prophets that included production from both Yabby You (the band's lynchpin and lead vocalist) and dub mixer King Tubby. The album is something of a roots classic, with Yabby You's seductive, soul-fired vocal numbers being joined by delay-laden heavy dub revisions by King Tubby. You'll find the original set on LP 1, with the second being dedicated to alternate versions, previously unreleased tracks recorded in the same period, and alternate dubs that have lain dormant in Yabby You's archives for the best part of 40 years.

Review: The Vivian Jackson label has locked in this crucial reissue of a roots classic from Yabby U, a late Jamaican artist and producer who released it originally back in 1977. 'Chant Down Babylon' is a warm one with lazy and rolling drums and natty acoustic guitar riffs with Jah worshiping vocals and Babylon yearnings that unfurl up top with a real smoothness. On the flip, you will find the 'Chant Dub Mix' which removes the vocal chantings and allows the hats to hiss and the snares to take off like UFOs while the fleshy low end is couched in oodles of reverb.

Review: Pressure Sounds serve up a superb collection of Yabby dubs that have mostly been taken from past singles, but not in all cases. The vast collection comes with sleeve notes from Diggory Kenrick that give great context and take us back to the 1970s dub heyday in Jamaica. That is when Vivian 'Yabby You' Jackson was a fiercely independent singer and producer making waves off the back of his first early tunes. He famously carried all his records to the pressing plant on the back of his much loved motorbike. An accident caused him to give it up but the music survived and is this collection proves, it is crucial stuff.

Review: Yabby You, aka Vivian Jackson, remains one of reggae's most iconic figures, known for crafting some of the genre's most enduring and sought-after roots recordings. This collection showcases his deep influence, bringing together ten of his best productions, with his Prophets vocal group and Michael Prophet leading the charge. The tracks here are enriched with extended mixes and dubs, courtesy of the legendary King Tubby. From the raw energy of the vocal performances to the dubwise arrangements, this release captures the spirit of reggae in its purest, most powerful form. A must-have for any serious reggae collector.