Back catalogue: Reggae Classics/Ska

Review: Hugh Maddo's Pop Style is one of those super rare but cult late 80s reggae and dancehall albums that just hit a perfect sweet spot between styles. Thankfully, Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 has got the rights to this full reissue of the original which was recorded in Jamaica at Byron Lee's Dynamics and Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius studios in 1987. A wealth of musical talents of the day all feature on it including Winston Wright, Bobby Ellis, and Mikey "Boo" Richards, but the standout is the sublime vocal contribution of Killamanjaro's Hugh Maddo.

Review: Bob Marley was known as a peace purveyor, reggae innovator and, our favourite fact, for being a welder before becoming a global music icon. He was already a big star by the time he dropped this album, Small Axe, which now gets reissued after the recent reissue of Trenchtown Rock. It is a record full of killer rhythms but also hey messages of hope and revolution that all show his mastery of the reggae form. It's a record that, like many of his albums, marked a landmark in the life and times of Bob Marley.

Review: The legend of Bob Marley lives on and is as strong as ever every time a new germination comes along and connects with his universal messages of peace, love and understanding. The man with a million hits of course had the eternal support of The Wailers to help him spread his good vibes and Legend is an album that shows this off best. This special edition picture disc is a real collectors edition and comes with all the standards - "Could You Be Loved", "I Shot The Sheriff", "Buffalo Soldier" and many more.

Review: First released as an unofficial bootleg LP way back in 1976 and later officially issued on CD, Bob Marley & The Wailers' 1975 concert at The Quiet Club in Chicago finally gets a 'proper' vinyl release. This time round, the hour-long recording has been stretched across two slabs of wax, pressed at 45rpm, to ensure a loud, bass-heavy cut. It's a fantastic snapshot of one of reggae music's most iconic bands at the peak of their powers, laying down fabulous versions of classic cuts including 'Trenchtown Rock', 'Natty Dread', 'Rebel Music', 'Midnight Ravers' and 'I Shot The Sheriff'. If you're a fan of Marley - and most people are to a certain extent - you need this in your life.

Review: Catch A Fire, Bob Marley and The Wailers' seminal first release on Island Records, universally regarded as the album that put reggae music on the global stage, is being re-issued via UMe on November 3 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of its original release in 1973. The album features nine songs, two of which were written by Peter Tosh and the rest by Marley. 'Slave Driver', one of the most powerful tracks on the album, will be released as a single, accompanied by remarkable live performance footage recently unearthed from the legendary Edmonton show in England in 1973.

Review: Celebrating the extraordinary new biopic Bob Marley: One Love, Island/UMe releases a limited edition of Marley's timeless album Exodus. This version features the original album with an alternate cover, an exclusive 10" LP of rare bonus tracks and an essay by Jamaican music historian Herbie Miller, all encased in a gatefold design for the first time. Miller's liner notes illuminate Exodus as a profound document revealing Marley's contemplations, fears, and steadfast commitment to equity and spreading Rastafari spirituality globally. The alternate cover, designed by Marley's friend and creative director Neville Garrick, initially depicted a migrating bird symbolizing the parting of the Red Sea, with Marley and the Wailers under Haile Selassie's gaze. This original design is featured on the back of the new release. The bonus 10" LP includes dub versions of 'Exodus,' 'Jamming,' and 'Punky Reggae Party,' along with the rare track 'Roots,' making their vinyl debut after decades. These additions provide a deeper, immersive way to experience Marley's visionary artistry.

Review: Bob Marley & The Chineke! Orchestra marked the 60th anniversary of Jamaican Independence with a special concert that showcased Marley's most famous songs all recorded with new instrumentation and orchestration. Trevor Nelson presented the project and he tapped up Skip Marley, an inheritor of his family's famous musical legacy and who made his debut UK performance for this concert which was recorded for this album on Island Records. British singer-songwriter JP Cooper plus Jamaican born and Birmingham based soul, gospel and R&B legend Ruby Turner also featured.

Review: Junior Marvin's new album, Happy Family, coincides with the release of the Bob Marley biopic One Love, where his role is portrayed by his son, Davo. As the former Musical Director and guitarist of Bob Marley's band, The Wailers, Junior Marvin's musical legacy is undeniable. Their close friendship led to Junior's significant influence on Marley's iconic tracks like 'Could You Be Loved' and 'Jamming.'Born in Jamaica and raised in London, Junior Marvin's guitar prowess earned him the nickname "the young Jimi Hendrix of London." His refusal of an offer from Stevie Wonder to join his band Wonderlove in favor of Marley's invitation to join The Wailers underscores his dedication to reggae. The first single from Happy Family, a new rendition of 'One Love,' pays homage to Marley's enduring legacy. With collaborations extending beyond reggae to artists like Stevie Wonder and Steve Winwood, Junior Marvin's contribution to music remains profound and timeless.

Review: The Lee "Scratch" Perry produced Revelation Time is often said to be a definitive record from the Jamaican canon and is widely regarded as the best album Max Romeo ever wrote. Initially it was only put out in Jamaica in 1975 then two years later in 1977 under the name Warning! Warning! A year after that, the rest of the world was treated with a release, again under a new name, this time Open The Iron Gate. Now it is served up under its original name with all 10 tracks hitting hard and making their mark.

Review: As the undisputed 'Keyboard King of Studio One' Jackie Mittoo left a huge mark on Jamaican music across the eras, helping found The Skatalites and leading The Soul Brothers amongst many other bands. Soul Jazz gathered together some rare recordings of Mittoo and the Soul Brothers from the mid-60s, where the ensemble glide with poise between ska and rocksteady, sprinkling in funk, jazz and Latin touches for good measure. It's a heady crew which captures Jamaican music in a period of open-ended innovation, as practised by some of the key architects of the sounds. After being out of print for some time, this special green vinyl edition isn't likely to hang around for long.

Review: In 1979, dub legend Lee 'Scratch' Perry "adopted" a pair of Congolese musicians who had been left stranded on Jamaica, put them together with his regular session players in the Black Ark studio he later burned down in a fit of psychosis, and recorded an album. As this fine reissue proves (the second in as many months; it was also reissued under the alternative title "Roots From The Congo"), the resultant music - a vibrant mix of Perry's particular brand of dub reggae and soukous music - was not only magical, but also unlike almost anything that had come before. For some reason it was only ever released on small labels in France and Belgium at the time, meaning that original copies are extremely hard to find. This reissue, then, is long overdue. Do yourself a favour and snap them up before they all disappear.

Review: Jamaican singer-songwriter Mortimer has released his highly anticipated debut album, From Within. Produced by Winta James, often alongside Mortimer himself, this album explores a rich tapestry of personal experiences and musical styles. From Within offers a journey through Mortimer's life, reflecting his loves, struggles, and the guidance he's found in his Rastafarian faith and family. The album presents a diverse soundscape: the introspective acoustic strains of 'Whole Heap', the sultry dancehall vibe of 'Slowly', and the energetic roots rhythms of 'Not A Day Goes By' and 'My Child', It also ventures into nostalgic 80s pop and r&b influences, as well as a unique reggae disco flavor. Mortimer describes 'My Child' as a heartfelt message and introspective letter to both himself and his children, conveying lessons and emotions he wishes he had received. The album cover, photographed by Michael Moodie, symbolises human nature with its floral imagery, representing both fragility and growth. From Within promises to be a profound and resonant album, beautifully articulated through Mortimer's personal narrative and musical craftsmanship.

Review: Isle Of Jura's latest must-have reissue isn't a slept-on Balearic gem, but rather a turn-of-the-'80s disco-boogie classic from sadly departed Nigerian musician Harry Mosco. Many may know the breezy Afro/disco/funk fusion of opener "Sexy Dancer" and the hazy disco-funk genius of "Step On" (both have been reissued in the past), yet it's the lesser-known cuts - particularly the lolloping, Clavinet-heavy dub disco of "Peace & Harmony", spaced-out "Peaceful Dub" and sumptuous jazz-funk slow jam "Do It Together" - that really set the pulse racing. The reissue sounds superb, too, thanks to a killer re-mastering job, so it's no stretch to suggest that it's worth picking this version up rather than tracking down an original pressing.

Review: Neapolitan funk maestro Mystic Jungle returns with a new LP less than a year after the dreamy Words of Love with more astrally-charged electro/boogie/disco type wonderment. Dario di Pace's third full-length has been quietly brewing for years, shaped by studio shutdowns and shifts in location i and that patchwork journey adds a certain character to the gorgeously technicolour music on show. It's perhaps his most eclectic and free-flowing release yet: a bright, hazy blend of styles that feels both loose and deeply considered. On the dancefloor end, tracks like 'Secrets' and 'Some Lovin'' burst with disco grooves, searing guitars, call-and-response vocals and sultry sax lines. Elsewhere, 'Innervision' and 'Twilight' lean into lovers rock and wavy neon-dub pop, full of yearning, shimmer and otherworldly flourishes. Then there's the stoner sway of 'The Road' and 'Get Me Higher' i sun-soaked, psychedelic jams with zoned-out soul at their core. A richly immersive Amalfi joyride from start to finish, the Periodica fire just keeps on burning.