Vp Vinyl & CDs

Review: Alborosie is a non native Jamaican reggae artist who earned the respect of his peers and love of his fans because he is so committed to authentic reggae and to honoring and preserving its heritage. He has worked with great bands such as The Wailers United, King Jammy, Wailing Souls and more and is a real student of the sound. This album For The culture was written by the artist during the earliest and darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic and so is permeated with the many unsettling thoughts and emotions felt around the world during that time. It is subtle powerful yet filled with a sense of great hope.

Review: Busy Signal has been blowing up the dancehall scene for a hot minute. He has the ability to cook up real crossover hits as heard on opener "Stay So" (which clocked up an incredible 32 million hits online) and "One Way" (with 17 million). With "Parts Of The Puzzle", the long time star wanted to show off his range, which he duly does across 10 crisp and contemporary cuts. The production is reflective and shiny, with a range of rhythms that take in classic reggae ""Girl Like You"", funk ("Balloon") and deep dancehall ("Bring Back The Vibes (feat. Josey Wales)". It all adds up to a comprehensive, forward looking record from one of the game's best.

Review: Much loved roots and dub outfit The Congos are often first come to via this seminal album, Heart of the Congos. It's one all collectors have on their racks and that's why it keeps on getting reissued. It's a brilliantly organic and authentic sound with the opening tune 'Fisherman' amongst the best - the falsetto vocals, the lush harmonies, the rolling rhythms - they are irresistible on a warm day. The rest of the record remains just as high on quality, with, of course, the brilliant drums and congas at the heart of each track, but the lyrical work not far behind.

Review: Joe Gibbs is a legendary dub producer and African Dub Chapter 1 is one of his most all-time classic albums alongside fellow production heavyweight Errol Thompson. The pair is better known together as The Mighty Two and while this first chapter of their dub collection is vital, it is no better than the ensuing two which you should also hunt down and purchase. This fully licensed issue sounds superb when cranked up loud, as it should be, and has suitable fat low ends and plenty of irresistible Jah vibes that will sink you in deep to the sofa or get you nodding along in no time.

Review: Legendary dub producer Joe Gibbs - who famously worked with fellow roots and reggae heavyweight Errol Thompson as The Mighty Two - joined forces with The Professionals for this, a fourth volume in his African Dub chapter series. It has now been remastered by VP after many years of arguing over who owns the rights and gets pressed up to this lush green slab of vinyl. All 1- dubs are as deadly as you can imagine with lefty low ends, absorbing rhythms and the spirit of Jah very much present and correct. A vital album for any self-respecting dub head.

Review: First released in the UK by Tottenham-based Atra Records in 1974, The Black Breast Has Produced Her Best Flesh of My Skin Blood By Blood has long been considered one of the edgiest roots albums of the period and a must-have for serious reggae collectors. The album resulted in its creator, the sadly departed Keith Hudson, being dubbed "the dark prince of reggae". Listening back to this welcome reissue, it's easy to see why. For starters, the lyrical content is highly politically charged and righteous, while Hudson's weighty musical arrangements are far more trippy, hazy and dimly lit than those found on most roots reggae records of the period. This edition also includes three additional tracks not found on the original release, plus exhaustive sleeve notes from Hudson biographer Vincent Ellis.

Review: GRAMMY-Award nominated reggae artist Jah Cure has already assured his musical legacy but that won't stop him coming through with more great albums. Undeniable is an 11-track long player filled with this artist's trademark sense of passion, romance and heartfelt songwriting. The sounds are a contemporary take on reggae with a fresh edge as well as a nod to the originators. The first single 'Everything' featuring Ghanaian star Stonebwoy has already pleased fans. The two collaborators hook up to great effect as they layer up soulful hooks that lament a love gone bad.

Review: Dub's new prince-god-king Jammy's latest album is a steppers' answer to pestilence. 'King Jammy Destroys The Virus With Dub' is a COVID-purging tour of sheer bass, showing off the antiviral properties we didn't know the Pangaeic Jamaican genre had. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper 21st Century dub record without Jammys paying tribute to his roots; here he revisits the work of several golden age greats, including Hugh Mendell, Junior Delgado and Sugar Minott, for a slew of humourously headsy dub wedges like 'Quarantined In Dub', 'A New Normal In Dub', and, yes, 'Dub Tribute To All Hospital Workers'. You get the picture!

Review: The man known as the 'mellow canary' is Barrington Levy, a legendary Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist who was born in Geel, Belgium. This one is a stonier cold classic of his from 1980 that gets a welcome reissue here. 'Black Heart Man' has lively drums and wooden hits, twisted guitar riffs and noodling bass with Barry's lovely versos up top. On the flip is a fine dub from Roots Radics that takes the tune into psyched and dubbed out Scientist territory. It was produced by Henry 'Junjo' Lawes and recorded at Channel One.

Review: This album is the sonic distillation of a compelling backstory. Chancing on a vault of archived recordings by iconic reggae producer Bunny Striker Lee, modern dub producer and next-gen icon Prince Fatty (Mile Pelanconi) jumped at the chance to remix the versions in his own image, passing the tracks down to the modern listener (and the spirited torch of Lee's dub zeitgeist in the process). Fatty is said to have fed the audio into the analog realm for a true remixing; feeding each recording through a carefully built audio analog system similar to that used by King Tubby. The result is a crisp, modern dub masterwork, which Fatty himself acknowledging the songs' status as classics, but nonetheless admitting, "it's nicer and fresher to hear a new structure..."

Review: Sister Nancy is one of few trailblazers who helped pioneer the the female facet of reggae. 'Bam Bam' is a reissue of her seminal debut single, which features her signature sound of roots reggae and dancehall, raileing against the male-dominated 80s scene with its ribbing hook and slapping instrumental. The B-side 'Stalag Version' dubs out the A, versioning it into a gloomy, bass-heavy hypnosis.

Review: Richie Spice is a contemporary roots artist with a fine sound and growing fan base. He latest is a fine return with classic roots producer Clive Hunt on the buttons and helping to bring some history to his sounds. This one is a re-make of a Max Romeo hit that reasserts Spice's place atop the modern day pile. "Valley Of Jehoshaphat (Red Hot)" is just that, with expansive vocals and a widescreen dub riddim, while "Di Dub Dance" (dub mix) provide more direct thrills. This offering is also another preview of a full length album that roots mainstay Clive has in the pipeline for this year.

Review: VP have got some special and long-lost roots reggae classics here on 45rpm for the first timer in forever. The A-side here first dropped in 1979 and was recorded at Channel One, mixed at King Tubby's and produced by Prince Jammy not one before he went digital - something of a holy trinity of top-class reggae quality. The original is full of proper good and authentic dub flavour with fat bass and smoky atmospheres. Prince Jammy's own superb dub cut features on the flipside which is full of his usual mixing desk magic.

Review: VP serve up a special vinyl reissue of this legendary The Upsetters album from 1978. It has been specially remastered for the occasion and the whole thing was of course produced by the late great Lee 'Scratch' Perry. It was the last record he did in his legendary Black Ark studio before he closed it down (and later burnt it down thinking it was possessed by evil spirts). It is another superb highlight of his skill on the studio mixing desk, with taped out dubs, hissing hi hats and meandering melodies that burrow deep into your brain and body.

Review: It's always a treat hearing reggae and dub renditions of classic songs, and The Beatles have more than enough incredible songs to warrant a re-imagining or 12. This new collection from Jamrock legend Clive Hunt pulls together old versions and new renditions alike, featuring legends like Barry Biggs taking on 'Here Comes The Sun' and The Pioneers' stunning take on 'You Won't See Me'. Rub-A-Dub Soul also welcomes in new generations of talent as Yannis Odua sings 'Revolution' and Danakil takes on 'Hey Jude'. It's no mean feat to pull off covering such globally adored songs, but these singers and players step up to the challenge without missing a beat.