Another big Shaka tune from the late 1980s - Bionic Singer's anti-apartheid shot 'Botha Warning' - coming out of the same Jamaazima vaults as Hugh Maddo's Pop Style LP that we reissued late last year under the kind courtesy of the imprint's Nami Harmon. The late Bionic Singer a.k.a Osbert Maddo, or more commonly Madoo, was brought up in East Kingston and as a child attended the legendary Alpha Boys School. He began singing together with his brother UU Madoo (aka Hugh Maddo) and soon became a regular on the Stereophonic soundsystem during the late 1970s. Recording mainly with Joe Gibbs & Errol Thompson and for Winston Riley's famed Techniques stable through the early '80s, he then moved to the US in 1983. Ceasing to record for a period, he returned towards the end of the decade under the Bionic Singer alias on the Bronx-based Jamaazima label, recording this searing indictment of South Africa's apartheid government under P.W. Botha following his stroke in 1989.credits More

Death Is Not The End's 333 series continues with this killer slice of digi roots out of late 90s NY, also a big Jah Shaka selection at the time.

Take It Easy was produced by Ricky "Mad Man" Myrie - a reggae/dancehall producer active since the early 90s, and who was also providing writing and production on breakthrough albums for VP from Sean Paul, Capleton & others at this time. Featuring a sharp and poignant vocal from Gumbae Culture, it was recorded at the legendary Philip Smart's Long Island-based HC&F Studio, under the engineering guidance of Smart's brother-in-law and long time studio partner, Michel McDonald. The record's haunting xylophone licks, razor sharp snares and menacing subs perfectly combine throughout the vocal cut, and really come to the fore on the version for a raw and stripped back masterclass in digital dubwise. More

Foundation reggae artist Dennis Walks' much in demand Waste Time in Babylon becomes the latest 1980s digital masterpiece to be reissued on 45 from Death Is Not The End's 333 series. Produced by Prince Jazzbo for his Ujama label in 1987, the singer who first came through voicing tracks for producers Harry Mudie and Joe Gibbs in the early 1970s lends his vocals to the "Racecourse Rock" rhythm played here by the legendary keyboardist Winston Wright. More

The outstanding original cut of the late Hortense Ellis' Hell & Sorrow, originally produced and released by Jimmy Radway for his Fe Me Time label in the mid 1970s and backed with the legendary Big Youth's DJ counteraction Tribulation - now reissued via Death Is Not The End's 333 series. More

Death Is Not The End's 333 series is back with another dig into the catalogue of the NYC-based Flames label on this reissue of a highly coveted Revolutionaries LP, Meditation in Dub. One of reggae music's most famed session bands, The Revolutionaries were an often r/evolving cast of some of the finest session musicians on the island during the roots and early dancehall periods of the mid/late 1970s and early 1980s. These would include Earl 'Wire' Lindo, Radcliffe 'Dougie' Bryan, Ansell Collins, Bobby Kalphat, Lloyd Parks, Uziah 'Sticky' Thompson, Bongo Herman, Stanley Bryan, Bo Peep, Eric 'Bingy Bunny' Lamont, Errol 'Tarzan' Nelson, Skully Simms, Robbie Lyn, Mikey 'Mao' Chung amongst many others. The enduring core of the group, however, was undoubtedly in the coming together of the legendary rhythm section of drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare - with the formation of The Revolutionaries marking the first time that this often unparalleled duo worked together. The group laid down these rhythm tracks at their base at the storied Channel One recording studio, Maxfield Avenue, Kingston sometime in the mid 1970s - under the arrangement of one of reggae music's great undersung figures, Ossie Hibbert. Early in 1975 Ossie was to move to Maxfield Avenue just as Jo Jo & Ernest Hookim's studio was starting up. A well-respected session musician himself through the late 1960s and early 70s (he played keys for Bunny 'Striker' Lee and Keith Hudson and would also form part of another foundational session band, The Soul Syndicate) he was initially summoned by Jo Jo to be a band member for The Revolutationaries but quickly assumed the role of producer, engineer and talent scout for the studio, responsible for selecting the artists to bring into the studio.These tracks were recorded by Hibbert around this time for Winston Jones, the original singer and composer of Stop That Train (later made world-famous by Keith & Tex's version) with his Spanishtonians for Prince Buster's label in the early 1960s. Jones had moved from JA to NYC in the early 1970s where he established and ran the Flames label. The imprint would go on to form a core part of Brooklyn's reggae scene from the mid-1970s until the early 1990s, though Jones often employed the use of Channel One, Hibbert and The Revolutionaries back home in the recording of rhythm tracks for his productions. Thus the Meditation in Dub LP is essentially formed of stellar dub versions to many of the early Flames labels 45s, produced and released by Jones throughout the mid to late 1970s, including crucial takes on a great many popular rhythms of that period. One of any self-respecting dub LP collectors' holy grails, with originals going for up to £400, it is issued here under license from the now Texas-based Jones with the kind assistance of RB at DKR in sourcing the audio for this new cut. More

The late foundation deejay U-Roy recorded The Seven Gold at Michael Carroll's Creative Sounds Studio in Kingston (with assistance from engineer, and singer & producer in his own right, Paul Davidson) for Prince Jazzbo's Ujama imprint - with the LP then seeing the light of day on the label in 1987, and now a reissue on Death Is Not The End sub-label 333.

It features the late, great Ewart Beckford appearing on a range of killer Jazzbo-produced late-80s digitap rhythms - from the inspired Replay version on 'Holo Gow', to the updated digital take on the Heavenless rhythm on 'Jah Jah Call You' and his take on Horace Ferguson's Sensi Addict in 'Musikal Addick'. The bulk of these rhythm tracks were performed by revered multi-instrumentalist Tyrone Downie (a long-time member of Bob Marley & The Wailers since the mid 70s) alongside Tony "Asher" Brissett - another massively undersung session musician perhaps most notable for laying down the initial Sleng Teng rhythm track for Jammys in 1984. More

Rare as hen's teeth digital dancehall from out of late 80s/early 90s NYC, via Cooly aka Koolindian aka Super Cat's cousin Andrew Maragh, originally released on his own Mad Indian Records - reissued here for Death Is Not The End sub-label 333.

Maragh sang in church choirs and on soundsystems in Jamaica before moving to New York in the 1980s where he quickly became involved on the underground music circuit, taking inspiration from his cousin the legendary Super Cat. "Freedom" was penned while he was incarcerated, and details the unfairness of the judicial system at that time, alongside the heartfelt need to "hustle everyday to make ends meet, whether that's picking up scrap metal or cutting lawns or voicing dubplates, whatever you do to make a dollar", says Maragh.

Having bought an Ampex tape in Manhattan, Maragh headed over to the legendary Philip Smart's HC&F studio on Long Island with the intention of laying down his lyrics on the version to Dennis Brown's "Children of Israel". After hearing the song however, Smart went ahead and built this one-away "Freedom" rhythm on the spot. The track was then carried to Count Shelly's Super Power Records where it was then pressed & distributed as the first and only release on the Mad Indian label around the turn of 1989/1990. More

333 reissues a massive sought-after and obscure Jazzbo-produced 45 from Stanford Shirley. The System was recorded at Harry J's studio and released in 1987 on the late Linval Carter's Ujama label. Though one of the lesser known cuts from Jazzbo's late 80s production stable, it is surely up there with one of the best. Killer archetypal digi business. More

Rare late 80s reggae/dancehall heat coming yet again on DINTE sub-label 333. This time it's the turn of Hugh Maddo's Pop Style LP. Recorded in Jamaica at Byron Lee's Dynamics & Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius studios for the Bronx-based Jamaazima label in 1987, it is issued here under license from co-producer and label owner, Nami Harmon. The record features a host of celebrated and renowned musicians incl. Winston Wright, Bobby Ellis, Carlton "Santa" Davis, Dwight Pinkney, Willie Lindo and Mikey "Boo" Richards amongst many others - alongside the sublime vocals of Killamanjaro's Hugh Maddo aka UU Madoo. A must. More

Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label digs out a synth-heavy early 80s disco/punk-inflected reggae 45 from short-lived Birmingham group Dessus - produced by British-Cypriot Kim Nicoloau and originally pressed in extremely limited numbers in 1981. Originally formed around 1976 under the initial name Odessus, Dessus spent the late 70s performing a selection of reggae covers and original compositions in venues across the UK, though mostly in the West Midlands area, with a stint supporting local group Steel Pulse on tour. Meeting the band in a chip shop on Soho Road, Birmingham, British Cypriot record producer Kim Nicoloau asked to sit in on a rehearsal and subsequently booked them in for a session at engineer Gary Lucas' Spaceward Studios in Cambridge. 4 tracks in total were laid down over a 2 day period in early December 1980, with Ghetto Children and b-side Dessus Jammin' eventually seeing release shortly after on an extremely limited pressing on Ellie Jay Records (a short lived outfit that provided cheap P&D deals for jobbing bands and producers). The single became a BBC radio "Hit Pick" and recevied a fair amount of airplay, yet no further material from the group ever saw the light of day. More

Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label drops a much needed reissue of Rupie Dan's My Black Race 12" from 1982. A huge Shaka selection featuring one of the heaviest dubs available from this era of UK roots production. Originally written and produced by Rupie for his Flag Records label, with engineering from Tony Addis (later of Addis Posse and the Warriors Dance label). More

Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label follows the reissue of Devon Russell's Darker Than Blue LP late last year with a first-time reissue of a veritable reggae-dancehall holy grail - Robert Ffrench's 1985 LP 'Wondering'. Pioneering artist and producer (and cousin of the late, great Pat Kelly) Robert Ffrench was born in central Kingston in 1962, recording his first records in 1979 at the age of 17. Coming out off the back of a slew of roots & early dancehall-style 45s cut with a wide range of producers thoughout the early '80s, the Wondering LP followed closely after two acclaimed LP sets ('Showcase' produced with Lord Koos & 'The Favourite' for Ossie Thomas' Black Solidarity label - plus a split showcase LP with Anthony "Gunshot" Johnson for Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label). Ffrench would write and produce the Wondering LP himself in it's entirity, laying down the tracks at Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius & Michael Carroll's Creative Sounds studios with the help of engineer Christopher Daley. Representing the sound of an artist first confidently sriking out on his own, the album elegantly mixes a classic rub-a-dub & lovers rock-inspired sound with nascent digi-esque flourishes. It boasts an enviable list of contributors too, incl. Sly & Robbie, Dwight Pinkney, Robbie Lyn, Nelson Miller (Burning Spear) and Ronald "Nambo" Robinson among others, with Beres Hammond also providing backing vocals in places. Following the release of Wondering, Ffrench would continue to write and produce, soon after releasing two further self-produced LPs for Edgar White's Parish label - and founded his own 'France' label in the late 80s, through which his productions would start to hit big, most notably alongside Courtney Melody on 'Modern Girl', and with US rapper Heavy D on the track 'More Love'. Robert's productions released through later label 'Ffrench' would go on to boast the cream of the crop of dancehall artists throughout the 90s and early 2000s, and he is often credited with discovering Buju Banton (producing his first single "Ruler" on the Stamina riddim). Ffrench is still actively producing music of his own to this day, having released singles 'Everyday of My Life' and 'Black Is a Colour' in late 2022 and Feb 2023 respectively, More

Rare late 80s reggae/dancehall heat coming yet again on DINTE sub-label 333. This time it's the turn of Hugh Maddo's Pop Style LP. Recorded in Jamaica at Byron Lee's Dynamics & Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius studios for the Bronx-based Jamaazima label in 1987, it is issued here under license from co-producer and label owner, Nami Harmon. The record features a host of celebrated and renowned musicians incl. Winston Wright, Bobby Ellis, Carlton "Santa" Davis, Dwight Pinkney, Willie Lindo and Mikey "Boo" Richards amongst many others - alongside the sublime vocals of Killamanjaro's Hugh Maddo aka UU Madoo. A must. More

Death Is Not The End's 333 sub-label drops a much needed reissue of Rupie Dan's My Black Race 12" from 1982. A huge Shaka selection featuring one of the heaviest dubs available from this era of UK roots production. Originally written and produced by Rupie for his Flag Records label, with engineering from Tony Addis (later of Addis Posse and the Warriors Dance label). More

Radio Slave covers and rewires Audion’s modern classic, ‘Mouth to Mouth’. A painstaking, disco-inspired replay rather than a traditional remix, the Radio Slave version of Matthew Dear’s Audion project’s mid-noughties defining track lands on the former’s Rekids imprint late-October.This all-new Radio Slave vs Audion version keeps the original's iconic pulsating energy but brings fresh synth loops and a buzzing lead that tread a new path for an anthem that unified house, techno minimal and more scenes upon its original release in 2006. An ever-evolving refresh with dark and freaky spoken word fragments that will have the dance floor in raptures all over again, Radio Slave vs Audion’s ‘Mouth to Mouth’ has been seeing dancefloor action from the great and good for a few months now. Radio Slave, aka Matt Edwards, has been synonymous with cutting-edge electronic music for decades. He has done it all, from underground techno anthems to rolling house tracks and plenty in between. Audion, aka Matthew Dear, is much the same - an artist with several different aliases and the ability to explore fresh musical territory each time he steps out. 2006's 'Mouth to Mouth' on Spectral Sound is one of his biggest hits - a truly unique track that united dance floors all over the world. More

Dennis Cruz delivers the landmark 300th release on Damian Lazarus’ iconic Crosstown Rebels imprint with ‘The Snake Charmer’ EP, featuring collaborations with Ian Ludvig and the label boss himself. An artist at the height of his powers, arriving o? the back of his busiest Ibiza season to date, it’s safe to say that Dennis Cruz is a man in extremely high demand within the global electronic landscape. Founder of his own labels MÜSE and CRZ, while featuring as a key member of the Solid Grooves Family, Cruz’s longstanding ties to Crosstown Rebels date back to his debut in 2018. Returning to the imprint following his excellent album ‘Roots’ in 2021, plus his recent contribution to the 20th Anniversary compilation with his remix of Pier Bucci’s ‘Hay Consuelo’, Cruz is back in emphatic fashion as he marks the 300th release in the label’s revered catalogue with his latest EP ‘The Snake Charmer’ - featuring two solo tracks alongside collaborations with fellow Crosstown signee Ian Ludvig and label founder Damian Lazarus himself. A master of crafting rolling arrangements with subtle nuances that keep dancefloors locked in unison, the four tracks across the package see Cruz experiment even further as he showcases a global array of influences. Opening track ‘Snake Charmer’ welcomes a crisp organic percussion arrangement accented by eastern flutes through to snaking grooves and hooky female vocal samples throughout, while ‘Revolution’ welcomes an all-star cast as he links with Damian Lazarus for a heady, skippy slice of house merging hazy chords and bright stabs with vocals from contemporary Detroit nightlife icon and staple DJ Holographic. On the flip, the Spaniard once again steps out solo and dives deep into a low-slung and playful groove on ‘Time Out’, introducing a wealth of vibrant vocals amongst blossoming melodies and soulful organ ri?s, before closing the show as he joins Ian Ludvig to present an o?-kilter, impactful and warping closer guided by provocative vocal snippets across ‘Pain Away’. More

Brazilian Bruno Furlan returns to Hot Creations once again with his ‘La Fiesta’ EP, featuring two scorching house tracks. One of Brazil’s leading house artists, Bruno Furlan continues to build a dedicated following across the globe, with his current US tour welcoming memorable performances at Club Space in Miami to Club Vinyl in Denver. His return to Hot Creations comes following the success of his ‘Bongoloco’ EP on the label to open 2023, alongside a slew of other releases on the likes of DIRTYBIRD, Club Sweat, Fool’s Gold Records, and his very own Track ID imprint. Delivering two fresh cuts for his fourth outing on Hot Creations Furlan showcases his growing sound once more here with ‘La Fiesta’. Leading with a spicy fusion of rattling percussions and vibrant bongo drums, the title track ‘La Fiesta’ ignites a Dancefloor frenzy, honouring his roots through rich, pounding beats and impassioned vocals. Next up ‘Give Me That Bass’ is another production built with main stage energy, bringing punchy stabs and alluring calls to get people locked into the groove. More

LOCUS unveils the lineup for the fourth instalment of its ‘LOCUS Trax’ VA series, Danny Snowden, Job de Jong, ADR and OURMINDZ delivering label debuts across the package. Blossoming as a label with its own identity, FUSE’s sister imprint LOCUS is continuing to serve up dancefloor heat at an impressive level, with 2023’s releases featuring material from Lauren Lo Sung, Youandewan, Nolga, Okain, Garrett David and more. Returning with another edition of its ongoing ‘LOCUS Trax’ VA, shining a spotlight on emerging talent of note, late October welcomes four new names to the label as UK trio Danny Snowden, ADR, and OURMINDZ join Dutchman Job de Jong. Danny Snowden kicks things off with the euphoric tones of ‘Essence’ as he combines glossy synths with skippy percussion and a snaking groove, while Job de Jong draws for rumbling low-ends and playful, bouncy electronics Across ‘OOC’. Heading up the b-side, ADR’s ‘Bungee Gum’ brings hazy chords, snaking drums subtle acid-dipped melodies, before OURMINDZ merges resonant organ stabs and elastic synths on the lively ‘Dusty’. LOCUS Trax Volume 4 drops on 27th October 2023 via digital and physical formats More

Accomplished UK mainstay J1Mi launches the long awaited Beyonders label with a fantastic first EP that captures the eclectic nature of his sound. J1mi aka James Hadfield has been making all manner of sounds for years - both solo and as one half of Lizards - from house to disco, Balearic to techno, and always on revered labels like MeMeMe, Not An Animal, Leng, Futureboogie and Phonica. He is part of the Beyonders collective that was started by Jason and Mark Goodings of 90’s pioneering breaks and drum and bass duo Hidden Agenda. The collective is now back after a hiatus following Mark's tragic passing in 2016 and is as fruitful as ever with members including James as well as Mal Sharp and Nick Grimes and now a new label.The brilliant 'Sixes Now' has a menacing synth screwing about the mix before percussive grooves and elastic bass arrive to lock you into a dark disco groove full of menace and suspense. The thumping 'Modern Maze' is another hugely inventive sound with rickety rhythms, erotic vocal coos and wiry synths. A bewitching breakdown brings acoustic guitars and places the vocal front and centre before the punchy house kicks come back once more. 'Desire' featuring Crazy P vocalist Danielle Moore is an indie disco cut with jazzy chords and playful funk riffs that lift the spirits and cruise on smooth grooves. Closer 'Japanese Kipling' is a prickly brew with off-grid hots and vocal sounds, distant hits of melody and dubby rhythms that are wonderfully intoxicating. This standout first EP very much sets the scene for what is sure to be a crucial UK More

Anané’s Take A Ride EP was produced by Two Soul Fusion, aka Louie Vega and Josh Milan, all with live string arrangements courtesy of the Apple Hill String Quartet and conducted by Leroy Burgess. The recording dives from the effortless heights of Punk Disco (Let Me Be Your Fantasy, High) into the swirling eddies of Jazz Funk (Coffy Is The Color) before climbing back out into the languorous arms of Italo-Disco (Tutto Previsto). Strings across the production were The EP is held together in its entirety by the dreamy, sumptuous vocal of its creator Anané, who considers her top line one vital part of the instrumental whole. “I am art,” Anané reflects carefully, “for I am the music as much as I am the singer. Creation means to crawl into the unseen of my own dreams and becoming the beast of my vision, singing to the world as I go by.” More

Danny Daze presents a brand new alias for Slacker 85 first solo artist EP - D33 is a long-gestating alter-ego through which the Miami DJ & producer plans to explore a more house-leaning output. The Operator EP sees the Omnidisc label owner channeling his multi-genre, Miami bass-infused sound into a quartet of stripped-down machine jams tailored for house DJ sets, with the fidgety title track issued in two flavors, the D33 ‘Wet Mix’ and Danny Daze ‘Dry Mix’, while on the B-side the heavy kick and evil bassline of ‘Azuca’ is offset by the hypnotic Jonny From Space collab ‘C’mon’. “D33 is an alias I’ve had floating around in my head for years. It leans more towards my house music side and allows my head to dig into simpler production of dance music. My D33 production and DJ sets purposely feel a bit more laid back. Now I have the time to give out a crazy amount of hugs in between tracks while DJing… :) ” - Danny Daze aka D33 More