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Reggae Discomix Showcase, Vol. 2
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Reggae Discomix Showcase, Vol. 2
Current price: $13.99
Barnes and Noble
Reggae Discomix Showcase, Vol. 2
Current price: $13.99
Loading Inventory...
Size: OS
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In the open-air sound system dances of Kingston in the 1960s and 1970s, the crowd wanted the music to go on as long as possible without interruption. To that end, labels began putting out singles on LP-sized 12" records, in extended versions (much the same thing was happening with disco records in the U.S.). Because frugal reggae producers had long since learned that they could make more money with less studio outlay by putting a remixed instrumental version (rather than a second song) on the B-side of a single, it was only natural to tack the remix directly onto the end of the vocal version and extend the mix that way. Add a rapper (a "DJ" or "toaster" in reggae parlance) on top of the dub mix, and chances are you'd have a hit. No one used this technique with more consistently fine results throughout the 1970s than the production team of
and
, who soon became known as "the Mighty Two." The second volume in this three-disc series of discomix compilations from the
vaults finds the pair working with
(easily reggae's finest falsetto singer) on two excellent tracks, as well as with his fellow superstars
, in addition to such lesser-known but worthy singers as
.
and DJ
team up for the brilliant
delivers some fine and soul-inflected lover's reggae on
(whose extended mix features a dub version but no DJ), and a young
reminds us how she became the queen of lovers rock with the brilliant
which is paired with a top-notch DJ cut by
. One or two clunkers mar the set a little bit --
is a so-so three-way DJ excursion featuring
,
, and
, none of them sounding at the top of his game, and
'
is based on a rather tedious two-chord progression and suffers from half-baked (possibly improvised) lyrics as well. But overall, this set is more than worth the price. ~ Rick Anderson