New York-based reggae producer Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes quietly created some of the best dub reggae of the 1980s, including this delightfully nocturnal-sounding gem originally released in 1982. Everything is stripped back to essentials here, with only an occasional vocal line (courtesy of Jah Butta) floating in and out of the mix, while the unhurried rhythms (by
the Bullwackies All Stars and the New Breed) make the seven tracks feel like a single integrated suite. Highlights include "Mash It Up," a version of
Junior Delgado's "Sons of Slaves" called "Slave Dub," and Clive Hunt's take on "Rockfort Rock," called here -- what else? -- "Rockfort Dub." This same set (with exactly the same art work) first appeared on CD from Wackies in 2002. ~ Steve Leggett