King Perry is the late, legendary Lee Scratch Perry wanting “to do something new, something different.” The Upsetter began working with UK producer Daniel Boyle way back in 2014, with the two of them subsequently being Grammy-nominated for Perry’s album, Back On The Controls. They continued to collaborate, on singles and LPs, and during the COVID pandemic and lockdowns came up with King Perry. The plan was to put Perry into musical settings away from his usual reggae and dub. Similar I suppose to his mischievous MCing, Nursery rhyme-like improvisational riffing, with The Orb. The project resulted in twelve pieces that take in soul, ska, gospel, blues, and bright poppy moments. That feature flickering electro frequencies, jazzy horns, and mix boisterous Bhangra and bogle beats.

That said, the standouts for me are the dubwise diversions. The tracks that are closest to those that Lee cut with other long-standing spars. Those that are ON-U Sound-esque. Evil Generation is all delayed drum hits and treated, twisted sonics, and akin to some of the stuff on Creation Rebel’s recent LP, Hostile Environment. King Of The Animals is a Dub Syndicate-like drop. A big bass buzzing, and electronics squiggling, while Perry boasts, warns Babylon off.

There are plenty of guests, and on Green Banana, Lee trades lines with Happy Mondays / Black Grapes’ Shaun Ryder. Lyrics going back and forth, between these savants, whose surface “madness” is a smokescreen for insight and wisdom. Together they call out war, call for peace, over an uptempo tribal rhythm. The music recalling the funky Makumba Rock from Perry’s final Adrian Sherwood-produced album, Rainford. Acid at its edges. Ryder still packing significant menace. On Jesus Life Scratch’s grunts, and the bottom-end growls, team up with a whispering Tricky to deliver some dark dub disco. Tricky also co-produces in places, and it’s his label, False Idols, that’s released the LP.

Elsewhere there are duets with Marta, Greentea Peng, Rose Waite and Fifi Rong, but, the album closes solo, with Lee’s last ever vocal recording. It’s hard not to have a soft spot for the warm, playful prankster’s now prophetic, and poignant, parting Goodbye.

Lee Scratch Perry’s King Perry is out now on False Idols.