quête:the roots of dub

“Tubby did three original dub albums, ‘Dub From The Roots’. ‘The Roots of Dub’ and the third is ‘Brass Rockers’ with Tommy McCook ‘pon the flying cymbals. Where he mixed it with the horn going in and out in a dub way and one named ‘Shalom Dub’ you can call Tubby’s too because he mixed the versions as they were off forty fives’’

Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee

King Tubby and Producer Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee are intertwined in the birth of Dub Music. After discovering a mistake that made a ‘serious joke’ (more of which later...) they went on to release the first pressings of this new musical genre namely ‘Dub Music’. Tubby’s vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny’s vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard... the Remix / Version cuts to an existing vocal tune.

Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 28th January 1941 and grew up in the High Holborn Street area of downtown Kingston. He studied electronics at Kingston’s National Technical College and also on two correspondence courses from the U.S.A... When he had qualified Tubby began repairing radios and other electrical appliances in a shack in the back yard of his mother’s home. His work in the early days included winding transformers and building amplifiers for Kingston’s Sound Systems. Tubby built his first Sound System in 1957 playing jazz and Rhythm & Blues at local weddings and birthday parties. His reputation as a man who knew and understood both electronics and music grew steadily and as the sixties drew to a close. Tubby
purchased his own basic two track equipment. He installed this alongside his dub cutting machine, a home-made mixing console, and his impressive collection of jazz albums in the back bedroom of his home at 18 Dromilly Avenue which he christened his music room.

Tubby and Striker were at Treasure Isle Studio’s one day while Ruddy from Spanish Town was working with the engineer Byron Smith....

“Tubby and myself was talking when Ruddy was cutting some dub but Smithy (engineer) made a mistake through we were talking and forgot to put in the voice. It was two track recording in those days. Ruddy said ‘No Man! Make it stay! and so they cut the rhythm. When I went over to Ruddy’s that Saturday night a dance was in progress and when they played the vocal to the tune... then he said we’re going to play ‘Part Two’. They never called it ‘Version’..and then he played the rhythm track. The song was a catchy song and everybody started to sing along and the deejay started to toast so everything went down well. On Monday morning I went up and I said ‘Tubbs the mistake we made was a serious joke.It mash up Spanish Town! The people went wild. So you have to start to do that now ‘cause when the man put on the ‘Part Two’ everyone start singing this song. It played about twenty times. I said you try Tubbs!’...Well the next Saturday night now when Tubby strung up down the farm U Roy said he’s going to play ‘Part Two’ but Tubby did it different now. He started with the voice then dropped it out and let the rhythm run and then he brought in the voice in the middle and from there Tubby started to get really popular.’’
Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee

Dynamic Sounds upgraded to sixteen track recording in 1972 and Tubby purchased, again with the help of a deal brokered by Bunny Lee. The old four track equipment and the MCI console from their Studio B. The four tracks now gave him far wider scope to work with and he began to create a new musical form where the bass and drum parts were brought up while the faders allowed Tubby to ease the vocal and rhythm in and out of the mix. It was only a matter of time before Tubby’s dub plate experiments began to make it on to vinyl and the first ever long-playing King Tubby releases would feature a collection of his mixes to a selection of Strikers rhythms. So please sit back and enjoy this historic set of sounds. Lovingly restored and with a few extra gems added to the CD Editions. These releases were the first to carry the name of King Tubby and the first to credit the great musicians that contributed so much to the rhythms that made these albums possible.

Two albums that shook the world! The release of these two ground-breaking dubs sets in 1975 altered the course of modern music forever. Dub From The Roots & Roots Of Dub make up a crucial selection of King Tubby’s mind-altering dub versions.
Produced by Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee – both albums are essential!

The ace reissue of these wicked dub albums collecting together classic 70's dub versions by dub pioneer and leader of ‘roots’ music in Jamaica, King Tubby! Tubby’s vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny’s vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard. All the tracks on here are versions of classic tracks from Cornell Campbell, Johnny Clarke, Horace Andy, Linval Thompson, Derick Morgan & Hortense Ellis dubbed out by the King of Dub King Tubby!’

Bunny 'Striker' Lee's standing in the Jamaican recording business has remained unassailable for over four decades.Known by many aliases including 'Gorgon'.
The legend of the Gorgon originated in Greek mythology some three thousand years ago and has become a common image in art, literature and in Jamaica...Music.
The name actually derives from the ancient Greek word gorgos which means 'dreadful' ,appropriate when one considers that the avalanche of Gorgon inspired records came as a direct result of the influence of the Rastafarian movement on the Jamaican musical mainstream and the dread locked hair of the Rasta brethren was likened to that of the Gorgon sisters.
''About her shoulders she flung the tasselled aegis, fraught with terror...and therein is the head of the dread monster, the gorgon, dread,awful....'' Homer

repress

Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are simply known all around the world as Sly and Robbie.
They were the musical drum and bass backbone of Reggae since the early 1970's.
They have played on more records than any other set of musicians and to such a high standard that few could reach.
The third part of the jigsaw is the mighty Bunny'Striker'Lee who brought these legends together.
These rare dubs are taken from the original master tapes..you may have heard the tunes before...but never these versions.
So sit back and enjoy Reggae Musical History in the making...
Respect Jah Floyd........

Tubby did three original dub albums, “Dub From The Roots, “The Roots Of Dub” and the third is “Brass Rockers” with Tommy McCook ’pon the flying cymbals. Where he mixed it with the horn going in and out in a dub way and one named “Shalom Dub” you can call Tubby’s too because he mixed the versions as they were off the forty fives.

King Tubby and Producer Bunny “Striker” Lee are intertwined in the birth of Dub Music. After discovering a mistake that made a “serious joke” (more of which later…) they went on to release the first pressings of this new musical genre namely “Dub Music”. Tubby’s vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny’s vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard…. The Remix / Version cuts to an existing vocal tune.

Osborne “King Tubby” Ruddock was born in Kingston, Jamaican the 28th January 1941 and grew up in the High Holborn Street area of downtown Kingston. He studied electronics at Kingston’s National Technical College and also on two correspondence courses from the USA. When he had qualified, Tubby began repairing radios and other electrical appliances in a shack in the back yard of his mother’s home. His work in the early days included winding transformers and building amplifiers for Kingston’s Sound Systems. Tubby built his first Sound System in 1957 playing jazz and Rhythm and Blues at local weddings and birthday parties His reputation as a man who knew and understood both electronics and music grew steadily and as the sixties drew to a close. Tubby purchased his own basic two track equipment. He installed this alongside his dub cutting machine, a homemade mixing console and his impressive collection of Jazz albums in the back bedroom of his home at 18 Dromilly Avenue which he christened his music room.

Dynamic Sounds upgraded to sixteen track recording in 1972 and Tubby purchased, again with the help of a deal brokered by Bunny Lee. The old four track equipment and the MCI console from their Studio B. The four tracks now gave him far wider scope to work with and he began to create a new musical form where the bass and drum parts were brought up while the faders allowed Tubby to ease the vocal and rhythm in and out of the mix. It was only a matter of time before Tubby’s dub plate experiments began to make it on to vinyl and the first ever long playing King Tubby releases would feature a collection of his mixes to a selection of Striker’s rhythms. So please sit back and enjoy this historic set of sounds. Lovingly restored and with a few extra gems added to the CD editions. These releases were the first to carry the name of King Tubby and the first to credit the great musicians that contributed so much to the rhythms that made these albums possible.

Hope you enjoy the set……

Johnny Clarke is one of the great vocalists that ruled the Jamaican Dancehall scene from the mid – 1970’s to the early 1980’s. While Bob Marley was out conquering the world, Dennis Brown, Gregory Issacs and Johnny Clarke were winning the hearts of the Jamaican people .Johnny Clarke’s use of the ‘Flying Cymbal‘ sound took the Island by storm and produced a run of hit singles few could match.
Johnny Clarke (b.1955, Jamaica, West Indies) cut his first record ‘God Made The Sea and Sun’, after winning a local singing contest in the Bull Bay area of Jamaica. Although the single was not a hit, it led to two follow up tracks for producer Rupie Edwards, ’Everyday Wandering’ and ‘Julie’ that fared much better, both on the island and oversees in England and Canada. These tracks also brought the singer to the attention of producer Bunny Lee and a working relationship that would go on to produce a prolific catalogue of music. Johnny Clarke’s Dread Conscious / Love Song style were to grace many hits around this time in 1974. Such tunes as ‘None Shall Escape The Judgement’, ‘Move Out of Babylon’, ‘Rock With Me Baby’, ‘Enter The Gates With Praise’ to name but a few. All new songs added to a host of cover tunes, recommended by Bunny Lee, many taken from the singer John Holt’s catalogue, that suited Clarke’s vocal style. The rhythms were cut at various studios around the Island. Randy’s Studio 17, Channel 1, Treasure Isle, Dynamic Sounds and Harry J’s, by a group of musicians loosely called the Aggrovators and some tunes incorporating the ‘Flying Cymbal’ sound again introduced by Bunny Lee, working the Hi-Hat in fine style. The tracks were then taken to King Tubby’s studio where Johnny Clarke’s vocals would be voiced.
Another phenomenon that was happening in the early 1970’s, was the version cuts to vocal tracks. This is when the tunes were cut back to the bass and drums and the vocals were dropped in and out in a dubbed style, and reverb and echo and various effects were added to these tracks. The main exponent to this style was King Tubby himself, and as was the fashion at the time, each vocal track would carry a version as its B-Side. Producer Bunny Lee lead this style working closely with King Tubby and all of his singles from then on would carry a Dub cut on its flipside. As Johnny Clarke was one of Bunny’s main singers at the time, we would hear a great selection of popular songs getting the dub treatment and in many cases the single was purchased for its more exciting dub cut, again made popular at the various dances where the dubplates were played out. We have compiled some of the best of these dubs from the time and put them together for this release, hope you enjoy the great voice of Johnny Clarke alongside the productions of Bunny Lee and the creative genius of King Tubby, a great combination we hope you will agree….

Fortsetzung Der Legendären On-u Sound Compilationreihe Mit Neuen Adrian Sherwood-produktionen, Einzigartigen Mixes Und Unveröffentlichten Tracks Von U.a. Roots Manuva, Lee "scratch" Perry, Coldcut, Gary Lucas (captain Beefheart's Magic Band), Mark Stewart Und Horace Andy. "pay It All Back" Startete 1984, Die Letzte Ausgabe Erschien 1996. Die Tracks Sind Wie Üblich Durch Spezielle Effekte Im Piratensender-style Miteinander Verknüpft. 15 Von 18 Tracks Sind Unveröffentlicht, Ein Track Befindet Sich Exklusiv Auf Den Physischen Formaten, Die Beide Zusätzlich Ein Umfangreiches Booklet Mit Detailierten Illustrationen Und Kommentaren Zum On U Sound-katalog Enthalten.

UK-based DJ and producer Drum Dance returns with a fresh three-track dance 12” on his Into The Cosmos label. Opening title track ‘Space Ritual’ is an almost 12-minute-long journey beginning somewhere in dreamy ambient, dub techno territory before evolving into a deep meditative trance with hypnotic percussive rhythms, rolling dubbed out hi-hats and euphoric synths; like Balearic meets Black Ark. The track then veers off in a new direction; playful arpeggiated synthesizers and stripped-back electronic drums taking it somewhere resembling early house or a cosmic Italo disco dub mix.

Techno goes outernational on ‘Arp Sequence 3 Dub’; stuttering lo-fi machine sounds and samples collide with pitched calypso percussion, dubbed out roots steppers drums and a deep walking bassline before heating up into a driving frenzy of 4/4 drums, siren synths and run-away FX.

‘Cosmo Jam’ starts life like a raw, moody Detroit house jam; tape-saturated kalimba, electric keys and loose drums skipping in and out of time. The track eventually gives way to a more ruff UK broken beat sound; cosmic jazz keys weave around outernational percussion, rhythmic vocals and a heavy low-end.

Music from Tokyo / New York serves as the 2024 sequel to his previous release, Music for Joshua Tree. This conceptual album is divided into Side A (Tokyo) and Side B (New York), utilizing field recordings captured in each location. The ceramic images featured on LP jacket is the work of Namiko Ishikawa (NamipotNYC).

On this record, he incorporates Ambient, Downtempo, Trip-hop, and Dub—bringing to life the specific sounds currently resonating in his mind and his original roots.

Since the pandemic, he has been traveling and capturing "environmental sounds" through field recordings, which served as the primary inspiration for this record. Side A features tracks inspired by the atmosphere of Tokyo, including recordings from streets, parks near his home in Japan. Side B explores New York, incorporating the sounds of Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well as the chirping of insects recorded in the New York mountains.

While the album remains centered on analog synthesizers and vinyl samples, he has introduced analog drum machines and glitch noise to craft the groove. Unlike his previous work, this release brings prominent bass lines and added more Dub elements to the forefront. His primary focus for this project was expressing a sense of "space" and "air" through the meticulous use of reverb and delay.

Throughout the album, he invites the listener to imagine the unique "local atmosphere" he experienced during his travels.

Leroy "Heptone" Sibbles
Garden Of Life (Horns cut)

This raw, deep roots grail by Heptones and Studio One legend Leroy Sibbles has been near impossible to find, until now.
Most reggae fans will be familiar with the Heptones’ Lee Perry sessions including their outstanding “Garden Of Life” from 1979.

Few but the most grizzled collector knew that Sibbles had recorded a deep roots cut in Toronto several years earlier in 1975 while living in Canada.
Urgent, soulful and raucous with its killer horns section and bubbling organ, this version of Garden Of Life is actually Leroy’s favourite.
The dub version transports us right into the converted garage/studio in 1975 as snatches of conversation between musicians are immortalized on wax.

One of 3 official releases showcasing Sid Lovejoy's Toronto productions including the long out of print “Rebel” by Rothadam and the roots missile “King Kong Man” by Sid Lovejoy.

The unconscious element to the conscious process.

The practice of dub techno and its tendrils is a fundamental for me, both aesthetically and from an engineering perspective.

I start every recording session with a dub inspired jam, the first piece I ever recorded in 1996 was an effort to recreate Phylyps Trak with only a Korg X3 and an Ibanez PUE5 (borrowed from Gary Howell). It was an awesome introduction to jamming, and the footing stones of noise, delay and saturation were explored with my foot hard on the enthusiasm pedal.

These practice jams are in some sense cathartic, the first step taken again & again, which helps me move forwards each session and additionally helps to 'warm the circuits' both of myself and the machines.

After realising the genius of Basic Channel is akin to the genius of peasant food, using every ingredient with nothing left to waste, (up to and including the oft maligned working noise of the machines themselves), this was a watershed moment for my own subjective progression. No longer tied to just emulation of something inspiring, but taking these learned tools into other areas of music helped to break free from a strong current of influence and also to progress into other areas with the new toolbox.

Dub:

The importance of the dub pioneers should never be understated, in modern music and my own practice. Yet with my initial inspiration being two german dudes issuing extreme techno variants with obscured label designs, who then signposted their listeners to their own inspirations (via their Wackies re-issues or nodded to on their Rhythm & Sound/Burial Mix sub-labels), meant that I started late and travelled backwards.

Learning to notice the live mixing of Mikey Dread or Lee Perry when the faders are bleeding through even when turned down, (echoed in BC's Quadrant Dub), or the brash send effects literally thrown into the mix also taught me that 'rough' mixing can inject a recording with life, uniqueness and the most right wrongness. Looking back Basic Channels very few elements helped me realise that the rules to be understood, are also the best ones to be broken.

Push the mixer into the red.

Amp that noise up from the tape delay cos it sounds sick.

Pseudo side-chain effects cos the kicks are way too loud and the mixer can't sum it nicely.

Spam the send knob into the delay units now, now and now.

Carelessness.

Noise:

Once I wrapped my head around the intrinsic 'noise' element that set those records apart, this became a torchlight into the alt noise movements which I was tentatively exploring at the time, and also is evidently a connection or thread into them.

Whether the Industrial/Post Punk UK scene (This Heat, TG, A Tent, F.E.) or the prolific output of the US Noise scene (Wolf Eyes, Live & Shave in LA, and subsequently following the lineage all the way back to Chrome's Alien Soundtracks), I had finally discovered a connection from techno to this 'free for all' corner of music.

This input from the Noise arena of sound is, in my experience, an all important step for a sonic artist, taking it's roots and extending out from Stockhausen/Pierre Henry and utilised/warped/mangled by thousands of adventurous pioneers ever since, I now see the line separating the high brow and the low brow is actually an artery carrying information from the head to the heart.

Vault is a selection of these jams that precede each of my solo recording sessions, for 30 years I've recorded hundreds of these 'workouts'. They are never intended as serious statements, just moments of naive enjoyment, yet most importantly they are time & space captured as practice.

The objective is always a warm up exercise, but sometimes those exercises turn a different corner, with a certain focus or direction dependent on what random samples are left in my machines from the previous session, instead of conscious choices, these unconscious elements can facilitate those 'positive mistakes' that make a piece of sound retain a different feel or colour and thus become special, or at least special to the creator.

I am quite conscious that the 'record everything' aspect of my ethos has been invaluable in cataloguing and saving these jams, while the attitude of carelessness during this process (after all, it's only a warm up jam) invites more enjoyment than seriousness ever could. Even if you don't feel the piece at the time, record it, because some years later it may well fit, or become relevant in a way you never intended.

-Miles

'Bim Sherman’s seminal second album from 1978 returns in true showcase style, complete with both vocal and dub versions.
'Recorded at Randy's and Channel One, the record features the legendary mixing touch of King Tubby's Studio, with Jammy at the controls. Rhythms are delivered by top-tier musicians from the Roots Radics and Soul Syndicate.
'Back in print with its original Jamaican album artwork!'

Lone Ark and The 18th Parallel join forces again! Five years after the critically acclaimed debut ‘Showcase Vol. 1’ (2021), the two spearheads of the European roots reggae scene return with the second volume of this showcase series. Recorded on 2” tape between Geneva, Switzerland and Cueto, Spain, this new project is another masterpiece of production. It dives deep into the roots sound and playing of the 70s and 80s Jamaican reggae with heavyweight drums and bass, razor-sharp rhythm section, and sophisticated horns, flute, synth and vocals arrangements. Roberto Sánchez, the voice behind Lone Ark, sings about themes more relevant than ever such as activism through music (Ammunition), the absurdity of ongoing wars in the world justified by religious beliefs (Man Kill Man), anti-capitalism (Money) and the appreciation of life’s blessings (Morning Blessing). The six songs of this ‘Showcase Vol. 2’ are followed by their dub counterparts expertly mixed by Roberto Sánchez himself. In the age of AI, this album takes the opposite direction. It is all about the human touch and the analogue warmth. No trick here, this is 100% real organic roots music!

Probably the most respected and sought-after producer of the European reggae scene of the last ten years, Spanish genius Roberto Sánchez (Willi Williams, Earl Zero, Alpheus, Keith & Tex, Milton Henry,...) takes place behind the microphone to deliver a new album as a singer under his pseudonym LONE ARK. Soberly titled Showcase Vol. 1, this album is a collaboration between Sánchez and the Swiss band THE 18TH PARALLEL, whose playing is well known to reggae fans, since its musicians have recently played and produced some remarkable records, including I've Seen by Oku Onuora, Roots I Vision by Micah Shemaiah or Wonderland of Green by The Silvertones and Burro Banton.

Faithful to the Jamaican roots reggae tradition, Showcase Vol. 1 offers six vocal tracks followed by their dub counterparts where all the creativity of the sound engineer and the musicians is freely expressed. On instrumentals at the same time heavy and irresistibly dancing, with a modern production but deeply rooted in the roots reggae sound, Lone Ark and The 18th Parallel push their listeners to critical reflection. A strong message + powerful music = a must-have album!

* 2026 REPRESS *
Ashanti Selah – Musician & Dub Producer hailing from the UK, is the eldest son of the world-renowned soundman, Aba Shanti-I. Ashanti's musical journey began at a tender young age, during his formative years of soundsystem exposure through his father's musical infrastructure he learned the art of the Dub. His education continued as he attended his father’s long-standing annual sessions at the Notting Hill Carnival and traveled the globe as a crew member and diligent student. Via his Steppas Records imprint, Alpha Steppa, son and nephew of pioneering dub-duo Alpha & Omega presents a unique collaboration between two second generation Dub / Reggae producers. 'Ashanti Selah Meets Alpha Steppa' is a testament to their teachers and the product of a life spent in dub. Steppas Records delivers four unique cuts of the long-time Aba Shanti-I exclusive 'Violin Step', featuring the uplifting and transcendental strings of Ras Divarius. New generation soundsystem music with a deep roots foundation.

Scott Monteith makes his debut on Berlin's own Bright Sounds under his DEADBEAT alias, bringing three unreleased dub tracks steeped in the deep, cavernous low end he's known for. A pioneer of the Canadian dub techno scene, DEADBEAT has spent over two decades shaping the genre's darker, more spacious corners, and this EP marks a fitting first outing for the label. Pressed in a strictly limited deep blue vinyl edition, it's a must for collectors and dub heads alike.

Crying Outcast returns with its third release, landing close to home with legendary dub innovator The Rootsman. Bradford’s own and a true pioneering force in experimental dub since the 90s, The Rootsman’s influence runs quietly but deeply through the underground. Roots Return gathers three essential works from his catalogue, including collaborations with Celtarabia and Russ (The Disciples) as Pachakuti, alongside a light-headed reinterpretation from label head Miles J Paralysis. Spiritual and subtly psychedelic, yet deeply rooted in dub tradition throughout, drawing on influences from Pakistani devotional hymns and Celtic folk traditions. An essential modern day EP, displaying a meeting point between the heritage and the future sound of dub music.

Available for the first time since 1976 the official reissue of Sid Lovejoy’s roots missile “King Kong Man” puts this absolute gem back in circulation.

Bursting out of the gate with psychedelic lead guitar, the track pares down to roots militancy followed by a monstrous Channel One dub.
Originally released on Toronto label “G Clef”, “King Kong Man” was a very tough pull until now.

The song’s mastermind Sid Lovejoy, was a singer, musician and producer who ran a record store, studio and label at 917 Bathurst St in the beating heart of what was then Toronto’s “Little Jamaica” community.
50 years on, Sid’s rallying cry to stand up to tyrants, bullies and oppressors is as relevant as ever.
Sid Lovejoy passed away in 2025 in Jamaica, this release is dedicated to his eternal memory.

One of 3 official releases showcasing Sid Lovejoy's Toronto productions including the long out of print “Rebel” by Rothadam and the impossible to find horns version of “Garden of Life” by Leroy “Heptone” Sibbles.

This is the 12" already immortalized by Gilles Peterson! Dub Souljah, with its classic Roots Reggae/Dub-styled horns and brilliant lead and backing vocals, comes in two versions when Ekowmania meets DJ Sotofett. The first version, in 1970s tradition, is a rocking dancefloor Disco Dub with extended and highlighted percussion parts. Then there's the Ultra Dub – a severely deep and reduced dub where horns and vocals surface only intermittently through constant echoed kicks, minimal hi-hats, and a two-tone bassline. The title track is from Ekowmania's Dr. Afrodub album, produced by Jimi Tenor, but this 12" also includes two non-album cuts: the psychedelic Afro twist of Afrolistic Rock & Roll, and the cosmic Latin-styled Kuusikasi Funk, featuring beautiful saxophone and flute by Jimi Tenor. THIS 12" IS CUT WITH LOUD VOLUME FOR EXCELLENT CLUB USE!

The UK Players & Friends Hills and Valleys, Rivers and Streams (A Tribute to Idren Natural) 9 brand new tracks by The UK Players. Voiced by Singers and Poets who knew Idren Natural personally. Recorded and Mixed by Supa Yout’ at Earth Works Studio, Amsterdam. Sleeve artwork and written testimonials from close friends and associates. Idren Natural aka Ras Natural aka InI Oneness, DJ, Singer, Chanter, Musician, was a pivotal player and pillar of UK/European Roots, Reggae, Dub, Sound System Culture. A humble Rastaman who did so much for so many, inasmuch as inspiring, encouraging, and connecting. He selflessly helped those less fortunate than himself. A strong advocate of the culture and philosophy of Rastafari. He was a commanding presence who lit up the stage, giving JAH all the glory. His passing was a great loss to the community. The UK Players Dub Band formed in 1996. They teamed up with Ras Natural/InI Oneness to record their debut 7” single ‘Further’ for Jah Works with Producer Jah Rej. This single gained exposure via Jah Shaka, Abashanti, and King Shiloh Sound Systems, even the famous Radio 1 DJ ‘John Peel’ played it. More recordings with Jah Rej at Seventh Sense Studio led to the debut album ‘Take Heed’. During the halcyon days of InI Oneness & The UK Players (1997-2004) they toured the UK and Europe, clocking up over 250 gigs in that time. Amongst brethren within the Rastafari community, the band became affectionately known as Ras Naturals band. Friends of Natural like Ras Iyah, Tony Roots, Sister Aisha, Wayne McArthur, and Barry Isaacs (among others) performed with them during this time. Members of InI Oneness & The UK Players never split up, throughout the years they branched out into other projects, reconvening for specials and one offs. Following Idren Naturals passing in 2022, the band stepped up to play his memorial show, where the idea formulated of making a tribute album to him. Ben King offered the use of Earth Works studio to help realise the vision. Work began with longtime live sound engineer Supa Yout’ in March 2024. Jah Rej assisted production on a number of these recordings, and sadly passed during the making of it, the last album he worked on. Various vocalists who were close to Natural, submitted vocals across the following year. The album was mixed and dubbed in March ‘25 at Earth Works by Soupa Yout' & Kingsway. Artwork and written memories/testimonials were then assembled. Everyone involved in the creation of this album knew Idren Natural personally. This album shines a spotlight on his spirit. Carrying songs of tribute, and messages for the times. ALPHA DUB: Every time the band played a gig, Natural would insist on starting with a dub. In that tradition, this album is no different. ‘Mandlion’ passing through the studio, headtopped a Melodica cut on it. Dubbed to the max by Supa Yout! NATURAL VIBE: The ‘Forward Fever’ crew from Belgium were one of the first collectives that Natural affiliated with in Europe. Here, Ras Cloud cleverly weaves all of Naturals song titles into the lyrics, creating a song in itself. WORD & FLESH: Fellowdread was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. Now living in Bristol, England, residing with Natural in his last days. His Poetry is rich in inflection, knowledge and wisdom, teachings that spark up the divine. ALL ABOUT LOVE: A pause for contemplation, this one stills the listener. Rootsman Rak’s words warn against complacency, and encourages action. A completely (natural) acoustic track featuring the skilled percussionist Jonah Dan. REMEMBER HIM: Inna Dubplate style, Barry Isaacs toasts to Idren in personal remembrance, reminding us all of the man he was. The track also features snippets of a phone call from Naturals oldest friend ‘Fergie Greenspears’ recounting memories. RISE UP RASTA CHILDREN: The legendary Tony Roots, graces the album with his unique delivery. Natural, The Players, and Tony go back a long way. A song of strength to affirm the soul, and rally against Babylon. Livicated to the one (Natural) SONG FOR THE RIVER MAN: During those halcyon days, many stages were shared with Albaroot, whom the band met whilst on tour in Scotland. Clark Innes (lead singer/songwriter) reminisces about the force of nature that was Natural, times shared, and that knowing, to never meet again. ONE STEP AHEAD: An interpretation of the ‘Look Inside’ riddim by Reuben Addis. Built for Sound System, it is the only track on the album that rolls into a dub. Lyrical Benjie literally entered the studio, rode the riddim without hearing it first, cutting his vocal in one take! A message for the times that sends shivers up your spine. THE PRAYER: Iman Onedub AKA Iman Gebre Iyesus, member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, met Idren Natural at Fairfield House in Bath. Here he seals the album with a recital of the Lord's Prayer in English, with Amharic. His rich textural tones elevated with a one away riddim to carry the listener home.

he Congos possess what all bands look for, that unique distinctive sound that draws the listener in. Alongside the great songs, lead singer Cedric Myton's singing, phasing and falsetto voice makes that just the case.
The Congos were formed by Cedric Myton (b. 1947, St Catherine, Jamaica) around the mid-Seventies when the
Rasta message was central to the reggae sound coming out of Kingston, Jamaica. But he had started out in the
Rocksteady era, when he formed the vocal group 'Tartans', taking lead vocal duties alongside Devon Russell, Prince Lincoln Thompson and Lindbergh Lewis.They cut 'Dance All Night' (1967) and 'Coming On Strong' (1968). The line-Up became The Royal Rasses and from this Cedric moved on to form the Congos on meeting Roydel Johnson, who had previously sang with Ras Michael and the Sons of Negas. Cedric's Rasta roots were firmly in place when he went to work with producer Lee Perry to cut the seminal album 'Heart Of The Congos' at Perry's just built, Black Ark Studios in 1977. Cedric Myton has carried on the mantle, cutting a set of tunes with the help of his good friend Mr Brent Dowe, who had previously sang lead vocals with the Melodians.This is the Dub set to the vocal album released on the Kingston
Sounds label called 'The Congos Feast'(KS008).With such strong songs, rhythms and vocals it always had the chemistry for a great dub set. Hope you agree and enjoy the dub excursion...

DubXanne, led by the talented Guido Craveiro, transform The Police’s iconic debut single “Roxanne” into a stunning reggae reinterpretation! This must-hear 7-inch features the imaginative production of Rob Smith (RSD), a leading figure of Bristol music.

Based in Hamburg, Germany, DubXanne are known for their reggae, roots, and dub covers of The Police’s songs. Here they team up with Rob Smith’s dubstep project RSD to deliver a dazzling dub version of “Roxanne.” The A-side showcases Rob Smith’s signature production skills, while the B-side features a finely reworked instrumental mix, allowing listeners to appreciate the intricate details of the track.

YL Hooi returns with 'Running Around (83)', the project's first release since 2019's Untitled. Valya Ying-Li Hooi and Tarquin Manek finally commit a long road-tested live favourite to tape, welding together engine room doom, disembodied vocals, cryptic lyricism and a smouldering dub-techno bassline, recast and overdriven.

The hand-stamped white label 12" honours its roots with three heavyweight remixes. After corrupted audio files erased YL Hooi's recent live collaboration with Mad Professor, the Ariwa boss gives their encounter lasting form with a percussion-dripped halftime stepper featuring veteran Black Steel and new blood Karmelody.

The flipside immediately detours with Ulla's full-scale tear down and rebuild, layering woodwind, keys and subtle percussion into an improbably elegant convergence of ambient, minimal jazz and modern classical. John T. Gast's Midas touch then drags it into bardo dancehall territory, a rugged soundsystem destroyer that's scuzzy, screwed and wired with punk instinct.

* South London’s Judith covers Lord Creator’s (he of `Kingston Town’ fame) `Such is Life’, originally recorded for the Randy’s label in 1968, then again at Lee Perry’s Black Ark studio in 1977.
* `Such is Life’ was the first release on Universal Roots back in 1998.
* Mixed and produced by Nick Manasseh.

Ariwa Sounds started in a front room in Thornton Heath, South London. Four tracks, some homemade equipment, and Neil Fraser, better known as Mad Professor, at the controls. That was 1980. Over four decades later, the label has more than 300 albums to its name and a legacy that stretches well beyond the reggae scene.

This compilation pulls twelve tracks from across the catalogue. Dub, lovers rock, heavy roots music, digital dancehall — it's all here. What ties it together is the Ariwa studio sound all going through Mad Professor’s desk.

Mad Professor is the backbone of it. Dub Me Crazy got him known and his production credits run from Jah Shaka and Horace Andy to Massive Attack, Sade and The Orb. The tracks here — the Dub Sampler, H2SO4, Disco Dude, Kathmandu Dub — show why.

The Jah Shaka collaboration Only One God is a landmark. Two of the UK's most important dub figures on one track. Dark and heavy roots music.

The Robotics appear twice — Hong Kong Flew! and Miss Mood. They are Ariwa's house band and have backed U-Roy, Lee Perry, Big Youth and more over the years.

Aisha closes things out with Can You Feel It. A track that crosses reggae, soul and boogie funk. Collectors have been after original pressings for years.

Starky Banton, Ragga Doll, Professor Doppler and Earl Lawrence complete the compilation. Exactly the kind of thing that reminds you how wide the Ariwa net was cast.

Sleeve design is by Trevor Jackson. One of the UK's most respected graphic designers. His work has defined the visual language of British music for thirty years. His involvement here signals exactly the kind of release this is. A serious serious catalogue and compilation of music, treated with the respect it deserves.

Ariwa sits alongside Greensleeves as the most important reggae imprint this country has produced. This compilation shows why.

Following two 7” releases, Silsila Dubs presents its first 12”: Redemption / Memories. Two rhythms, each with a main cut and a dub version.

Drawing on the UK roots sound of the 90's, Redemption leads the A-side with a warrior-style rhythm and meditative melodica played by Silsila Dubs’ Govind Singh. On the B-side, Memories picks up the pace. Inspired by the tunes we grew up listening to, it brings a more lively, jumpy energy to the sound system.

Following the release, you can catch Silsila Dubs with the Mya Hi-Fi crew as they string up for the first time on 23rd October at Brook House in Hayes.

*Glow In The Dark Coloured Vinyl*

Four years after its original release, Mochakk's breakout anthem 'Da Fonk' featuring Joni continues to define a generation of house music. Originally released via Nervous Records in 2022, the record has surpassed 60 million Spotify streams alone, becoming Mochakk's signature track and one of the most recognizable records in modern dance music.

Fronted by fellow Brazilian artist Joni's soulful vocals, "Da Fonk" bridges classic house and contemporary club energy. Its stripped-back bassline and timeless groove have made it a fixture on stages and dancefloors around the world, while also marking a turning point for Mochakk, who has since become one of electronic music's defining artists, widely praised for his vibrant live sets in which "Da Fonk" has remained a staple. To celebrate the track's continued success, Nervous Records releases the 'Da Fonk' Remix Pack today across all streaming platforms, alongside a limited edition three-vinyl release available during Mochakk's long-awaited New York City takeover from August 28, 29 and 30.

Spanning three parts, the remix pack brings together a wide range of artists, each offering a different take on one of house music's most enduring records of recent years.

The first vinyl features Mochakk’s Original Mix and OG Dub of “Da Fonk”, in addition to a new Bass Mix from Marco Carola, whose signature rolling grooves and understated approach bring fresh weight to the original without losing its unmistakable feel. The second vinyl moves across a broad spectrum of club sounds. Australian duo Confidence Man inject their playful, high-energy style into the track, while Berlin's DJ Gigola delivers a sleek, club-focused interpretation. Cinthie, known for her deep-rooted house sound and analogue production style, offers a warm and driving remix, with Brazil’s Bronka rounding out the record on a fresh, contemporary rework. The third vinyl shines a light on Brazil's electronic music scene with an all-Brazilian lineup. Solarce Brothers contribute a soulful reinterpretation that nods to the original's house roots, alongside remixes from DJ Fuzil, Classmatic, and Deekapz & kLap, each bringing their own perspective to one of Brazil's all-time most influential electronic releases on global stages.

Belgrade's rising underground force Ledeni makes his KUJE Records debut with Liminal State, an emotional four-track EP exploring vivid sonic narratives through driving rhythms and hardware textures, inspired by the roots of acid and dub techno.

On a class debut for Biscuit’s choice Good Morning Tapes label, Kyoto’s dub specialist G Version III runs signature fusions of digidub steppers, drill, and holographic, minor-key FM synths.

One up on her 12” for Riddim Chango last year (plus the »Scenery From Double Glazing« tape for Digital Sting in ’24), G Version III’s »Chapter II« most finely chisels her lucidly rugged definition of the late ’80s / early ’90s mystic steppers sound. The OG Caribbean spirit is heard filtered through UK dances and shored up in Japan, where G tessellates its salient points with a palette of glassy Japanese synth tones and chamber music to exquisite effect. If Wendy Carlos was a soundgyal?

Across six cuts she builds the dance around digidub x drill waltz »Livin 4« and a haunted dancehall special in the harpsichord/horn riff of »An Idyll«, impressing her prowess in the fusion of subcontinental scales with a drill-tipped skip in »Queen G Theme Chapter II«, and tucking right into an aerodynamic, flying steppers mode, shades away from Element, in »Motherearth Guidance«. At a slower, wider stride her »Higher Grade« goes eyes-down on massive subs, and »Voice of Mystique Warriyah« adapts the classic-schooled sound like TNT Roots in Tokyo.

Pablo Volt and J.G.G. make dub-folktronica the unpolished way: guitar, horns, drums and synths, recorded loose, drenched in echoes and tape saturation. They met in Barcelona over a shared love of experimental beers and even more experimental sessions, determined to see how far their musical chemistry could take them. "Mordida", their 2023 tape, spent months on repeat at the Pingipung office. Now comes the debut LP: Aqui me quedo. It's a record built on the gap between two childhoods. Pablo Volt (aka Pope, as producer) grew up in Mendoza, Argentina; Jordi Gege aka J.G.G. in a suburb of Barcelona. What they share is a language and a curiosity about each other's memories and musical roots - the studio is where they embrace their different origins in improvisations. A ditch from Pablo's childhood becomes "Zanjon". A mountain Jordi used to roam becomes "Emisora". An ice cream shop, a Sunday market, a football club: small doors into a past the other never lived, but somehow recognises. Aqui me quedo, "I'm staying here", is also the name of the Barcelona bar where they toast after a good session. Two friends, tracing their way back through the past, decide the present is where they'd rather be. Handmade, melodic, unashamed of a smile as they greet from the LP sleeve: this is the spirit in which Pingipung was founded 24 years ago and these two guys, muy simpatico, are living proof of it.

A cassette-only collection of scratchy one-away dubplates and 45s from the vaults of Jah Massagan Sound, featuring plates cut at the studios of legendary producers and engineers such as King Tubby, Lee Perry, JoJo Hoo Kim, and Joe Gibbs among others during the peak of the roots sound in the mid 1970s through to the early 1980s.

Beginning in Leyton in 1972, owner-operator Lloyd alongside childhood friend and amp builder Tony Mass were part of a wave of reggae soundsystems formed in London and across the UK immediately after the Windrush generation. Focused on preserving and promoting the authentic Jamaican roots, Jah Massagan has remained a small but steadfast cornerstone in the East London scene more than 50 years later. Eljay Mass, the son of owner Lloyd, takes the reins for this cassette-only document, as the torch is passed on inter-generationally to continue the sound’s work.

DJ Support: Sam Don, Severino Panzetta (Horse Meat Disco), Chris Howler, Sean Johnston, Bill Brewster, For Mankind, Craig Thompson, Andy Taylor, Massimiliano Pagliara, Dean Dixon, Nathan Detroit and many more

Underground Institution Stompa Phunk Re-Launches Vinyl Label with Raw, Chi-House-Inspired Energy. After three decades of defining the UK’s underground club landscape, legendary Brighton party collective Stompa Phunk is officially moving from the dancefloor to the wax with the relaunch of Stompa Phunk Records Inc.

The Heritage: From The Warehouse: The releases will directly honour the roots of house music, a genre born in 1977 at Chicago’s legendary nightclub, The Warehouse. As that scene matured, a grittier, faster, and more experimental counterpart emerged. Defined by an uninhibited, bass-heavy style, it was a movement driven by local innovators who pushed drum machines and synthesisers to their breaking point... It wasn't just a genre; it was a collision between pure imagination and raw machines. A true "sound klash" transformed the local underground subculture into something global...

Release 1: You Had It (Edit) / Music Got (Dub): Capturing the exact spirit of rough, tape-spliced dubbed cuts. The 12-inch from SP resident Sound Klash pairs a vintage production ethos with old hardware pushed to its limits...

The Philosophy: This EP perfectly mirrors the exact philosophy that has fueled Stompa Phunk’s dancefloors since 1996: uncompromising electronic music rooted in heavy sample-delia, jackin' bodies, Acid energy, disco-dub mentality and second-hand technology. Jackinacidiscotech!

Ferocious Niney genius.
Tommy McCook leads the swingeing horns, galloping east of the River Nile. Sounds like Dennis Emmanuel Brown, wailing six feet under. A jaw-dropping, no-prisoners Tubbys dub.
Red hot terror.

2026 Repress

For the second release on 777Hz, ‘Hiss is Bliss’ teams up with the legendary singer ‘Linval Thompson’ who delivers an amazing vocal cut with his unique voice. Recorded in the heart of Kingston Jamaica at Caveman Studios the A side track takes it back to the roots! While on the B side the Dub version will send you straight back to Detroit.

2026 Repress

For the 004 release we teamed up with roots singer 'Kojo Neatness' delivering that true Kingston reggae vibe. Vocals wererecorded in the mythical 'Caveman Studio' in Jamaica with the help of the great late Nazamba.

2026 Repress

Swedish talent Dold drops nuanced techno cuts on 10" via SHDW's Mutual Rytm X.

Stockholm-based Patrik Eriksson, aka Dold, is a cultured producer known for crafting hypnotic loops with a minimalist, emotive touch-bridging underground dancefloors and introspective listening.

As a DJ, producer, and co-founder of Arsenik, Dold has championed raw, unembellished techno since 2015. His releases on Key and Fuse blend Detroit techno's legacy with IDM's intricacy and ambient's ethereal tones, creating a style that is both timeless and forward-thinking. Whether it's crafting tapestry's recorded via hardware in the studio or performing live, Dold continues to innovate, honouring techno's roots while exploring its future, and his talent is on full display across his label debut on Mutual Rytm X.

'Grainy' opens the EP and showcases Dold's ability to craft deep and loopy techno with a stripped-back, emotive
edge. It's deft but enthralling, with innovative synths rising and falling through the minimal drums. 'Surface' is another compelling deep cut with hurried drum funk and subtle synth pulses, adding a futuristic edge to the groove. The fantastic 'Blush' brings smears of warm synth and machine soul to a dynamic dub techno rhythm that bends the
past with the present. Digital bonus cuts 'Dub at Heart (Club Version)' and 'Dub at Heart (Sofa Version)' offer
contrasting perspectives of the same track, with the first aiming directly for peak-time sessions, while the latter closes the package on a laid-back tip.

Few contemporary labels even come close to the output and influence of Lempuyang in terms of dub techno. Albums, 12"s and EPs come thick and fast and the latest is the first part of the fourth in the Pura Lempuyang series, which offers a glimpse at what they do best. Upwellings begins with Maurizio-style, smoky dub techno before Rothchord ups the drive with a more forceful kick. Paul Simmons's 'Burial (Natty Haffi Dread)' reflects the traditional roots of dub with a more 70s style cut, Another Channel slows to a crawl with an eerily empty arrangement and Inner Echo drives things home with a timeless fusion of molten dub chords and cuddly kicks.

Few contemporary labels even come close to the output and influence of Lempuyang in terms of dub techno. Albums, 12"s and EPs come thick and fast and the latest is the first part of the fourth in the Pura Lempuyang series, which offers a glimpse at what they do best. Upwellings begins with Maurizio-style, smoky dub techno before Rothchord ups the drive with a more forceful kick. Paul Simmons's 'Burial (Natty Haffi Dread)' reflects the traditional roots of dub with a more 70s style cut, Another Channel slows to a crawl with an eerily empty arrangement and Inner Echo drives things home with a timeless fusion of molten dub chords and cuddly kicks.

Ltd pressing, Widespine, black paper inners.

Tectonic Recordings presents Tectonic Sound: Vol. 2, the second instalment of the various artists series curated by label founder Pinch. Following the first Tectonic Sound collection, released in 2025 to mark the twentieth anniversary of the label, the series continues Tectonic’s forward-facing approach; bringing together artists from their wider family and connecting dots across the underground.
Longstanding figures of the UK Bass scene such as J:Kenzo and Roska sit alongside a new gen of artists including Ehua, Manami, Cimm, Denham Audio, Henry Greenleaf and SHXCXCHCXSH. Beatrice M. also returns following the release of their acclaimed debut album Sinking earlier this year, while Jay Carder and Sir Hiss make their first outings as solo artists on the label, after both appearing as collaborators on Sinking.
Pinch says: ““As Tectonic enters its third decade, the spirit and passion behind the music hold true to its roots. I love every single track on this compilation and how it shows off the various corners of the label's sound. Each artist has delivered something truly special!”
Each artist arrives with a distinct sound and history of their own, but across these twelve original tracks there’s a shared understanding of what Tectonic represents. Different strains of the UK bass continuum come together, creating a space where sounds collide, and new forms take shape. 
Pinch leads the charge with ‘Hold On!’, an upfront, high-definition 4x4 propulsion tool that pairs rolling momentum with seismic bass pulses. Manami enters with ‘Turning Point’, further solidifying her newer direction, leaning into deep, dubbed-out territory with a sound that feels both vast and exploratory, while remaining heads-down and locked in. Henry Greenleaf steps in with ‘Whist’, an ominous and otherworldly offering, reminiscent of early dubstep productions that fell somewhere between the lines of dark garage, 2-step and grime.
Elsewhere, SHXCXCHCXSH’s ‘NexxxD’ and Sir Hiss’s ‘2TUFF’ form a middle climatic point of pure chaos, with Sir Hiss serving up a raw slab of gnarled grime waveforms and cascading claps. Beatrice M. & Cimm bring things back down with ‘Pad City’, a cool, meandering cut of shuffling house, while Lorem closes the compilation with ‘Console Corners’, exploring the outer rims of sound manipulation and deconstruction before tying it all together.
Since its formation in 2005, Tectonic has been a trailblazing force in electronic music, helping to define and continually redraw the boundaries of dubstep and its surrounding sounds. The compilation arrives in the middle of a serious run for the label. Earlier this year, Tectonic released Beatrice M.’s debut album Sinking, a major moment for the label that was embraced across the electronic music community. Pinch has also continued his long-running creative relationship with legendary grime MC Trim this year, following their joint 2025 EP No Caller ID, with recent single Striker.
Across Tectonic Sound Vol. 2, those different strands of Tectonic’s history and present day meet head-on. The music moves between familiar forms and stranger territory, with rhythms and frequencies refracting across the collection. It’s a record that feels cohesive without being uniform, reflecting a label whose sound has always been defined by forward movement.