Dancehall Classics Volume One (Various Artists)

• Track Listing

2020 repress; 2007 release. The Prince became a King, never a truer word spoken when you look at the career of King Jammy. Kingston Sounds focus here on the early days of the dancehall scene which stretched across the 1980s. Picking up the story at the tail end of the 1970s, just before the sound became digital and computerized. King Jammy's production always being of such high quality, that telling the difference between his analog and digital productions was always a job for the experts. As you can see from the recording details all these tracks were cut in those heady 1977-1979 days. The reggae sound was again about to turn into what we would later know as it's dancehall period. Although cut in the late '70s some of these tracks would not become hits until the 1980s had arrived. The King Jammy pivotal 1985 cut, Wayne Smith's "Under Me Sleng Teng" based on a digital computer rhythm, was still a few years away. Kingston Sounds link these fine tunes lined up here under the same umbrella as they contain that same dancehall feel, where the rhythm has slowed down and the snare sound is pronounced. Fine tunes that bring you back to a time and provoke memories when Mr. Jammy's stable of artists never sang so sweeter or sounded better. All the top flight hitters are here Johnny Osbourne with his place evoking "Trench Town School" and his massive time defining hit "Folly Ranking". The mighty Black Uhuru with their politically charged "Time to Unite". The sweet-sounding voice of Mr. Sugar Minott pulls you all in with his "Right Track" cut. Anthony Johnson who cut many hits through the '80s for Jammy, is here with his telling tale "Get Ready". Even the aforementioned Wayne Smith sings out on his pre-digital hit "Wicked Man". Hugh Mundell's "Bottomless Pit" and Rudo's ode to the Firehouse district scene "Ain't No House" - all killers and no fillers. Also features King Everald, Locksley Castell, Fantels, and Pad Anthony.

Credits