Studio 16 Vinyl & CDs

Review: Jamaican vocalist Dennis Brown is one of the most prominent talents of his generation and a leading light in the world of reggae. His magnificent Stage Coach Showcase album came first back in the eighties and is back with golden nuggets. The label that originally put it out is still going strong now and so has served up this superb reissue with all those bits of gold that were produced by Sidney Crooks of The Pioneers. The record was laid down at Harry J's with Sylvan Morris and The Professionals and standouts include a superb new take on Tyrone Davis's 'Can I Change My Mind.'

Review: Songs of Our Forefathers is a compilation of original Jamaican and UK single releases by The Ethiopians originally recorded between 1967 and 1973. The ask, rocksteady and reggae group included Leonard Dillon, Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris and worked with the legendary Coxsone Dodd in the sixties before later moving on. This collection includes their biggest hit, "Everything Crash", which criticised the political situation in Jamaica at the time, which included power cuts and rationing and plenty of clashes with the authorities. It is one of many highlights in this fine overview.

Review: Part of a fresh string of reissues of Love & Unity 12"s - one of many star aliases to grace the annals of South London reggae label Studio 16 - comes this headfirst collision between L&U and Seargent Pepper. Sharing similar instrumentals, 'I Just Don't Care' hears a blissful femme soprano glide elegantly across its bubblings - the instrumental is super well-rounded, sawn-off. On the B-side, meanwhile, there's Pepper's 'Cut From Master Tape', which hears Pepper toast the rhythm lackadaisically, as endlessly hazy dub effects resound and a janky double-time kick propels it all forward.

Review: Mellow Rose and Seargent Pepper's 'Imitation Love' proved a big-hitting reggae 45rpm when it first dropped and so now it has been reissued on this sweet, limited edition red vinyl 12". It first came on Studio 16 back in August of last year and is already worth a pretty penny on second hand markets. The A-side is a super sweet lover's rock sound with falsetto vocals up top, acoustic guitars and fleshy low ends sinking you into a romantic rhythm. On the flip, Seargent Pepper gets to work on 'Dub And Rub Ina Imitation Way' which is more sci-fi and futuristic in its sound designs, all with a hazy and stoner edge.

Review: The "Disco Devil" series is a carefully curated selection of disco mixes that were laid down in the famous Black Ark Studio run by Lee "Scratch" Perry. It was a place of legendary magic, as this series shows on its fourth instalment. All the big dogs like The Upsetters, Augustus Pablo and Junior Murvin are present with their own distinctive takes on dub. Carlton Jackson also comes correct with his soul soothing "History" while a special 7" edit of Truth Fact & Correct's "Babylon Deh Pon Fire" is a rousing anthem for serious smoking sessions.

Review: Another week brings another Lee 'Scratch' Perry and as usual, the quality remains unbelievably high given the prolific output of the legendary studio wizard over the decades. This one is a 1975 project at the cult Black Ark Studios with house band The Upsetters and Vin Gordon across 10 tracks of organic dubs. There are sun kissed ridders next to big, horn led grooves that sink you into a stoned reverie even without having had a smoke. The playing is loose, the mood relaxed, all while plenty of magical tricks, effects and endless reverb make each track infinitely detailed.