The Small Axe People

The Small Axe People – ‘Generation Version’ (2008)

‘Generation Version’ marks yet another new release from the prolific Small Axe People. While last year’s ‘The Wildest Version’ may have dabbled in TV and film sci-fi themes, this CD marks a return to a sound more overtly influenced by the likes of Augustus Pablo, Glen Adams and Lloyd Charmers. However, this time around the skanking and bubbling sound of the Now Generation band is also clearly in the mix. Not an easy trick given that there are no overt guitar sounds on this CD. In Small Axe tradition the songs remain very minimal – there is not even a fragment of vocal on this release. What the sound does have is a hypnotic sense of mystery which is built up via subtle variation. Other songs such as the piano-driven ‘Deh’ are more playful and bouncy. This is the bare-bones type of music that supplies open spaces and thus allows listeners to either enjoy it as is or imagine potential augmentations or remixes (there is already a dub companion CD released under the title ‘Area X – Dub One’). As with previous Small Axe People productions the sound of ‘Generation Version’ seems to be simultaneously looking backwards and forwards.

Jim Dooley

Small Axe People – The Wildest Version

‘The Wildest Version’ continues the Small Axe People’s exploration of minimal sounds of version. This is the sound of instrumental reggae that was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s before the Jamaican sound became increasingly layered and the effects of dub became too extreme. As with previous Small Axe releases, this CD has a sound that centers around the textures of organ and melodica. At the same time, there is further exploration of atmospheric and bass textures as well as percussive effects. Songs such as ‘Quirky’ and ‘Blink’ have an almost ‘X-Files’ feel about them – as if they are connected to the sci-fi sounds that emanated from the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop in the mid-1960s. Some of the more percussion-driven songs, such as ‘Cordon’, bring to mind the work that engineer Paul ‘Groucho’ Smykle did with Black Uhuru in the early 1980s. At the same time, as with earlier releases, this CD continues to be highly influenced by hiccupping and bouncing sounds of Jamaican producer/engineer Lynford Anderson (aka Andy Capp). The song ‘Pop O’ is clearly an homage to Anderson’s pioneering work. ‘The Wildest Version’ pulls off that most difficult of musical balances – it both maintains the established Small Axe People grounding and explores new and intriguing sounds and spaces.

Jim Dooley

Available from:

www.cdbaby.com
www.sdcd.com
www.sternsmusic.com
www.payplay.fm

The Small Axe People - Generation Version

Area X - Dub One

After the reviews in 2001 of the first Small Axe People album "Original Version" and one of its successors, the 2003 release "Once Upon A Version" by Teacher & Mr.T and mine of 2004 release "Portion Of Version" and in 2005 of the first 'vocal' album, a joint effort with legendary Studio One and Treasure Isle veteran DJ Dennis Alcapone "Just Version" and one year later in June 2006 of "V Is For Version", followed by last year's "The Wildest Version", this "Generation Version" is, together with its dub companion "Dub One" credited to Area X the latest release by The Small Axe People, the brainchild of the very amicable long time reggae and dub (and yes, even dancehall) aficionado Ray Hurford, editor, owner and writer of 'Small Axe', the reggaezine that has become an institution over the years, first on paper and later on the internet.

As pointed out in the earlier mentioned reviews of "Original Version", "Once Upon A Version", "Portion Of Version" and "The Wildest Version", the whole concept, around which this now acclaimed series of version albums has been built, is based on the "Pop A Top" version Andy Capp a.k.a. Lynford Anderson cut of Derrick Morgan's recut of "Fat Man". And then not taken to just versioning a riddim, but to versioning the version again, and again again. With the minimal changes in instrumentation over the whole of those albums, all in all 12 tracks, the concept seems to owe as much to minimal music pioneers like Philip Glass et alibus, and while probably closer to reggae music is just as minimalistic and 'obsessed' by repetition, the techno-dub of Rhythm & Sound, the sound covered on this site in depth in the 'Jamaican hallucinations in stripped-down slowmotion'-article. It's clear where the inspiration is coming from, but it's always styled as a tribute, never as an epigone. Expect another Small Axe People release later this year: the title yet to be confirmed but with a more 'skanking' sound.

A stabbing keyboard riddim opens the "Generation Version" album under the keyboard melodies that dominate "Reason" and its walking bassline, in fact in my opinion dominating the track a bit too much, as it seems too much focus has been on the melody here and not enough on the riddim, generated with the Reason-program, hence the title of this opener. The basic riddim in the next version "Connection" is almost unchanged, but the riddim seems to be more upfront in the whole mix with large parts being dedicated to just the keyboard stabs and/or the bassline and the melody has shifted to synthi-horn-riff imitations that lend the whole track a lot more balance. It is almost unbelievable how much more intriguing both these tracks sound in their respective dub disguises on Area X' "Dub One" album, where despite adding more sounds, the whole soundscape concept is being disclosed further and deeper than in these instrumentals.

On "Tinhead" the melodic riffs are the same as on "Connection", but these have been simplified, losing some of the ability to keep the listener's attention the riffs had throughout "Connection", where on the contrary the piano chords in "Hiro" result in one of the best versions on this album, flowing steadily alongside the clicking riddim and the syncopated bassline with just a hint of melodic riffs much further down in the mix. "Waterhouse" might not be as freaky as "Waterhouse Walk" on the predecessing album "The Wildest Version", but has the weirdest broken chord soundeffect melody of all tunes here, offering one of the most intriguing versions, followed by "Cookie" where a simple but effective piano chord pattern lends a soulful effect to the version, that also benefits from several little breaks in the riddim and "Button", on which the same flaws as on "Reason" weaken the version, despite its marching drum riddim suddenly appearing in the mix, making it one of the tracks of which you can already hear now, that it will surely become a very attractive track in a dub incarnation, something proven by its dub version on "Dub One" by Area X.

On "Rockfort" the bass goes subsonic, haunting keyboard stabs over an in and out the mix (dis-)appearing set of piano stabs make a melody very reminiscent of the one in opener "Reason" appear completely in place here, for a very nice vibe that only gets better in "Deh" where the playful (early reggae) organ melody is counteracted by the light melodic piano chords for more enjoyable listening - as long as the piano is in the mix, which it isn't completely throughout the tune, but for the better part of it -. On "Safe" the version features both the light melodic chords of "Deh", though not on piano now, as well as jazzy melody riffs and a very nice bells-like percussion, before on "Disassociation" a melodica (a harmonica with a keyboard, made famous in reggae by Augustus Pablo with his Far East sound) melody with a beautiful distinct cymbal drum pattern gets us as close to 'standard instrumental reggae' as we will get on this set, before this album is closed with the freakier sounds of "Hail", an album that is on its own not one of the strongest releases by The Small Axe People, but nicer in combination with Area X' "Dub One". To hear it, visit The Small Axe People, to buy it, visit Small Axe People Paypal.

In the fall of 2001 we received The Small Axe People's debut cd called "Original Version", the brainchild of Ray Hurford, editor, owner and writer of Small Axe, the reggaezine that has become an institution over the years, first on paper than on the internet. The music that leaped from our speakers was nearly freaky, experimental music and complety different from what we usually inserted in our cd player. Every track more or less had the same stripped down repetitive sound, with the sound of the organ and, of course, the organ riffs making the difference. The whole idea and actually main inspiration came from a tune called "Pop A Top" by Andy Capp. The latter (real name Lynford Anderson) had put so much delay and non-standard sounds on "Pop A Top" that it was truly wild... the concept of the "Version" had been born in reggae. This may not be widely known, but it truly was a significant and also interesting moment in the transition to early reggae. Due to certain circumstances the follow up cd's "Version Wise" and "Jazzbo T At The Controls : Original Version In Dub" couldn't be found in the racks of the record shops because Ray had to turn to homemade copies. The same goes for The Small Axe People's latest 12 track album, "Once Upon A Version". All albums so far have strongly reflected Ray Hurford's riddim obsession. On the follow up to his first Small Axe People release, "Version Wise", his musical efforts developed with more melodic inflections, and here we're treated to a more rhythmic outing. Basically the concept remains the same, but now there are real drum patterns, some wicked bass lines, guitar riffs and nice organ parts. Thus "Once Upon A Version" has become a more accessible album than its predecessors. Even though it seemingly doesn't sound that freaky and experimental anymore, the music still requires intense and careful listening to experience the various moods. Favourite tracks are "Idlers Rest", "Bamf", "Five Corners", "Banana Bop Top" and "Bourbon Street Skank".

Teacher & Mr. T.
To understand to concept of The Small Axe People's debut CD "Original Version" one has to go back in time, and to be more specific, back to the year 1969. Then reggae music had finally gone international with the likes of Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff and The Pioneers. Things were looking real good and loads of new producers were coming into music, one of them being Lynford Anderson. Anderson had established his name as the most gifted recording engineer ever to work in Jamaica as he engineered on loads of recording sessions including many for hit producer Leslie Kong. It was his interest in producing which kept pulling him back into that role. A cheap way into production was to buy a riddim track from another producer and work on it. Derrick Morgan had recut an old riddim and blues tune "Fat Man" for himself. This tune had been passed onto Lynford Anderson, probably in payment for some work.
What happened next was the release of "Pop A Top", a significant moment in the transition to early reggae and actually the main inspiration for The Small Axe People's "Original Version". That tune had a little bit of everything. Was the intro deejaying or rapping, or an early sample? And what was going on with the bass and drum? And then you had that organ riff !! Lynford Anderson had put so much delay and non-standard sounds on "Pop A Top" that it was truly wild... the concept of the "Version" had been born in reggae. Andy Capp as Lynford Anderson called himself followed "Pop A Top" with "The Law", another truly inspirational and excellent piece of work. After these first specimen of "Version" further efforts in the same vein followed with Dave & Ansel Collins' monster hit "Double Barrel" and its follow-up "Monkey Spanner" probably being the most successful. But reggae is always looking for something new, and it got it with the serious arrival of deejaying with U Roy, Dennis Alcapone and I Roy. A couple of years after that another engineer called King Tubby came up with another new concept "Dub". That sound was to go onto to influence all of popular music - right up to the present.
So whatever happened to "Version", that strange mixture of instrumental, deejaying and dub. Well people spoke of it from time to time, but nothing happened. So with nothing happening, The Small Axe People decided it was time to remind people of the concept of "Version" and released this 12-track CD. No deejaying, no dub - although it has a bit of echo and reverb - can be found on this set, but instead pure instrumentals. However, if you expect the kind of instrumentals that can be categorised as "easy listening music" you are totally wrong. This is complety different stuff. Every track more or less incorporates the same stripped down repetitive sound, however it's the sound of the organ and, of course, the organ riffs which make the difference. However, to be honest it isn't easy to get into the music featured on this CD. It requires patience, intensive and careful listening and also an open mind and ear to capture the sound, texture and feel of each track. Those who are not familiar with the aforementioned examples of "Version" will probably call it freaky, experimental music, but anyhow it is "Original Version"!

Teacher & Mr. T.

The cd is available from :
Majestic in the UK and Europe : majestic@freeuk.com
OuterNational Records in the USA : outa1@harbornet.com

Opening this album is the very minimalistic, but by putting the riffs and keyboards motives over the stabbing keyboard riddim and heavy bassy accents accompanying very intriguing "1-38" including a nice (police?)radio 1-38-sample, followed by the much more gloomy sound of "Beast" with its bubbling subsonic bass-synth and spooky melodica (a harmonica with a keyboard, made famous in reggae by Augustus Pablo and his Far East sound) lines on top. "Blink" is the ultimate tribute to the dub-techno sound of Rhythm & Sound and minimal music, with just bass-low fast moving scales being the foundation for the melodic keyboards on top. "Cordon" is much more straightforward reggae dub or instrumental with the special tension brought up by the way the drum and percussion pattern is mixed in and out and in and out as just an accent giving a beat while the keyboards bubble on nicely in contrast.

"Pop O" brings back the melodica sound for the melody lines over a riddim that is so far deconstructed built with the sound of popping something thoroughly vacuum (I suppose hence the title of the tune), that it could as easily be used as a modern hardcore dancehall riddim as it is used now as a dubby backing for the melodica, very strange yet extremely impressive. And all written about "Pop O" can be applied without a change to "Pirate Code" as well, which is as much a hybrid of (minimal techno-)dub and an almost completely stripped down hardcore dancehall riddim for from The Small Axe people maybe unexpected, but truly as joyful listening as the previous works. Both versions of the 'Pirate Code'-riddim following then, "Disclosure" and "Directory Call" are more familiar sounds if you heard the earlier albums and especially the minimalistic tunes on latest release before this "V Is For Version".

"Quirky" is a quite upful instrumental because of the piano chords taking on the melody, making the 'Pirate Code'-riddim sounding completely different to fully claim the title of this album, as the version keep coming and all have their complete own identity even luring you into thinking you'd be listening to completely different riddims/tunes. But no, you're not, as "Resistance" on which The Small Axe People use computer-game like sound effects to go 'Scientist Meets The Space Invaders'-style proves. "Unsafe" is the one tune on this album where the mix doesn't work or the minimalistic bassdrum-pattern with the almost metronomic accent and keyboard layers on top just doesn't seem to have that slight movement at all, but in the ultra-weird sounding last tune of this album "Waterhouse Walk" all is made up for, as it the same minimalistic bassdrum pattern now completely kicking it as the the other soundeffects and real weird melody line completely grab and keep your full attention. Once more a very enjoyable version album, on which a new additional direction seems to have been integrated with the riddims reminiscing stripped down hardcore dancehall patterns, the must be heard (and praised) once more by all Wackies, Rhythm & Sound, Augustus Pable and Lee 'Scratch' Perry aficionados, but also by anyone having a faint interest in minimal music and real stripped down to the bone (reggae) music. To hear it or buy it, visit cdbaby.com, Super D, Sterns Music Online or payplay.fm.

After the reviews in 2001 of the first Small Axe People album "Original Version" and one of its successors, the 2003 release "Once Upon A Version" by Teacher & Mr.T, and mine of 2004 release "Portion Of Version" and in 2005 of the first 'vocal' album, a joint effort with legendary Studio One and Treasure Isle veteran DJ Dennis Alcapone "Just Version" this "V Is For Version" is the latest release by The Small Axe People, the brainchild of the very amicable long time reggae and dub (and yes, even dancehall) aficionado Ray Hurford, editor, owner and writer of 'Small Axe', the reggaezine that has become an institution over the years, first on paper and later on the internet. As pointed out in the earlier mentioned reviews of "Original Version", "Once Upon A Version" and "Portion Of Version", the whole concept, around which this now acclaimed series of version albums has been built, is based on the "Pop A Top" version Andy Capp a.k.a. Lynford Anderson cut of Derrick Morgan's recut of "Fat Man". And then not taken to just versioning a riddim, but to versioning the version again, and again again. With the minimal changes in instrumentation over the whole of those albums, all in all 12 tracks, the concept seems to owe as much to minimal music pioneers like Philip Glass et alibus, and probably closer to reggae music but just as minimalistic and 'obsessed' by repetition, the techno-dub of Rhythm & Sound, the sound covered on this site in depth in the 'Jamaican hallucinations in stripped-down slowmotion'-article. It's clear where the inspiration is coming from, but it's always styled as a tribute, never as an epigone. Opening this album is the rather minimalistic, but by putting the riffs and keyboards motives over the stabbing keyboard riddim never losing one's attention "Trodding", followed by "Invalidation" that recalls memories of Augustus Pablo's Far East Sound, haunting, minor-key tunes with sparse lines for melody lines from either his trademark melodica (a harmonica with a keyboard) or keyboards floating above deep bass lines and echoing keyboards and "Sidetrack", a brilliant boogie-ish piano-lick over a heavy bass driven backing track that swings and grooves and makes you move. "Still Digging" is a nice variation on the approach in "Invalidation", followed by a version that brings back memories of the melodic keyboard riffs over heavy riddims that one of Jah Shaka's most brilliant dub albums ever, 1988's "Meets Aswad In Addis Ababa Studio", called "Pulse". "Bush Skank" is the most minimalistic tune, with just hints of broken keyboards chords and accents and melodica over a syncopated bass and snatches of percussion, intriguing for its full (though short) length. "Jericho" is minimalistic as well, with arpeggios dominating the synth layers accompanying its version of the riddim, followed by "Congo Square" on which a melancholic mood is invoked by a keyboard riff 'imitating' a wailing guitar and "Charly X", on which melodica snatches capture an even more melancholic mood that is reminiscent of the contemplative mood that Augustus Pablo could render. "Cappy" is more straightforward - though minimal and deconstructed - dub before "Pablo's Letter" takes us back to a more melodic version of opening track "Trodding" before this album is closed by "Chenappa South Of Los Cruces" on which the melody of Studio One's classic "Rockfort Rock" sipples through, for a very enjoyable version album, that certainly needs to be heard (and praised) by all Wackies, Rhythm & Sound, Augustus Pablo and early Lee 'Scratch' Perry enthusiasts, and moreover anyone not shying away from the 'stripped down' side of Jamaican music. To hear it or buy it, visit cdbaby.com.

After the reviews in 2001 of the first Small Axe People album "Original Version" and one of its successors, the 2003 release "Once Upon A Version" by Teacher & Mr.T, and mine of 2004 release "Portion Of Version" this time the first 'vocal' album, a joint effort with legendary Studio One and Treasure Isle veteran DJ Dennis Alcapone "Just A Version" has been released as latest release by The Small Axe People, the brainchild of Ray Hurford, editor, owner and writer of 'Small Axe', the reggaezine that has become an institution over the years, first on paper and later on the internet. As pointed out in the earlier mentioned reviews of "Original Version", "Once Upon A Version" and "Portion Of Version", the whole concept, around which this now acclaimed series of version albums has been built, is based on the "Pop A Top" version Andy Capp a.k.a. Lynford Anderson cut of Derrick Morgan's recut of "Fat Man". And then not taken to just versioning a riddim, but to versioning the version again, and again again. With the minimal changes in instrumentation over the whole of those albums, all in all 12 tracks, the concept seems to owe as much to minimal music pioneers like Philip Glass et alibus, and probably closer to reggae music but just as minimalistic and 'obsessed' by repetition, the techno-dub of Rhythm & Sound, the sound recently covered on this site in depth in the 'Jamaican hallucinations in stripped-down slowmotion'-article. This album follows on the heels of Rhythm & Sound's superb "See Mi Yah" one-riddim-album, and here the concept has been reversed, there's no change of featured vocalist for each track, as Dennis Alcapone is featured on all 12, but is has the same gradual shift of moods for each of the tracks through using different mixes and riddims, with Dennis Alcapone merely used as intro-man and jive talker, thus emphasizing instead of dominating the riddim. From the piano-theme driven "Hook Line And Sinker, through the drum-roll driven, estranging guitar accents and more dubby relying on the bass mixed "Dot The I", digi-bass featuring "Lick It Back" from the top / to the very last drop, the prominent keyboard-chops and almost jazzy walking bass in "Give To Get", the Lee 'Scratch' Perry's soulish early 70s productions invoking "Great Is Great" with its piano-thrillers, the completely stripped-down "Live The Life You Love", and swinging "Spread Out And Scatter", the guitar accents from "Dot The I" coming back even more prominent and penetrating in "Crazy Like I Tell You", a dubbed up melodica dominated one drop backing "Give Love A Try", "Put A Smile On Your Face", the again early Lee 'Scratch' Perry reminiscent "Magnet And Steel" until the last tune of this album "Dig You Later" this is a very entertaining set. It's clear where the inspiration is coming from, but it's always as if it were a tribute, never as an epigone. Thus this album needs to be heard (and praised) by all Wackies, Rhythm & Sound and early Lee 'Scratch' Perry enthusiasts, and moreover anyone not shying away from the 'stripped down' side of Jamaican music. To hear it or buy it, visit cdbaby.com or musicghost.com

The Small Axe People - A Portion Of Version

After the reviews in 2001 of the first Small Axe People album "Original Version" and one of its successors, the 2003 release "Once Upon A Version" by Teacher & Mr.T this times the honour is mine to review "A Portion Of Version", the latest release by The Small Axe People, the brainchild of Ray Hurford, editor, owner and writer of 'Small Axe', the reggaezine that has become an institution over the years, first on paper and later on the internet. As pointed out in the earlier mentioned reviews of "Original Version" and "Once Upon A Version", the whole concept, around which this now acclaimed series of version albums has been built, is based on the "Pop A Top" version Andy Capp a.k.a. Lynford Anderson cut of Derrick Morgan's recut of "Fat Man". And then not taken to just versioning a riddim, but to versioning the version again, and again again. With the minimal changes in instrumentation over the whole of the album, all in all 12 tracks, the concept seems to owe as much to minimal music pioneers like Philip Glass et alibus, and probably closer to reggae music but just as minimalistic and 'obsessed' by repetition, the techno-dub of Rhyhthm & Sound, the sound recently covered on this site in depth in the 'Jamaican hallucinations in stripped-down slowmotion'-article. Because of the meditative character of the non-dub instrumentals, another name coming to mind (of course hard to avoid when running into the tracks where a melodica is used as the melody-instrument, but much more invoked for me by the mood of the tunes) is Augustus Pablo. From the rather classic sound "Laws Of Night" that has a bells-like accent every fourth of the bar, and might have 'Laws' in its title as a reference to Andy Capp's follow-up to "Pop A Top", simply called "The Law". Bar-long organ chords over a more percussive version of the riddim give a bluish feel to "Outernational 1", before a piano intro and some piano themes yet another more classic one droppish version called "Targetting". A prime example of a little more dubbed up Augustus Pablo-like melodica version is given in "X Marks The Spot", before an almost jazzy piano chord version with uptempo feel follows titled "Stretch". The next tune is a bit more experimental, but its title also reminds me of the tradition, named after one of the alltime classic Studio One dub-instrumentals "Banana Walk", as is a tune which name is referring to the original inspiration "Coco Pop A Bop", a tune bringing back the feel of the first synthesizer experryments in Lee 'Scratch' Perry productions in the earliest 70s. I've been thinking about the title of the tune following "Snikt" for about an hour now, in Dutch it means 'sobs' but I am curious what inspired it here, the tune itself is another more experimental sounding tune, but very pleasant when you let it take over. "Red Mystic" has a roots with synthesizers feel that I'm not too fond of, it has a crossover feel that I dislike, but it is the only weaker version on this album, and it is immediately followed by an absolutely excellent version with blues/boogie piano thrillers that had my own fingers itch to play again. Brilliance over a rather far deconstructed version of the riddim in "Ital Gumbo" leading into a much busier yet still relaxed version named after one of the to reggae-lovers worldwide familiar sounding Kingston "#1 North Parade". "Trustbuster" proves you don't need voicings or lyrics to keep the tension on a one-riddim-album, as this rocksteady influenced version closes an excellent set of versions: "A Portion Of Version" is an album that needs to be heard (and praised) by anyone not shying away from the 'stripped down' side of Jamaican music. To hear it you can click on the buy link below.

Souljah

THE SMALL AXE PEOPLE

VERSION WISE

SMALL AXE PEOPLE SAP002

JAZZBO T AT THE CONTROLS

ORIGINAL VERSION IN DUB

SMALL AXE PEOPLE SAP003

Titles such as Wall Crawler, Skank the Plank and Bubble and Squeak give away the game straight away that this has got to be an Englishman at work. In fact its none other than Ray Hurford of Small Axe reggaezine and reggaefiles fame, who now contain his fandom to the excellent website bearing the same name. The two homemade how lo can you go lo-fi albums here reflect Ray's riddim obsession. "Version Wise" starts off where Andy Cap's Pop a Top left off and continues to band at the nail, an idea initiated by Ray in the first Small Axe People release and developed here with more melodic inflections. Daniel Miller's Silicon Teens once seemed to be the nearest comparison, but they only dared to make album whilst Ray ain't letting this bone go. I have failed to detect any distinctions between the actual Small Axe People and the approach of the Jazzbo T set, with the exception of track 11 - dangerously experimental in a quiet Japanese way and track 12 which eschews any reggae rhythm and then just stops! When I say lo-fi dub I do not mean space, glitch, clicks and cuts and texture - I mean the Stardust Cowboy of version. If I were to capture Ray as First Generation Casio and Rolf Harris' Stylophone meets Fisher Price at the ZX81 of Dub then that would not imply in any way that I do not love these CDs, to the contrary they display a knowledge and warmth missing in most straight nu roots. Version on El Rayos!

THE SMALL AXE PEOPLE

ONCE UPON A VERSION

SMALL AXE PEOPLE SAP003

This is the fourth 'do-it-yourself' rhythm album from the eminent Mr. Ray Hurford, proprietor of that most excellent of reggae websites Small Axe. Ray has always supported reggae of all shades but the appearance of the first album from the Small Axe People came as a shock to many who knew Ray from time back as the sounds he issued bordered on the experimental. And that's indeed what they were, Ray was experimenting with production of the music he loved, a process not much removed from what goes on in any studio - of whatever denomination. So it's to be expected that Ray has 'progressed', moving on from rhythm to riffing, from bassline to melody as his 'Pop A Top' fixation makes a mystical link with the sound of early digital Ujama dub versions. By the end of the new series of rhythm doodles, when we get to final track 'Bourbon Street Skank, we are beginning to expect an hitherto undelivered level of sophistication that's duly delivered by a rolling piano instrumental a la Professor Longhair. But then normal service is resumed as the track comes to an abruptly unexpected, and rather disappointing, halt! Expect robotic Rasta DJs from Ray next.

Steve Barker