False Idols Vinyl & CDs

Review: Two and a half years on from his death, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's "final album" - for the avoidance of doubt, it's the last one he recorded - arrives. Given his history of sonic innovation, it's striking that King Perry sees he late dub titan applying his dub aesthetic (with a little help from producer Daniel Boyle and a string of guest vocalists) to a wide variety of contemporary styles. Elements of synthwave, drum & bass, big beat and electronica are thrown into the mix, with his ten-ton basslines, dub effects, reggae riffs and freewheeling vocals rooting it in his extensive musical history. Highlights include breakbeat-driven Greentea Peng collaboration '100 Llbs of Summer', the Meat Beat Manifesto-ish 'Green Banana' (where Shaun Ryder does a typically distinctive turn on lead vocals) and closer 'Goodbye', which features Perry's last recorded vocal performance.

Review: Being the prolific maverick he was known and loved for, we're still catching up with the output of the mighty Lee Scratch Perry long after his passing. Amongst the posthumous releases coming to light of late is this album on Tricky's False Idols label, in which Perry linked up with UK producer Daniel Boyle for a follow-up to their double hits of Back At The Controls and Black Album. It's a wide-ranging affair taking the dub approach to many different genres, with some noticeable contributions from artists like Greentea Peng, Shaun Ryder and Tricky himself. It's another fine reminder of what a gift of inspiration Perry was to the world of music, restlessly creative well into his later years.