Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix

Burning Spear – Deep Cuts and Hidden Gems

Burning Spear—born Winston Rodney in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica—is not just a reggae artist; he is a vessel of history, resistance, and Rastafari wisdom. While his better-known songs, such as "Marcus Garvey," "Columbus," and "Slavery Days," defined 1970s roots reggae, there’s a rich body of lesser-known tracks that offer just as much power, insight, and sonic magic.

This one-hour mix delves into a deeper catalog: unreleased takes, dub versions, extended disco mixes, and forgotten B-sides that still resonate with Spear’s unwavering spiritual and political voice. These are songs for those ready to go beneath the surface.

PLAYLIST

1. Burning Spear - Call On You

2. Burning Spear - Swell Head

3. Burning Spear - Foggy Road

4. Burning Spear - Institution (Disco Mix)

5. Burning Spear - Workshop (Red Gold And Green)

6. Burning Spear - Travelling

7. Burning Spear - Free Black People

8. Burning Spear - Farther East Of Jack (Old Marcus Garvey)

9. Burning Spear - Spear Burning

10. Burning Spear - Dub Man

11. Burning Spear - Natural (Version)

12. Burning Spear - Jah No Dead (Disco Mix)

13. Burning Spear - Marcus Senior

14. Burning Spear - Do The Reggae (12" Inch mix)

15. Burning Spear - The Whole We A Suffer

Bass Culture - Heavyweight Dub Mix

We take a deep dive into the heaviest, deepest, and most earth-shaking dub sounds of the 1970s with 15 killer, no filler, dub tracks.

This is the era when dub was forged in Kingston's studios, carved into vinyl grooves, and blasted through the most powerful sound systems across Jamaica and beyond. These dubs rattled speakers, lifted minds, and laid the foundation for what we now call bass culture.

So turn up your speakers, feel the bass in your chest, and let’s step into the echo chamber of heavyweight dub.

PLAYLIST
King Tubby - Keep On Dubbing
The Revolutionaries - Rocking Dub
The Scientist - Drum Song
The Aggrovators - Bag O Wire
Prince Jammy - Fist Of Fury
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Chapter Three
The Revolutionaries - Waiting In The Park Dub
The Twinkle Brothers - Jahovah in Dub Majesty
King Tubby & The Aggrovators - A Rougher Version
Horace Andy & The Aggrovators - Money For Dub
Mikey Dread - Industrial Dub
Prince Far I & The Arabs - Dub To Africa
Prince Far I - Back Weh
The Viceroys - Why Dub
Roots Radics - Blood On His Lips

Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix Show 86 (Horace Andy, Joy White, Creation Rebel, Augustus Pablo)

The 60-minute reggae mixtape show curated by Dubmatix showcases the finest Sticky Icky Reggae tunes from around the globe — spanning dub to dancehall, rocksteady to roots, and every rhythm in between.

PLAYLIST
Horace Andy – Babylon System
Sylford Walker – My Father's Homeland
Hugh Mundell – Can't Pop No Style
Creation Rebel – Know Yourself
Joy White – Dread Out Deh
Moon Rocks, Prince Jazzbo – Have No Fear
Barry Brown – Politician
Linval Thompson – Pop No Style
Welton Irie – Greetings
The Black Survivors – Come Away Jah Jah Children
Lacksley Castell – My Woman Can
Soul Syndicate – Tonight
Augustus Pablo – Some Dub Plate
Wayne Jrrett – Saturday Night Jamboree
Mystic Eyes – Judgement Time

For more themed mixes, visit https://bassculture.substack.com/

Martin Campbell: Roots Revivalist with a Modern Sound

This special mix celebrates the voice, vision, and vibration of Martin Campbell, one of the UK’s most dedicated roots reggae artists. With haunting vocals, militant riddims, and dubwise production, his sound remains a powerful bridge between the message-driven reggae of the 1970s and today’s global dub revival.

This was an artist I’d never crossed musical paths with, so when I first heard “Wicked Rule,” my ears perked up. The music was different, his voice stood out with a unique tone and delivery that made me stop and ask What was that? T’ Then I had to relisten several times to wrap my head around what this guy was doing. Released in 1990, it was a blend of digital dancehall sounds, soundsystem-style steppers, and bass, with minimalist production.

 

PLAYLIST

1. Martin Campbell, Hi Tech Roots Dynamics – Just Another Day

2. Martin Campbell – Babylon Come

3. Martin Campbell – Another Night

4. Martin Campbell – Give the Poor Man a Try

5. Martin Campbell – Everywhere I Walk

6. Martin Campbell, Hi Tech Roots Dynamics – Keep on Rowing the Boat

7. Martin Campbell – War and Plunder

8. Martin Campbell – Tears Form

9. Martin Campbell – Hard Living

10. Martin Campbell – Got to Pray

11. Alien Dread, Martin Campbell, The Hi-Tech Roots Dynamics – Don't Cry Dub

12. Martin Campbell – Ignorance & Poverty

13. Martin Campbell – Crazy Circus

14. Martin Campbell – Bound to Fall

15. Martin Campbell – Jacks Mouth

16. Martin Campbell, Hi Tech Roots Dynamics – You Lick Me First

17. Martin Campbell - Wicked Rule

Psydub Frequencies

This one-hour set draws from key artists and tracks that have helped shape the sound, making it a perfect companion for chill-out sessions, creative focus, or late-night journeys through your mind.

PLAYLIST

1. Quanta - Akasha Experience – Quazilimbo (Akasha Experience Remix)

2. Pitch Black - Deep Fried Dub – Transient Transmission (Deep Fried Dub's Battered Mix)

3. Kuba – The Woman Who Made The Rain Come

4. Psybur – Pocket Universe

5. Deep Fried Dub – Kryptology (Deciphered Mix)

6. Tor.Ma In Dub – The Colour from Space

7. Third Ear Audio – The End?

8. International Observer – Low Light Meter

9. Ricky Bamboo – Subconscious

10. Deep Fried Dub – Mirage

11. Dubsalon – Yeco Ne Boko

Steely & Clevie: The Beatmakers Who Changed Reggae Forever

Steely & Clevie laid the blueprint for digital reggae and modern dancehall. Their innovations in rhythm sequencing, MIDI drum programming, and sampling gave rise to an entire generation of producers. Sadly, Steely passed away in 2009, but their legacy lives on in countless tracks, remixes, and riddims still in rotation today.

 

PLAYLIST

1. Pinchers – Bandelero

2. Beres Hammond – Tempted to Touch

3. Steely & Clevie, Dawn Penn – You Don't Love Me

4. Freddie McGregor – Loving Pauper

5. Junior Tucker – Love Of A Lifetime

6. Steely & Clevie, Leroy Sibbles – Fatty Fatty

7. Foxy Brown – Sorry

8. Lady G, Sugar Minott – A Whole Heap A Man

9. Cocoa Tea – Sonia Come Back

10. Tiger – Ram Dance Hall

11. Sugar Minott – Smile

12. Mr. Vegas – Heads High

13. Admiral Bailey – Punanny

14. Gregory Peck – Oversized Mampie

15. General Degree – When I Hold You Tonight

16. Shabba Ranks – Trailer Load A Girls

17. Anthony Malvo, Daddy Lizard – Take You To The Dance

18. Ninjaman – Murder Dem

Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix Show 85 (Dubmaster Conte, Earth & Stone, Ranking Joe, Linval Thompson)

The 60-minute reggae mixtape show curated by Dubmatix showcases the finest Sticky Icky Reggae tunes from around the globe — spanning dub to dancehall, rocksteady to roots, and every rhythm in between.

PLAYLIST
Earth & Stone – False Ruler
Delton Screechie – Living in the Ghetto - 12 Mix
Ranking Joe – STEP IT DOWN SHEPHERDS BUSH
Barry Brown, Scientist – Movements of Jah
Dubmaster Conte, Baltazzar – High Vibes Dub
Prince Jazzbo – Mr. Harry Skank
Linval Thompson – River Jordan
Wayne Jarrett – Satta Dread
Ras Midas – Let the People Go
The Revolutionaries – Big Foot
Hortense Ellis – Jah Created the World
Junior Ross & The Spear – Judgement Time
Neville Tate – See A Man's Face
Joe Auxumite – No Equal Rights in Babylon
Jack Ruby, King Tubby, Errol Thompson – Running Dub

 

For more themed mixes, visit https://bassculture.substack.com/

The Don Speaks: A Leroy Smart Retrospective

I’ve been locked in with Leroy from the moment I heard Ballistic Affair as the needle hit vinyl and exploded out of my childhood bedroom stereo decades ago - the infectious groove and his vocal delivery, raw pleading, captured my attention and hasn’t let go since. He is a once-in-a-generation voice that, after 50 years, still resonates with young and old and will get your head nodding and feet moving.

The Backstory
Leroy Smart isn’t just another reggae singer—he’s one of the most fearless and outspoken voices to ever rise from Kingston’s music scene. Known as “The Don,” his career blends social commentary, streetwise bravado, and timeless melodies.

 

PLAYLIST

1. Leroy Smart - Mother Lisa

2. Leroy Smart, Big Youth - Pride And Ambition (Extended)

3. Leroy Smart - Life Is a Funny Thing

4. Leroy Smart - Wreck up My Life

5. Leroy Smart - Ballistic Affair

6. Leroy Smart - We Want to Go Home

7. Leroy Smart - Jah Is Mighty

8. Leroy Smart - Badness No Pay

9. Leroy Smart - Badness Don't Pay (45 Edit)

10. Leroy Smart - Africa

11. Leroy Smart - Mr. Smart

12. Leroy Smart - Friday Night

13. Leroy Smart - Party Time Rock

14. Leroy Smart - No Love

15. Leroy Smart - Jah Almighty

16. Leroy Smart - Beautiful Rainbow

17. Leroy Smart - No Check Babylon God

18. Leroy Smart - Jah Jah Forgive Them

Bass Culture: Lovers Rock: The Soulful Soundtrack of Black British Identity

Lovers Rock is a romantic subgenre of reggae that emerged in mid-1970s London, blending soulful melodies with reggae rhythms. It was pioneered by producers like Dennis Harris, Dennis Bovell, and John Kpiaye, who established the Lovers Rock label in 1977. The genre provided a softer, more melodic alternative to the politically charged roots reggae of the time, resonating deeply with the Black British community.

Dennis Bovell played a pivotal role in shaping the Lovers Rock sound, producing hits like Janet Kay's "Silly Games," which reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979. The genre's emphasis on love and emotional expression provided a platform for female artists, with figures such as Carroll Thompson and Louisa Mark gaining prominence. Lovers Rock became a staple at house parties and sound system events, fostering a sense of community and cultural identity.

The impact of Lovers Rock extended beyond music, influencing fashion, dance, and social dynamics within the Black British community. It provided a space for emotional expression and connection during a time of racial tension and social upheaval. The genre's legacy continues to inspire artists and audiences, underscoring its significance in the tapestry of British musical and cultural history.

Here’s an interview with Dennis Bovell on PeckhamSoul.com
(includes his Top 10 List of Lovers Rock, many of which appear here)

---

PLAYLIST

1. J.C. Lodge – Someone Loves You Honey

2. Brown Sugar – I'm in Love With a Dreadlocks

3. Sandra Reid – Ooh Boy

4. Carroll Thompson – Simply in Love (2021 - Remaster)

5. Janet Kay – Silly Games

6. Claudette Miller, Errol Brown – Tonight Is the Night

7. Louisa Mark – Caught You in a Lie

8. Jean Adebambo – Paradise

9. Carroll Thompson – Hopelessly in Love

10. Webby Jay – In the Rain

11. Trevor Walters – Stuck on You

12. Marie Pierre – Choose Me

13. Delroy Witter, Janet Kay – I Do Love You

14. Claudia Fontaine – Natural High

15. Paul Dawkins – Ready to Dance

Ranking Dread: From Sound System Star to Infamous Outlaw

Tracing the Journey of Winston Brown — the deejay who rose with Ray Symbolic and fell into crime

Early Life & Identity

• Birth name: Winston Brown (also known as Robert Anthony Blackwood), born May 9, 1956, in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica

• Grew up in the Rema and Tivoli ghettos of Kingston

• Took on the stage name Ranking Dread, later adopting aliases like Errol Codling and Michael Dicks

---

Sound System Roots

• Gained prominence on Jamaica’s Ray Symbolic sound system during the mid‑1970s

• After relocating to London in the late 1970s, he joined Lloyd Coxsone’s sound system, performing alongside notable UK reggae acts

PLAYLIST

1. Ranking Dread – Super Star

2. Ranking Dread – Love A Dub

3. Ranking Dread – Fattie Boom Boom

4. Ranking Dread & Errol Dunkley - Holding On 12"

5. Ranking Dread – Shut Me Mouth

6. Ranking Dread – Loving Devotion

7. Cornell Campbell, Ranking Dread – Bandulu Hard Times - Extended 12 Version

8. Ranking Dread – Come Sister Come

9. Ranking Dread – Wha Go a Africa

10. Ranking Dread – Nuh Trouble Natty Dread

11. Ranking Dread – A Wha We Do

12. Ranking Dread - Tubys Dub Plate Mix

13. Ranking Dread / Roots Radics – Dub It On Jah (Mix by Scientist)

14. Ranking Dread – Jump Up Dub (Mix by King Tubby)