Original Gravity Records’ Reggae Dynamite series returns with its fifth instalment entitled, unsurprisingly, as the Reggae Dynamite Vol. 5 EP, and featuring, equally unsurprisingly, a four track deep selection of brand new and highly dope boss reggae and rocksteady sounds direct from the mind of label boss Neil Anderson. He should probably get someone he knows well to write the sleeve-notes for that. Oohh hello – what’s this on the back of the 45 sleeve?:
Four more monster riddims, fully primed to blow-up the dancefloor? Surely not already? Is it possible? Can it be? Yes it can! Original Gravity Records’ Reggae Dynamite 45 series now back with Vol. 5! And if you’ve caught any of the previous volumes (or indeed any other reggae releases from the label) you’ll know it’s always the glorious 1960s (or at the very latest the early ’70s) as far as their sound is concerned. Which means we’re often in the pre-roots era of early reggae, sometimes in the pre-reggae era of rocksteady and occasionally in the pre-rocksteady era of ska. On this drop it’s the former two that are represented with two tracks apiece. First up on Side A is The Regulators’ rocksteady vocal cover of The Treasure Boys’ cut Love is a Treasure, in a brand new uptempo version for this release, not to be confused with the slower version on the B-Side to their 2020 7” reggae cover of Don’t Look Back In Anger. Also on Side A is Woodfield Road Allstars’ From Mandeville To Sligoville, an instrumental early reggae nugget that nods melodically to The Wailers’ Mr Brown. On Side B meanwhile, the opener is a Lynn Taits & The Jets-ish number entitled Second Shot by Junior Dell & The D-Lites. A fast rocksteady riddim, it features DJ-style vocals and was inspired by the label’s Prague bredren at their clothing and record store after which it is named. Finally, it’s all about a scorching slab of organ-led reggae on the second Woodfield Rd Allstars cut – Jackie Mittoo-ish closer Jump The Gun. ‘Ear me now! (Words: Stone Monkey/ monkeyboxing.com)
(Out now on Original Gravity)