Reggae, Roots & Culture Vol. 2

Just like Global Beats’ first instalment of their Reggae, Roots and Culture series, Vol. 2 is a showcase album with each vocal track followed by matching dubs, some of which are exclusive to this collection.

All were produced by UK reggae duo Mafia and Fluxy – two brothers who’ve often been compared to Sly and Robbie, and have played on countless Jamaican and European hits over the years. Such high praise for this ace rhythm section is well deserved, as anyone listening to this album can tell you.

Each of these essential tracks has been chosen with DJs in mind, and are guaranteed to excite roots crowds, who’ll thrill to hear top drawer artists revisit some of their classic hits over powerful rhythms that follow the original blueprint, yet sound fresh and new. Mafia and Fluxy’s musical gifts stem from the love and respect they have for reggae music’s proud heritage, and that’s why the legends assembled here – most of whom they also backed on stage – were always happy to work with them and Gregory Isaacs, the Cool Ruler, in particular.

Johnny Osbourne’s Truth And Rights and this dubplate mix of Horace Andy’s Skylarking were initially hits for Studio One, whilst it was early Mafia and Fluxy mentor Bunny Lee who first took Barry Brown, Linval Thompson and Johnny Clarke into the studio for their tracks. The latter’s None Shall Escape The Judgment is accompanied here by a previously unreleased horns mix; Dennis Brown’s Want More is a rare steppers’ version and Max Romeo’s Reverend isn’t the album cut, but another unmissable dubplate mix, making Reggae, Roots and Culture Vol. 2 an indispensable addition to any selector’s record box.