It’s never early or late, but when it does arrive, it arrives precisely when it means to – and for Original Gravity’s new Reggae Dynamite Vol. 7 EP on 45, that arrival will occur around the end of January 2026. Yes, that does mean the label is averaging just over one volume a year since the series’ inception in April 2020. What? Yet another four-tracker of quality retro reggae sounds? Hell, yeah! Though to truly convey what is on offer, the label should probably get someone it knows well to write some sleeve notes for that. Oohh – that’s convenient – the monkey’s already done some…
(PRESS RELEASE) Not ska dynamite, not rocksteady dynamite but reggae dynamite! OG reggae goin’ uptown and who better to take it there on Volume 7 of Original Gravity’s periodic boss reggae primer than the two names fast becoming the faces of the label’s reggae juggernaut – Junior Dell and Donnoya Drake – who provide the respective lead tracks of this monstah 45.
Side A finds Dell, accompanied as ever by the D-Lites, delivering a smoking cover of Smokey Robinson’s classic anti-one-night-stand anthem, I Second That Emotion, as further proof (were it needed) that reggae got soul while displaying a falsetto of which Motown’s finest would be proud. Drake meanwhile anchors the B-side with the sweet Treasure Isle-style Baby One More Time which, despite the title, isn’t a cover though it is an exhortation to a loved one to show a lickle more lovin’.
The balance of tracks are a brace of instrumentals (the chugging, Hammond-led Boss Vibration and the faster-skankin, lilting sax-led stomp of Boss Steppin’) to introduce Boss Foundation – the new name for house band Woodfield Road Allstars. Because if reggae goin’ uptown, best name mus’ come.
Words: Stone Monkey/ monkeyboxing.com
(Pre-order now/ Out end of January 2026 on Original Gravity Records)