Despite my fixation on `70s roots, and the playlists of Jah Shaka, when taking stock of last year, I was surprised to find that I’d actually amassed a number of new reggae and dub sides. 

Anything on On-U Sound was a given, since, as a “collector”, I’m a bit of a completist when it comes to the productions of Adrian Sherwood. The legendary label released albums by African Head Charge and Creation Rebel. A Trip To Bolgatanga and Hostile Environment were the first offerings from either outfit in well over a decade. Both were essential. The On-U crew radically reimagined Panda Bear and Sonic Boom’s album, Reset, as well. Italian imprint Salgari Records issued a live set from jazz ensemble, Fire, with Sherwood at the controls. Further disturbing the comfortable, and comforting the disturbed, he also found time to experiment with spatial sound, teasing with the track, On-U In Space.

Another label that has become buy-on-sight is ZamZam Sounds. That said, I’m not sure if I bagged everything, as it can be a bit blink and you’ll miss ’em, but Elijah Minnelli, Mystica Tribe, and Om Unit all shared super 7s. 

Being of a Balearic bent, skanking covers of classics will always find favour – think Foxy Brown’s Fast Car, Saint Etienne’s Only Love… – and standouts from 2023 were Prince Fatty and Shniece McMenamin’s magical makeover of Lonnie Liston Smith’s Expansions, Soul II Soul versioning the Prince-penned Nothing Compares 2 U in tribute to the tragically lost Sinead, plus The Disciples dynamite re-do of Ennio Morricone’s For A Few Dollars More. 

Some names were familiar. I’d picked up a 12 by Pulshar  – Nospheratu – something like 15 years ago, but nothing since… until coming across their collaboration with Linval Thompson, World Crisis. Each mix on this 12 offered something slightly different, from deep dub techno, to druggy chugger, to serene sunset / sunrise gear. Veteran UK producer, Dougie Wardrop, of Bush Chemists, Centry, and Conscious Sounds, along with Jah Schulz, helped launch the Berlin-based label, Brothers In Dub, by contributing mixes to Frequencies Of Dub’s hefty, harmonica-led Blow Of The Desert. Dubism was the cracking combination of Diggory Kendrick and Paolo ‘DubFiles’ Baldini. 

While he managed to sound pretty “vintage” on his 45, Catch 22, L.A.’s Count Dubula was brand new to me. As was Bee Nix, who recorded the brilliant Did You? for Parisian imprint Zulu Vibes. 

Roots reggae has always railed against “Babylon”. Sought to inspire solidarity and unity in those oppressed by an unjust system. A system that thrives on generating a “rich” and a “poor”. Encouraging, amplifying, any division. Rarely, though, does roots deal in specifics, which is why Joe Yorke and Yaksha’s Rocking Ship stood out. Not many western songs these days are politically charged. This year the only other example I can think of was David Holmes’ Blind On A Galloping Horse. Yorke’s falsetto flies fragile, but impassioned, over Yaksha’s bass and brass-led backing. Delivering Eeyun Purkins’ poetry, spotlighting the plight of the world’s refugees. Not just their desperate, dangerous, journeys, but also liberal lip service. Sympathies and apologies aren’t enough. Wars will escalate, not least because the Earth’s resources will run dry. Temperatures and tides will rise, further forcing folks from their homes. Squeezing us all into a much smaller space. There needs to be a real solution to the problem, a humane plan to accommodate the increasing numbers of those displaced. The division that we are driven to, by governments, and media mouthpieces, is a just distraction from the important issue at hand. The fools in charge, grabbing what they can, while they can, and burying their, and our, heads in the sand. I know that many, like me, feel powerless to help. If you have any constructive suggestions please get in touch.