Dub & Reggae Playlist – 500 Tracks While I grew up listening to the greats like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff and Black Uhuru, one of my aims when creating Headstash Music was to shine a light on new musicians and their modern takes on traditional genres. This playlist definitely reflects that desire, but I have also mixed in a few lesser known old school artists from back in the day just to represent the genre, and break the pace of da bass heavy dub tracks! This is three and a half days of non stop music, so the page might take a few seconds to load, then it will be good to go.
Little Axes signature gospel dub sound takes you on a haunting and spiritual journey through blues history with a mystical blending of synthetic and organic instrumentation. Which musician has links to The Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, James Brown, Robert Plant, Tackhead, and Megadeth? The answer is Skip McDonald, and Skip is Little Axe – Bandcamp
Grounded in blues music learned from his father, McDonald spent his early days playing jazz, doo-wop, and gospel, and eventually relocated to New York City as a teenager with his band of friends, called The Entertainers. McDonald formed the group Wood Brass & Steel in 1973 with bass guitarist Doug Wimbish and drummer Harold Sargent. The group recorded two albums before their 1979 breakup. He then became part of the house band for Sugarhill Records and appeared as a session player on many early rap albums, including “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. After leaving Sugarhill, McDonald, Wimbish, and drummer Keith LeBlanc began working with Adrian Sherwood, and eventually formed the trio into the industrial/dub group Tackhead, initially fronted by Gary Clail and later Bernard Fowler. McDonald would also collaborate with Sherwood on other projects, including albums by African Head Charge and Mark Stewart. In the 1990s, McDonald assumed the moniker “Little Axe” and began moving from hip hop to a form of blues that drew from an array of musical influences, including dub, R&B, gospel, and jazz. He has been working steadily as a studio musician, recording both his own blues albums, continuing to appear as a guest act on other artists’ albums as well. His most recent albums have been released on Real World Records. Alan Glen is often featured on harmonica on these albums. In 2009 he collaborated with Mauritanian musician Daby Touré to produce a record titled Call My Name.As of 2016, he still tours and gigs regularly, has a loyal following and is in regular demand for session work as a guitarist. – Wikipedia.
“South Londoner Greentea Peng vibrates a little differently from the rest of us, literally – her debut album was purposely recorded at 432Hz (and not the industry standard 440) because of the frequency’s much-discussed soothing properties. Within the album lies a hazy miasma of jazz, righteous reggae, easy-going hip-hop and vintage neo-soul in which the echo effects of dub and the swirl of psychedelia hand off to skitters of drum’n’bass. “Krishna and Jah” keep watch over the recording studio.” – The Guardian
Formed in the early 80’s, the UK’s Maximum Joy are a dubbed out, horn forward group that mix punk, funk, disco, and reggae, all contained by tight, ropey bass lines. Produced by the legendary Adrian Sherwood. His hand is evident in the sound, that is both loose and technically on point.
The Resonators are a UK-based live dub reggae band. They have released three albums: Resonators (2010), The Constant (2012) and Imaginary People (2016). The Constant: Deluxe Edition was released in 2014 and featured additional dub versions of previously released tracks and two additional remixes. Wikipedia
Barrington Ainsworth Levy born 1964, is a Jamaicanreggae and dancehall artist. He formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released “My Black Girl” in 1977. Levy established his solo career the next year with “A Long Time Since We Don’t Have No Love”; though the single was a failure, the fourteen-year-old was a popular performer at Jamaican dancehalls. In an August 2014 interview with Midnight Raver, record producer Delroy Wright revealed that it was his brother Hyman Wright who first met Barrington Levy in the mid-1970s through Wade “Trinity” Brammer. According to Delroy Wright, Hyman Wright recorded a host of tracks with Barrington Levy prior to introducing him to Henry “Junjo” Lawes. These tracks would eventually appear on the album Bounty Hunter, which was released on the Jah Life record label. Both record producers recorded several singles with the Roots Radics, including “Al Yah We Deh”, “Looking My Love”, “Englishman”, “Skylarking”, “Wedding Ring Aside” and “Collie Weed”, all of which became hits and established Levy’s career. Levy’s next few singles were similarly successful, including “Shine Eye Girl”, “Wicked Intention”, “Jumpy Girl”, “Disco Music”, “Reggae Music”, “Never Tear My Love Apart”, “Jah”, “You Made Me So Happy” and “When You’re Young and in Love”. Levy then recorded several duets with Toyan, Jah Thomas and Trinity, and appeared at Reggae Sunsplash in 1980 and 1981. Although albums were not terribly important in Jamaica at the time, Levy released four albums before 1980: Shaolin Temple, Bounty Hunter, Shine Eye Gal (United Kingdom) and Englishman, a critically acclaimed record. His success led to many earlier studio and sound system performances being reissued without his consent, releases he described as “joke business”. By the time his 1980 album Robin Hood was released, Levy was one of the biggest Jamaican stars, and saw his international fame growing as well, especially in the United Kingdom. Levy made his debut as a producer on the rare 1981 showcase album titled Run Come Ya, which was issued on the Canadian Puff Records label. Taking a break from albums, Levy then released a series of hit singles, including “Mary Long Tongue”, “In the Dark”, “Too Poor”, “I Have a Problem”, “Even Tide Fire a Disaster”, “I’m Not in Love”, “You Have It”, “Love of Jah”, “Under Mi Sensi”, “Tomorrow Is Another Day”, “Robberman”, “Black Roses”, “My Woman” and “Money Move”. He began working with Paul “Jah Screw” Love and toured the UK in 1984, where he enjoyed a big hit on the reggae charts with “Under Mi Sensi”, which was followed by the crossover hit “Here I Come”, which reached number 41 in the UK Singles Chart in 1985. He returned to LPs with Lifestyle and Money Move, followed by a British hit album called Here I Come; Levy received the Best Vocalist prize at the British Reggae Awards in 1984. The late 1980s saw Levy, now in his twenties, slow down his recorded output, though he continued to perform and record regularly, and played at Sunsplash every year from 1987 to 1995.[2] His fortunes were revived by two cover versions of Bob Andy songs – “My Time” and “Too Experienced”, both produced by Jah Screw, and he was signed by Island Records in 1991 for the Divine album. In 1991 he returned to the UK chart with “Tribal Base”, a single by Rebel MC featuring Levy and Tenor Fly, which reached number 20.[2] In 1993, Levy tried to break in the United States with the Barrington album, produced by Lee Jaffe, Andre Betts and Sly & Robbie, but it failed to give him the breakthrough he wanted and his relationship with MCA Records was short-lived. In the 1990s, Levy continued to release periodic hits in Jamaica, and more rarely in the UK, although his vocals were sampled and used in many underground and released jungle tunes. In 1998, he released Living Dangerously, which included a collaboration with one of Jamaica’s most prolific deejays, Bounty Killer, and with Snoop Dogg. The release was one of Levy’s most successful since the start of the 1990s, and saw him finally achieve some success in the US.[3] Levy performed on two tracks on Long Beach Dub All Stars 1999 album Right Back, and also played a few shows with the band. He was featured on a 1999 track by the Rascalz titled “Top of the World“, also featuring K-os. Levy also appeared on two singles by rapperShyne (“Bad Boyz” and “Bonnie & Shyne“), and on a track for drum and bass artist Aphrodite’s 2000 album Aftershock. “Here I Come” returned to the charts in 2001, with a new version by Levy and Talisman P reaching number 37 in the UK. In 2004, he contributed to a track on the album White People by Handsome Boy Modeling School, a project by Prince Paul and Dan the Automator. He also did some collaborations with Slightly Stoopid on their 2005 album Closer To The Sun. Most recently,[when?] Levy made a guest appearance on the single “No Fuss” by Red-1 of the Rascalz, from his 2007 album Beg For Nothing. In September 2013 he released the single “Love the Way She Love”, a collaboration with Mr. Vegas, and announced an acoustic album featuring new songs and reworkings of old songs such as “Prison Oval Rock” and “Black Roses”. His album, Acousticalevy, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2016. Wikipedia
The Early Years 1979-194- Released 2005
01. Shaolin Temple (0:00) 02. I’m Not In Love (1:50) 03. Run Come Ya (4:34) 04. Black Heart Man (7:44) 05. Full Understanding (9:50) 06. Wedding Ring (12:04) 07. Whom Shall I Be Afraid Of (12:43) 08. Skylarking (16:31) 09. Love of Jah (21:17) 10. Time is So Hard (24:18) 11. Jah Life (27:17) 12. Looking My Love (30:10) 13. A Yah We Deh (34:35) 14. Ragga Muffin (37:04) 15. Under Mi Sensi (40:45) 16. Jah is With Me (44:57) 17. Many Changes in Life (48:17) 18. Poor Man Style (50:44) 19. Mary Long Tongue (53:47) 20. Lost and Found (56:21) 21. Murderer (58:27) 22. Mind You Hurt My Mom (1:02:00) 23. Now-A-Days (1:02:29) 24. Revelation (1:02:58) 25. Captivity (1:06:32) 26. Collie Weed (1:07:15) 27. Look Youthman (1:08:16) 28. 21 Girls Salute (1:11:14)
Shiny Eye Gal- Released 1979
Tracklist: 1) A Ya We Deh , 2) Shine Eye Ga, 3) l Collie Dread, 4) Captivity, 5) Pretty Looks, 6) Revelation, 7) Christmas Day, 8) Jam Down
Lincoln Sugar Minott was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1956. He grew up in a poor area of West Kingston and from an early age developed a love of Reggae music and the music of Studio One in particular. As a teenager, he became selector for Sound of Silence Keystone and Gathering of Youth local sound-systems. By the late 1970s Minott had risen to become one of the biggest stars in Jamaican music. (continue reading below…)
Joe Pilgrim is a charismatic singer with a singular and melodious voice, and he has been a player of the Reggae and Dub scene since 2005. His energy, his spiritual sensitiveness and his humanity make him an authentic and endearing figure – Soundcloud
Joe Pilgrim & The Ligerians’ first Official Music Video. ‘Lion’ from the album ‘Intuitions’, performed and recorded Live.
from the album “Intuitions” (2015)
Migrants strongly denounce the inhumanity of European political powers in managing the migration crisis of recent years.It pays tribute to the boundless courage of these men and women who travel thousands of miles to find a land of freedom. With the help of the Rastas du Coeur association , Joe Pilgrim got in touch with the volunteers of associations working in the “jungle” camp in Calais.He went there to meet and carry the voices of these men, women and children in transit in these makeshift camps.With the collaboration of Juliette Baudot and Ma Kata , they shot the documentary clip of this title.Joe Pilgrim & The Ligerians announce that they have decided to donate all proceeds related to the downloads of the title to the association L’auberge des migrants – by Boris Adamczyk / Fraca-Ma – 23/02/2018
Philip Fullwood’s ultra-rare 1979 LP Words In Dub. Assisted by Winston McKenzie, the Burning Spear-affiliated artist lays down eight tough dubs full of hiss and crackle. – Norman Records
Ultra-rare dub album produced by Winston McKenzie and the Burning Spear-affiliated Phillip Fullwood. Very raw JA-dub. Check the tune Reorganize The Race (Marcus Say) for some crashing cymbals and heavy percussive reverberation. Rough. Highly recommended. Several of the rhythms were later picked up and voiced on the equally rare I-Mo-Jah LP and obscure JA released singles. – Discogs
SUNS OF ARQA is an epic sonic mission led by luminary Michael Wadada, who formed the band in 1979 after receiving higher guidance during a trip to Kingston, Jamaica while working with the legendary roots reggae chanter Prince Far I. Over 200 artists have collaborated with the eclectic SUNS OF ARQA creating some of the most sublime Dub – World – Dance – Raga – Reggae Music in the world today. Suns of Arqa creator and mentor Michael Wadada began his collaborative recordings with cult classic album ’Revenge of the Mozabites’, together with On U Sounds creator Adrian Sherwood, and were subsequently invited by Peter Gabriel to perform at the very first WOMAD Festival. Over the years, SUNS OF ARQA have included musicians from around the globe, interpreting the various indigenous, tribal and classical folk traditions and performing at many of the major music festivals including Glastonbury, Big Chill, Telerama Dub Festival, WOMAD, Transmusicales, Glade, Sziget, Ozora, Boom & Roskilde, to name but a few. Soundcloud
Oje Ken Ollivierre, popularly known as Protoje, is a contemporary reggae singer and songwriter from Jamaica. His mother is Jamaican singer, Lorna Bennett, best known for her 1972 rendition of “Breakfast in Bed”. – Wikipedia
DADAWAH- Of all the many albums heralding the arrival of roots, and driving it to ascendency in the Jamaican and international reggae market, few were as uncompromising in vision as Ras Michael‘s Dadawah — Peace & Love. The singing drummer had led aggregations of devout Rastafarian musicians for nearly a decade, releasing grounation flavored, nyahbinghi driven records on his own Zion Disc label. Dadawanow brought Ras Michael together with veteran studio hands — bassist Lloyd Parks, drummer Paul Williams, guitarist Willie Lindo, and pianist/organist Lloyd Charmers, who trebled as producer. The resulting album was a work of faith, but equally it was a leap of faith for the singles orientated Trojan label, whose full-length records had previously tended towards hits round-ups. Dadawa, in contrast, spread a mere four tracks across two sides of vinyl, and while certainly accessible to a wider audience, it was never going to appeal to pop fans. Although not a concept album in the strict sense of the term, it thematically evokes the Biblical final days. “Run Come Rally” calls together the world’s righteous in preparation for the upcoming battle with evil. Having gathered together the brethren from “Seventy Two Nations,” all bow before Jah in a celebration of His greatness, then give voice to their desire to return to “Zion Land.” The set concludes with “Know How You Stand”‘s call for freedom, and with it the ability to fulfill Jah’s plan. The extraordinary power of the set’s themes is echoed by the equally phenomenal backings, all conjuring up the most haunting of atmospheres. While the hand drums give the album a grounation feel, Parks and Williams simultaneously ground the numbers deep in roots. Intriguingly, though, there’s no reggae guitar, just Lindo‘s sublime riffs and licks that flick into the rock realm, while constantly sliding back into blues. Charmers‘ piano and organ occasionally take over the reggae guitar role, but mostly his keys intertwine around Lindo‘s leads, accentuating melodies, scattering elegant flourishes here and there, and subtly building up the atmospheres. Even during the most elongated tracks, there’s no sense of repetition or self-indulgent meanderings, every note and bar furthers the musical and thematic journey. Charmers‘ production is superb, the musicians inspired, and Ras Michael‘s power undeniable. An astounding album that’s lost none of its potency over the years. – (article from ALL MUSIC magazine)
Pablo RasteR is a musician, singer, producer. He has produced dozens of albums and played more than 1000 concerts in Italy and Europe.
He has collaborated with Zion Train, Madaski, Vlastur, Marcello Coleman, Ricc Frost, Kg Man and Kasia Malenda. – Soundcloud
Lloyd Parks (born 26 May 1948) is a Jamaican reggae vocalist and bass player who has recorded and performed as a solo artist as well as part of Skin, Flesh & Bone, The Revolutionaries, The Professionals, and We the People Band. Wikipedia
Hollie Cook, born 1987 is the daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook. Her mother Jeni was a backup singer for Culture Club and Boy George. She was a member of the all female punk reggae band The Slits. She released her self titled debut album Hollie Cook in 2011
TootArd (Arabic for Strawberries) is a “mountain rock reggae” band from the majestic mountainside village of Majdal Shams in the Occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Their “Laissez Passer” documents say their identities are “Undefined” but they are sure that music will lead them. Singing in Arabic and gliding across the borders of West African, Saharan, Caribbean grooves and classical Arabic modalities, they will make every audience laugh, dance, smile, ask questions, and imagine the many possibilities for a better future…Soundcloud
Image: XLR8 magazine
Burnt Friedman, born 1965 in Germany, is a musician and producer who works under a variety of project names in the fields of electronica, dub and jazz. He is one of Germanys most long established and highly rated electronic musicians with a career spanning almost 40 years. He attended the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne as a postgraduate student and began to publish his musical works along with his studio productions in 1979. From there he progressed to various notable music collaborations throughout the 1990s with the likes of Jaki Liebezeit, Mark Ernestus, Steve Jansen and David Sylvian and under also under the band names of both Atom™ and Flanger. His studio and on-stage partnership with Jaki Liebezeit, the former drummer of CAN dates back 13 years; the two musicians have developed pioneering electronic-acoustic music over that period.
Stories (2017)
Produced, recorded and mixed bu Daniele “Krabah” Casarotti
Bass and guitars by Stefano Perbellini abd Ferran Domenèch
Mastered by Krabah and Positive Vibz
Oxygen (2013)
prod. by Daniele Casarotti (keyboards, vocals, controls) Stefano Perbellini( bass, guitar) and Carmine De Luca(percussions)
Mastered by Madaski at Dub the Demon Studio
Nine-piece Brighton and London based band, Resonators have firmly established themselves on the dub reggae scene, finding a unique and distinct sound. Resonators’ music embraces diverse influences, making their music relevant in today’s Bass culture as well as reminding us of reggae’s uplifting influence on the dance floor. – Wah Wah 45’s
Next level sounds from the Science Ninja Team WaqWaq Kingdom, re-charting dub territory as we know it with their highly addictive post-tribal epic Shinsekai (“New World”).
South Sudanese-Canadian musician, actor, and political activist Emmanuel Jal was only eight years old when he was kidnapped. Trained through the abuse of his rebel captors, by the age of ten he was a killer. He was a Sudanese child soldier, one of tens of thousands of kids taken from their families. Emmanuel Jals first music video, released in 2005, was for Gua. The symbolism of unity is expressed in the title of the song, meaning both “good” in Nuer and “power” in Sudanese Arabic. The lyrics illustrate the desires of the Sudanese people to return to a peaceful, independent homeland. Gua topped the music charts in Kenya and was played by BBC across Africa. It was Jal’s breakthrough to the international market.
Suns of Dub is a label, group & performing dub-production team creating a unique sound experience driven by dub influenced genres, merging live instruments, and original Rockers Reggae Sounds with a new age dub style innovative ideas, Suns of Dub incorporates live melodica & dubbing, deejaying, and composition into one musical entity. The Team is lead by Ras Jammy and Addis Pablo (son of Melodica/Dub Legend Augustus Pablo) – Soundcloud
‘Divide and Rule feat. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Junior Reid and Elan’
‘Make Up Your Mind feat. Ce’Cile and Toddla T’
Starting his career as a DJ in the 1990s dance music scene in Washington, DC, Thomas Blondet has infused just about every type of beat-oriented genre such as deep house, speed garage, drum’n’bass, hip-hop, reggae, and dub with Arab, Latin, Indian, Balkan, Kurdish and Caribbean influences. This musical aptitude has served him well both in the studio and the DJ booth as today he maintains a Sunday night residency at DC’s headquarters of everything organic, Eighteenth Street Lounge.
Through his label Rhythm & Culture, Thomas Blondet has released the FutureWorld and numerous other eclectic sounds. He has since released several hand-crafted remixes of music by Thievery Corporation, Balkan Beat Box, Nickodemus, Sola Rosa, Mr. Confuse and Fort Knox Five to name a few. Soundcloud
Dancing Dub Playlist- High energy 4/4 dub tracks selected from my reggae/dub playlist. Lots of Arab dub, and World Beat influences.
Dark, hypnotic, tripping nyabinghi from 1974.
Led by Ras Michael over four extended excursions, the music is organic, sublime and expansive. Lloyd Charmers and Federal engineer George Raymond stayed up all night after the session, to mix the recording, opening out the enraptured mood into echoing space, adding sparse, startling effects to the keyboards. At no cost to its deep spirituality, this is the closest reggae comes to psychedelia.-Honest Jons Records
Jungle Weed, aka Dub-trotter travels with his home studio and recorded sounds and people he met. Asia and mainly India are his preferred destination ,
Traveling the world to recheche inspiration and sound to create is own music .That’s the Jungle Weed recipe. Bom Shankar
The musical project began with the blending of talents of two artists. It’s an original sound that mixes sounds from reggae and dub, with triphop influences. Iseo’s warm and dreamy voice is accompanied by the brass section, The Mouseunters – a tenor sax and a trumpet inspired in jazz . In 2015, Iseo & Dodosound published their debut album “Cat Platoon” and toured in Spain and France.
Tiburk grew up listening to late 90′s french dub. Born in Saint-Étienne, he gathered the different aspects of this style, from base to cutting-edge mix, including UK Dub and dubstep. His first EP, Taste it right, was released in 2010 on the net-label ODGProd. After a long time going from stage to stage, with artist such as OBF, Panda Dub, Kaly Live Dub, Rockwell, Dj Twelve, Al’Tarba, Mayd Hubb, Metastaz… he is back in 2013 with the album Here B4, on the net-label Fresh Poulp Records. The original Here B4 song is remastered by Duck, Tsunami Wzahari, Rafael Aragon, Panda Dub, Full Dub or Tetra Hydro K. A great mix between dub, dubstep, electro and hip hop. -ODGPROD Magazine
It’s Dub, but reverberating far beyond the genre’s borders. It has a summer Reggae vibe, but doesn’t sound like just another chapter of that good, old story. It’s perfidiously dope, but at the same time extremely danceable. It has clever lyrics, but it’s all about the sound. It’s what JPATTERSSON describes as PROGADUB – because he’s not from Jamaica, he’s from East Germany. Inspired by heavyweight bass lines, bicycle rides and Caribbean riddims, by chocolate, vintage groovebox sounds and the carefree ruckus of kids playing on the street, the young talent delivers a style that is chiefly progressive and diverse. Some tracks come with a sublime hint of Balkan sound, some with an air of Jazz. In doing what felt right, JPATTERSSON has successfully defined his very own genre: PROGADUB.- Soundcloud
17 track Youtube playlist. Click Youtube bottom right to expand..
The Spy From Cairo returns after his well received “Arabadub” album with a new EP entitled “This Is Not Sparta” showcasing more of his signature middle eastern and arabic infected bass and dub music.
In the heyday of Dubstep taking over America, Zeb decided to make his own version of steppers dub & wobbly bass that had more Soul, Dub & World influence rather than edgy techy vibes. Here you have the missing tapes of “ZEBSTEP” by ZEB aka The Spy from Cairo who has had over 5 studio albums to date as well as remixes for hundreds of artists including Bob Marley, Billy Holiday, Tosca, Nickodemus & Quantic, Mr Scruff, Bet.E & Stef, See-I & many more.
The Spy from Cairo is Moreno Visini, the artist formerly known as Zeb. He has written hundreds of songs & has produced over 10 albums over the past 12 years including 5 ORGANIC GROOVES albums, 3 ZEB albums, 2 THE SPY FROM CAIRO albums. He has contributed to Turntables on the Hudson Compilations as well as Buddha Bar & countless others! Furthermore, this talented musician & studio wizard has done around 80-100 remixes for artists as diverse as Tosca, Billy Holiday, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Baba Maal, Astor Piazolla, Nickodemus, Novalima & many more…
Misty in Roots are a British roots reggae band formed in Southall, London in the mid 1970s. Their first album was 1979’s Live at the Counter Eurovision, a record full of Rastafarian songs
This is an incredible female vocal led dub/reggae version of a King Crimson song. Little touches like the country twang at :45 seconds and some nice atmospheric bass really make this brilliant. and those soft drops at 1:36 and 1:52 just give me goosebumps. the reggae chords remind a bit of Supertramps ‘Dreamer’ the way they are played.
One eye goes laughing One eye goes crying Through the trials And trying of one life
One hand is tied One step gets behind In one breath we’re dying
I’ve been waiting for the sun to come up Waiting for the showers to stop Waiting for the penny to drop One time
And I’ve been standing in a cloud of plans Standing on the shifting sands Hoping for an open hand One time
Thomas Blondet is a Washington DC producer whose music infuses elements of downtempo, dub, Middle Eastern, African and House. This playlist covers everything but his house tracks.
