On-U Sound Vinyl & CDs

Review: By the time they recorded "Songs of Praise" in 1990, African Head Charge had gone from being an Adrian Sherwood solo project to a fully-fledged band helmed by percussionist Bonjo Ivabinghi Noah. Here reissued to mark the album's 20th birthday, the set remains arguably the group's greatest single work. While rooted in the twin attractions of heavy dub and dense African percussion, the album makes extensive use of a dizzying array of influences, from gospel, steppers reggae and yacht rock, to traditional Arabic music, blues, disco, religious chants and even industrial music. This edition features a handful of decent bonus tracks, but they're unnecessary: the original album is little less than a masterpiece and should reside in every discerning listener's record collection.

Review: Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah and Adrian Sherwood have been working together as African Head Charge since 1981's all-time classic My Life In A Hole In The Ground. Of all the near-infinite reams of experimental dub production orbiting Sherwood's On-U Sound label, African Head Charge is surely one of the greatest and most revered projects and now after a pause since 2011's Voodoo of The Godsent their partnership is back on. A Trip To Bolgatanga takes us on a psychoactive journey to Noah's hometown in North Ghana, guided by his trademark, fiercely expressive percussion and Sherwood's mixing desk acrobatics, weighing in heavy and loaded with disorienting potential, which is just how we like it.

Review: Midnight Rocker is regarded as one of the finest albums that noted reggae vocalist Horace Andy ever put out. It features plenty of his classic tracks all stylish rearranged with plenty of mature dub sounds all produced by the one and only Adrian Sherwood. Andy's voice has a deep, rich and vulnerable tone to it here across tunes like 1978 classic 'This Must Be Hell' while newer tunes like 'Try Love' find him in a more intimate mood than ever before. After more than five decades in the game, this proves that Horace Andy remains at the very top of his art.

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: A long-standing figure on the London jazz scene, trumpeter Harry Beckett kept his music fresh over a long career, and none more so than on his debut On-U Sound release in 2008 produced by Adrian Sherwood, which invites reggae and dance music influences to happily live alongside his modal jazz flavours. Now reissued posthumously, The Modern Sound Of Harry Beckett tracks the legacy of this contemporary jazz eminent, who passed away in 2010. Beckett channels both his Caribbean roots and trumpeting abilities, offering a novel confounding of sparse, skittish beats verging on digidub, with spryly slick soundings of the horn. Made up of isolated recordings laid down by Beckett, and then celebratedly combined with dancehall and dub movements afterwards, our fave has to be the unabashedly dubstep godsend, 'Like You Didn't Know', which spreads Beckett's horns out to virtuosic effect, against a wickedly womping wash.

Review: Creation Rebel were the original On-U Sound house band, laying down some of the definitive riddims in the early days of Adrian Sherwood's voyage into dub. 40 years on from their last record, the trio of Crucial Tony, Eskimo Fox and Magoo have reunited with Sherwood at the controls for another masterclass in heavyweight sounds from a crack team of players. Originally they formed as a backing band for the late Prince Far-I, and some of his unmistakable tones manifest on this new record from archive tapes, while Daddy Freddy brings his famous fast chat flow to proceedings and Italian synth player Gaudi crops up on occasion too. Rather than dub-by-numbers, this is an exploratory record which takes in different grooves and influences, all filtered through the expanse of space-time manipulation the dub wise approach inspires.

Review: As part of a rather comprehensive looking back and reissuing of some of Creation Rebel's best and most enduring albums, On-U Sound pay due homage to their one and only in-house band. Close Encounters Of The Third World is one such album; it was first released in 1978, and draws a titular link between alienation and privation. The eight-track LP collates the instrumental talents of Lizard The Wizard, Dr. Pablo and Crucial Tony, and hears a fantastic mixing job by none other than Prince Jammy. With an initial charge to 'Know Yourself' before externalising the pilous inner monologue with 'Natty Conscience Free', Creation Rebel here demonstrate a stage of collective soul-searching and a subsequently serene set of songs.

Review: Yet one more classic eight-tracker to now be reissued via Creation Rebel's home label On-U Sound, Rebel Vibrations was their third album for Hitrun and followed up 1978's Close Encounters Of The Third World and Dub From Creation. Similarly lackadaisical and spaced-out to its predecessors, Rebel Vibrations nonetheless charted a slight upping of the weighty ante - with bass parts becoming more prominent and starker - and a refining of the delays and FX as they sit in the mix.

Review: For the first time since 1982, Creation Rebel's Psychotic Jonkanoo is made available on vinyl. Curiously first released on the primarily post-punk oriented Glaswegian label Statik, their sixth album here keeps to the usual eight-track formula, yet hears a softer discographic progression; compared to their earlier works, it is less prodding and weighty, and instead opts for a headroomier and more reverb-laden atmosphere, through which the album's distinctive and novel call-and-response chants can peek. Bandleader Crucial Tony was aided on the vocal front by harmonies from other group members, in a style reminiscent of Black Uhuru, plus the occasional guest such as John Lydon of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Limited providing backing harmony (!) on 'Mother Don't Cry'.

Review: Originally released in 1993 and out of print for many years, this classic Dub Syndicate album is now reissued on the vital On-U. Drummer "Style" Scott and bassist "Flabba" Holt anchor the massive reggae riddims here while Adrian Sherwood delivers his signature production at the controls, twisting and contouring sound to melon melting effect. The album features standout guest appearances, including Lee "Scratch" Perry on 'Dubbing Psycho Thriller' and 'Dubaddisababa' as well as Michael Franti on 'No No.' The reissue brings this influential dub album back into the spotlight and is all the evidence that you need that Dub Syndicate are masters of their craft.

Review: Dub Syndicate's Ital Breakfast is a compelling exploration of dub and reggae, showcasing the band's evolution under the guidance of producer Adrian Sherwood. The album opens with 'Throw Down Your Gun,' setting a reflective tone with its deep bass and intricate rhythms. Tracks like 'The Jewel' and 'Gun Too Hot' delve into more experimental territories, blending traditional dub elements with innovative soundscapes. The title track, 'Ital Breakfast,' features a notable cameo by the legendary deejay I Roy, adding a unique flavor to the mix. The album concludes with 'The Captain's Trance Mission,' where Lee 'Scratch' Perry makes a surprise appearance, further enriching the project's depth. Overall, Ital Breakfast exemplifies Dub Syndicate's ability to fuse classic dub foundations with contemporary experimentation, resulting in a dynamic and engaging listening experience.

Review: This release offers a fresh collection of Dub Syndicate 'versions', drawing on rhythms from their classic 1989-1996 period. Adrian Sherwood revisits the original tapes, applying his signature mixing desk magic to uncover new angles on the iconic pulse of drummer Lincoln Valentine "Style" Scott. The album features new dubs of tracks from albums like Time Boom X De Devil Dead and Stoned Immaculate, highlighting the enduring creative partnership between Sherwood and Scott. Fresh overdubs from Cyrus Richard of the Dub Asante Band add a modern twist to these timeless rhythms. As the fifth and final release in On-U Sound's Dub Syndicate reissue series, this album builds on the legacy of Ambience In Dub, which anthologised the group's earlier work. The tracks reflect the band's greatest popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Scott emerged as a key force alongside Sherwood. The result is a fusion of Jamaican musicianship and UK studio experimentation that appealed to both ravers and reggae enthusiasts. This release serves as a fitting tribute to a legendary collaboration, continuing the story of a unique musical legacy.

Review: Strike the Balance is another standout Dub Syndicate set featuring vocal contributions from reggae legend Bim Sherman on a cover of Lloyd & Devon's 'Cuss Cuss' and Shara Nelson, whose work with Massive Attack on Blue Lines was soon to make her a household name, but here offers her rendition of Serge Gainsbourg's 'Je T'aime.' Released in 1989, this album marked a significant moment in the evolution of Dub Syndicate and coincided with the group's emergence as a touring unit. The album blends reggae, dub and experimental sounds into a distinctive, genre-defying style. A welcome reissue.

Review: Dub Syndicate's classic 1991 album was recorded in Jamaica and London and remains one of their most iconic releases. Featuring rock-solid rhythms from band leader Style Scott, it includes contributions from Skip McDonald on guitar, Lee "Scratch" Perry vocals and Akabu, Prince Far I samples. This album gained popularity with both acid house fans and dub enthusiasts as it was a post-rave favourite for back-to-yours smoking sessions. The title track is a mix of reggae, electronica, The Doors and Motown that remains unique and after being out of print for years, this reissue has been re-cut by Frank Merritt.