Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix

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)

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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

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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)

Bass Culture : Deep Dub Cuts

Step into the echo chamber with Deep Dub Cuts — a one-hour journey through the mystical, bass-heavy underworld of 1970s dub. These are a few of the treasures that may not have been on your radar - deep versions by the masters of dub alchemy. From Lee Scratch Perry’s eccentric genius to King Tubby’s surgical dubs, this mix is all about the exploration of their sonic dub wizardry.

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PLAYLIST

1. Lee Scratch Perry – Leopard Dub

2. King Tubby – Second Cut [Little Girl]

3. Barry Brown, Scientist – Love Dub

4. Yabby You – Praises

5. Glen Brown, King Tubby – Assack Lawn No. 1 Dub Version 2

6. Niney The Observer – Dub Chapter

7. Simplicity People – Gussie Special

8. Ronnie Davis – Cover Dub

9. Creation Rebel – Doctors Remedy

10. King Tubby, Ring Craft Posse, David Isaacs – Travel Version

11. Bunny Lee, Prince Jammy, The Aggrovators – Ethiopian Dub

12. Yabby You, The Aggrovators – Words Dub

13. Crucial Bunny – Bunny Na Jest

14. Don Carlos – Dub Ah Bite!

15. Wackies – Slave Dub

16. Roots Radics – Watch What You Do Dub

17. Dennis Bovell – Dub’er

18. Pablo All Stars – Zion Dub

19. Diggory Kenrick, The Prophet Allstars – Oppression (Part 2)

 

Amen Brother - The Break That Built Jungle

Today’s mix is a little different in terms of tempo and the backbone of the beat - there’s no one drop or steppers, this mix is the meeting of funk and dub coming together to form new - Jungle / Ragga Jungle - a fresh, revolutionary sound that tore through the UK and world in the late 80s, early 90s that continues to this day. I’ve sifted through the digital crates to bring a few of the classics together for your ears - enjoy.

What Is the Amen Break?

The Amen Break is a 6-to-7-second drum solo that became the most sampled piece of music in history. Pulled from the 1969 B-side “Amen, Brother” by The Winstons, this unassuming moment reshaped hip-hop, jungle, drum & bass, and electronic music forever.

PLAYLIST

1. Tom & Jerry – Maximum Style (Lover To Lover)

2. UK Apache & SHY FX – Original Nuttah 25

3. M-Beat & General Levy – Incredible

4. Top Cat – Bunn the Sensi - Dub Hustlers Remix

5. Congo Natty, Conquering Lion, Super Cat & Reggie Stepper – Code Red

6. Roni Size & Reprazent – Brown Paper Bag

7. More Rockers – Night Fall (Smith & Mighty)

8. SHY FX & Donae'o – Raver - Breakage Remix

9. Bahamadia – Pep Talk

10. Cheetah – X-Rated

11. Chopstick Dubplate, Jah Mason & Louie Rankin – Soundboy Gone - Original Mix

12. LTJ Bukem – Atlantis - Marky & S.P.Y. Rework

Studio Queen: The Sonia Pottinger Story

From Ska to Roots – The Trailblazing Legacy of a Studio Queen

Sonia Pottinger holds a unique place in Jamaican music history. As the country’s first female record producer, she not only broke barriers but helped shape the very sound of ska, rocksteady, and reggae from the 1960s to the 1980s.

PLAYLIST

(The mix includes songs she produced, released, or has been part of in some manner)

1. Delano Stewart – Tell Me Baby

2. The Ethiopians – The Whip

3. Brent Dowe – It Cool

4. The Ethiopians – I Need You

5. Delano Stewart – That's Life

6. Federals – Wailing Festival

7. The Melodians – No Nola

8. Ken Boothe – Have I Sinned

9. Marcia Griffiths – Survival

10. Judy Mowatt – Way Over Yonder

11. Sonya Spence – When

12. Culture – Stop The Fussing And Fighting - 2000 Digital Remaster

13. The Twinkle Brothers – A New World Order

14. Reggae George – Fig Root

15. Bob Andy – Ghetto Stays in the Mind

16. Tony Tuff – Round the World

17. Ranking Joe – Shine Eye Girl

18. Jah Thomas – Righteous Train