Juno Recommends Reggae Classics: May 2022

Review: Soma sub-label Avoidant Records recently put out a fantastic collection fo electro cuts but it was a digital only release. Now some of the standouts from it get pulled together on this fresh new 12"that joins the dots between Europe and Detroit. DJ Godfather kicks off with some rapid fire 313 electro, squirrelling bass and slick claps then 'One Direct Line' from The Exaltics is more cosmic and blissed out with lush ambient synths. On the flip, Flug goes hard with mad digital patterns and Blaktony layers up jacking drums, corrugated bass and dark hits. Great stuff.

Review: The iconic Late Night Tales series scored a real doozy when they managed to lock in Don Letts for for his instalment. The British film director, DJ and musician is a vital part of the UK's musical fabric from his days making videos for The Clash and Elvis Costello to his work with the Big Audio Dynamite band he co-founded. All that history is distilled into this sublime selection of sounds across four vital sounds fo wax. There's reggae, dub, ska, a cover of Joy Division, head twisting goodness from Gentleman's Dub Club and plenty of exclusives. It's an essential listen, basically.

Review: For the hardcore Bob Marley collectors out there this is another essential 7" to add to your shelves. The limited edition yellow wax features an a-side that was produced by the late great Lee "Scratch" Perry. The track's lyrical refrain of "soul adventurer" became something of a lifelong motto for the former welder as he underwent his spiritual revolution. It's also one of the tunes that made him a firm favourite amongst musical mystics everywhere. The flipside 'Lively Up Yourself' is another personal ode to empowerment and enlightenment that rides a nice lazy rhythm.

Review: The Fab Four get an even fabber reggae rundown courtesy of the Jamestown Sheiks, who back in 1970 delivered a stonking 12-track LP of cover songs originally written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It opens with a much lighter ska rendition of 'Let It Be' - unrecognisable at first - while its versions of 'Ticket To Ride', 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'Eleanor Rigby' and even 'Hey Jude' sound just as upbeat. Now available again for the first time since 1970, for a one-time pressing, this one isn't to be missed.

Review: Judge Dread remains one of the few great transplants of 70s reggae culture to achieve a certain legitimacy despite being a white, British artist. Buoyed by skinhead culture's adoption of reggae as their soundtrack of choice, he was one of the first white musicians to score a reggae chart hit in Jamaica. This handy little 7" on Harlem Shuffle brings two of his classics back into circulation for a new generation to skank the night away to. Just drop the Thunderbirds-sampling intro to 'Skinhead Moonstomp' and watch the dancefloor spring to life in a blizzard of shuffling and jerking limbs.

Review: Quite when Record Store Day starts and ends amidst all the vinyl delays we're all suffering from is anyone's guess these days. But this is a record set for that celebration of all things waxy and it is a limited 10" with tracks by Edi Fitzroy and DATC Dubcrew which were all produced by Mikey Dread. It comes on hand numbered copies on solid red, solid green and solid gold coloured vinyl. 'The Gun' kicks off with withering synth work and fat rolling rhythms before 'Invasion' sinks into a much slower, deeper dub. Flipside versions offer more rib rattling bass and pillowy drum

Review: The Phoenix City All-stars follow up their 2 Tone Gone Ska album with their vibrant ska take on the Rolling Stones classic '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.' This unique cover comes with seductive brass sounds and big horn stabs, all with a lively and dynamic ska rhythm that cannot fail together you on your toes. On the flip is 'Play With Fire', another tune taken from their Skatisfaction album back in 2014. Like the a-side, it has been a big tune for years with its buoyant brass, swaggering drums and hypnotic lead horns. Two perfect party tunes for sure.