Monday, January 7, 2008

Various - Watch How The People Dancing: Unity Sounds From The London Dancehall

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Various - Watch How The People Dancing: Unity Sounds From The London Dancehall
Label: Honest Jon's Records
Record date: 1986-89
Style: Dancehall, Digital Dub, Lee Library, UK Stylee

This excellent set compiles the output of Unity Sounds from the years 1986-89, and is a typically diverse and well selected Honest Jon’s release. Produced in conjunction with the man who started the London based label, Rib’s, Unity Sounds specialised in the mid eighties birth of Dancehall, not the gun toting Hip-Hop influenced Dancehall of modern Jamaica, but sublime digital Reggae that has been hugely influential on artists like Rocker Hi-Fi and Rhythm & Sound, whose Moritz Von Oswald has remastered this material.

Selah Collins “Pick A Sound” begins proceedings with its "version" following (as are most cuts on the album). Check the bass on Kenny Knots “Watch How The People Dancing”, its deep rhythm is stunningly hypnotic, elsewhere “Ready For The Dancehall Tonight” from the fabulously named Peter Bouncer is even better, with a timeless quality and tidy vocal melody.

Other highlights include Mikey Murka’s “Back Your Automatic” and another Kenny Knots slice of brilliance, “Ring My Number”. Add to this excellent music liner notes that take the length of the album to read, making the listening experience also an invaluable history lesson, especially when most of material included is obscure and certainly unavailable anywhere else.


'Watch How The People Dancing' is a truly essential release for any Reggae fan - the music inspirational and surprising, and unlike many Reggae re-issue labels, it is not a rehash of classic material released too many times on too many formats. Honest Jon’s obviously love the music they release and you, the reggae fan, undoubtedly will too. Recommended. ~warprecords.com


Tracklist:
1. Selah Collins - Pick A Sound
2. Selah Collins - Version
3. Mikey Murka - We Try
4. Mikey Murka - Version
5. Errol Bellot - What A Wonderful Feeling
6. Kenny Knots - Watch How The People Dancing
7. Richie Davis - Lean Boot
8. Richie Davis - Version
9. Peter Bouncer - Ready For The Dancehall Tonight
10. Peter Bouncer - Version
11. Richie Davis - You Ha Fe Cool
12. Richie Davis - Version
13. Kenny Knots - Ring My Number
14. Kenny Knots - Version
15. Mikey Murka - Back Your Automatic
16. Mikey Murka - Control The Dancehall
17. Mikey Murka - Version
18. Jack Wilson & Demon Rockers - Chuck It
19. Mikey Murka - Ride The Rhythm
20. Mikey Murka - Version
21. Kenny Knots - Run Come Call Me

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

murka a bad man. killaweed nahmesay

Anonymous said...

Hehehheeeeeee
Nice sounds back from the eighties. Been looking after this since then and it'll shake my HI-FI for long again. Thanks a lot for that.