New releases last four weeks: Reggae

Review: Stockholm-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Art Longo impresses here with Echowah Island, a new album sure to wind its way into your affections. It was crafted over years in his home studio and is "psychotropical pop" drawing deep inspiration from late 80s music and dub. The album's lush soundscape evokes orange sunsets and ocean breezes and is layered with spring reverb, space echo and wah-wah effects that smooth out the edges as the steady pulse of vintage drum machines moves things on down low. A standout feature is Claudio Jonas, whose ethereal vocals recall classic French femme fatale singers of the 60s. Her poetic, kaleidoscopic lyrics add to a nostalgic dream world that gently bends reality and makes his both escapist and thought-provoking.

Review: This ten-track dub sizzler is an essential long player that delivers five vocal cuts and five dub versions, oof of which do a fine job of spotlighting early 80s Roots Radics magic. It takes in a mix of long-requested classics and five previously unreleased tracks, which all add fresh fire to the legacy of vintage dancehall. This album forms a brilliant trio alongside the great Wayne Jarrett's What's Wrong With the Youths and Chip In albums for Jah Life and Junjo Lawes. The music's raw, rootsy energy is palpable in all cuts, and the timing couldn't be better as this is perfect summer soundtrack tackle.

Review: This electrifying 1973 live broadcast captures Bob Marley & The Wailers during their US tour supporting the Burnin' album. Originally aired on KSAN-FM, the set showcases the legendary lineup of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Aston "Familyman" Barrett, Carlton Barrett, Earl "Wire" Lindo and Joe Higgs, all of whom were at the peak of their powers. The album takes in standout cuts from Burnin', including unforgettable contributions from Tosh and the performance follows their short-lived stint touring with Sly & The Family Stone. It's an unfiltered, visceral document of reggae history in the making that reflects the Wailers' seismic impact just before they exploded into international stardom.

Review: Veteran Wackie's artist and reggae don Coozie Mellers returns with a fresh ten-track long player that bridges the label's deep roots heritage with modern reggae sensibilities. It blends crisp digital rhythms with heartfelt lovers' rock and roots textures and features the standout track 'You Move', which was previously released as a 10" single in 2015. Mellers' vocals are beautifully soulful and glide over the smart dubwise arrangements and bring a mix of both warmth and grit, with jams like 'Special Friend' unfurling slowly and seductively and 'Your Love Is Dangerous' being sentimental heart swellers.

Review: This early '80s dancehall classic from Sister Nancy is an essential Record Store Day release for any serious reggae-head. One Two features the legendary anthem 'Bam Bam', which is still widely regarded as the most sampled reggae track ever, and features Nancy laying out her credentials as a female MC in a still very male-dominated world. Elsewhere, the killer tunes come thick and fast. It was originally only released in Jamaica, and this marks the first-ever UK pressing of the much sought-after album, for which Nancy only started getting royalties more than three decades after it was produced by Winston Riley and mixed by Soldgie at Channel One.

Review: Jamaican reggae don Winston Hubert 'Peter Tosh' McIntosh was a core member of the Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, but he also had a successful solo career. This Greatest Hits compilation spans his entire Parlophone catalogue with iconic tracks from albums like Johnny B. Goode, Wanted Dread and Alive and Bush Doctor. Originally released in 1987 exclusively in Brazil, this reissue marks its global availability for the first time and it comes on striking red, green, and yellow tri-colour vinyl that helps showcase his powerful blend of reggae, rock and political activism. Tosh's revolutionary spirit and musical mastery were second to none, as this collection proves.

Review: Originally released in 1981 on the Clocktower label, this killer compilation does a fine job of harnessing the raw magic of Lee "Scratch" Perry's legendary Black Ark era. Although the sounds are mostly drawn from mid-70s sessions, it also features two standout early cuts from the late 60s, namely Perry's gritty versions of 'Tighten Up' and 'Serious Joke'. Elsewhere, highlights include Johnny Lover's deep DJ take over Devon Irons' 'When Jah Come' and the rootsy energy of Ricky and Bunny's 'Bush Weed Corn Trash.' This reissue is a crucial document of Perry's genre-defining production, masterful take on vintage dub, toasting and spiritual reggae heat.

Review: Reggae and ska heads unite - GG's Hit Disco Mixes is a well-assembled new compilation featuring 12 tracks across five different riddims. Across the course of both sides of wax, there is a real mix of vocal cuts, DJ cuts and dub versions for many different occasions. The album was produced by Alvin Ranglin and has some notable contributions from legendary artists such as The Maytones, Barbara Jones, Horace Ferguson, Enos McLeod, Trinity, Lone Ranger, U-Brown and more. With additional input from GG's All Stars and The Revolutionaries, some rare and unreleased versions are also included and sound tip-top as they have been sourced from the original master tapes, with extensive liner notes by Dr. Buster Dynamite.

Review: The intriguing Road Fever delivers a hurricane of high-octane, body-shaking rhythms from St. Lucia, Dominica and Guadeloupe, all of which capture the zeitgeist of Caribbean music in 2025. This compilation showcases raw, instrumental Dennery Segment and Bouyon riddims that were originally crafted for vocalists and are now presented as standalone tracks. With turbo-charged 150+ bpm beats, minimal percussion, DJ and vocal samples all woven in with synth riffs, these tunes mash up carnival sounds with elements of trap, drill, Haitian konpa and Angolan kuduro for a truly global listen. They have all been compiled by Rozaly and highlight the electrifying energy of the Caribbean's current scene.