Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix

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

Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix Show 83 (Peter Tosh, Pioneers, Lee Scratch Perry, Max Romeo)

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
Pat Kelly Angel Of The Morning
The Reggae Boys Mama Look Deh
Peter Tosh Them a Fe Get a Beaten
The Soul Sisters Wreck a Buddy
Lloyd Charmers,The Uniques My Rhya
Soul Agent and the Soul Defenders Popcorn Reggae
Dave Barker Do Your Thing
Dandy,The Superboys (People Get Ready) Let's do Rocksteady
The Pioneers Caranapo
The Kingstonians Lion's Den
Clancy Eccles Ganja Free
Bruce Ruffin The Bitterness of Life
Lee Scratch Perry,The Upsetters What a Botheration
The Uniques A Yuh (Hey You)
Max Romeo Public Enemy No. 1
Junior Byles A Place Called Africa
Big Youth Foreman vs. Frazier
The Dynamites Phantom (Live It Up)
Prince Buster Finger
Ken Boothe I Wish It Could Be Peaceful Again

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

Echoes in the Smoke

Dubbed-Out Trip-Hop and Smoky Basslines (One Hour Mix)

Step into a cinematic headspace where dub’s heavy echoes meet the moody textures of trip-hop. Echoes in the Smoke is a one-hour sonic journey weaving together deep basslines, hypnotic rhythms, and downtempo atmospheres. From the dusty beats of Nightmares on Wax to the spacious dubs of Rhythm & Sound and the cinematic grooves of Thievery Corporation, this mix floats in a haze of head-nodding bliss.

Perfect for late-night drives, focused work sessions, or just getting lost in thought.

Genres: Dub / Trip-Hop / Chillhop / Downtempo
Features: Massive Attack, DJ Shadow, Herbaliser, St. Germain, Richie Phoe & more

PLAYLIST

1. Dreadzone – Out of Heaven

2. Thievery Corporation – Thief Rockers

3. DJ Shadow – In Flux - In Tune and On Time

4. Shantel – Bass And Several Cars - mixed

5. Rhythm & Sound – See Mi Yah

6. Dubmatix, Future Dub Orchestra – Inner Blues

7. Richie Phoe – Bumpy's Lament

8. Massive Attack, Elizabeth Fraser – Black Milk

9. The Herbaliser – The Sensual Woman

10. D-echo Project – Dub Addiction - Original Mix

11. Nightmares On Wax – The Sweetest

12. St Germain – La goutte d'or

13. Howie B. – Who's Got The Bacon?

Ska Revival Session

The Classic Ska Sound Lives On

Step into the sound of a new generation, keeping the spirit of 1960s ska alive. Ska Revival Sessions is a tribute to the timeless rhythms and soulful grooves that defined the golden era of Jamaican ska and its UK explosion.

This show features tracks that feel like they came straight from a Kingston dancehall or a London mod club—but were crafted by today’s revivalists. From gritty organ riffs to syncopated guitar chops and bouncing basslines, every tune echoes the energy of the past while pulsing with fresh life.

Ska isn’t just history—it’s a living sound. In a world of constant change, these revival tracks remind us that rhythm, resistance, and unity are as vital now as they were then. Whether you're a rude boy, soul girl, or ska newcomer, this session is your passport to that classic eternal sound and groove.

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PLAYLIST

1. The Aggrolites – Work To Do

2. The Frightnrs – Trouble in Here

3. Alpheus – The Victory

4. The Upsessions – Shake It!

5. The Delegators – Nowhere to Run

6. Rockstone Rockers, Ce'Cile – Orange Street

7. The Valkyrians – Heart of Glass

8. Dr. Ring Ding, The Senior Allstars – One Scotch, One Bourbo,n One Beer

9. The Inversions, Victor Axelrod – Conscience is Heavy

10. The Aggrolites – Countryman Fiddle

11. Smooth Beans – Bankrobber

12. Tim Timebomb – 30 Pieces of Silver

13. The Slackers – Because

14. Leon Dinero, Victor Axelrod – If You Ask Me

15. Charles Bradley, The Inversions, Victor Axelrod – Whatcha Doing (To Me)

16. The Magic Touch – Safe European Home

17. The Caroloregians – Got to Be a Man

18. The Debonaires – Same Way

19. The Delegators – Be Good to Me

20. Dubmatix & Dennis Alcapone - Rocksteady Freddie

Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix Show 82 (Pachyman, Jesse Royal, Lutan Fyah, Fantan Mojah)

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
Pachyman – SJU
Da Break, Dubmatix – Fine & Steady - Dubmatix Dub
Ratigan Era, King Toppa, Reality Mad One – Don't Stop
Bukkha, Footsie – Pon A Medi
Jesse Royal, Zion I Kings – Love That Don't Change
Arkaingelle – Thrones Of Judgment
Lion D, Irie Ites – Alert
MediSun, Zion I Kings – African Pride
Soul Rebel Sound, Pressure Busspipe – Fyah
Mackeehan, OCG – Man a Lion
Norris Man – Still Run
Jhazahra – Sound Killa
Lutan Fyah, Derrick Sound – Bla Bla Bla
Intrestt – Mr. Screw Face
Alborosie, Etana – Blessings (feat. Etana)
Fantan Mojah – Jah Give Us Life
King Chango – Love in Jah

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

Bass Culture: Duke Reid - Kingston's Original Kingpin

The Life, Sound, and Legacy of Duke Reid and Treasure Isle Records

Before Duke Reid was a king of Jamaican music, he was a decorated cop. Before Treasure Isle was one of the greatest labels in reggae history, it was a small liquor store on Bond Street in Kingston. And before the world ever heard of U-Roy or Phyllis Dillon, Duke was already shaping the streets with a sound system so heavy it moved people physically and spiritually. He didn’t just play records—he ruled dances with a crown on his head, a revolver on his hip, and a shotgun slung across his back.

PLAYLIST

1. Duke Reid, Justin Hinds & The Dominoes – Botheration

2. The Melodians, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – Everybody Bawling

3. Hopeton Lewis, the Tommy McCook Quintet – Boom-Sha-Ka-Lacka

4. Dave Barker, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – Lock Jaw

5. The Techniques, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – Travelling Man

6. The Techniques – I'm in the Mood for Love

7. Duke Reid, Justin Hinds & The Dominoes – Carry Go Bring Come

8. Duke Reid, The Melodians – Passion Love

9. John Holt, Leroy Sibbles – Let's Build Our Dreams

10. The Ethiopians, Tommy McCook, The Soul Syndicate – Pirate

11. Rosalyn Sweat, The Paragons – Blackbird Singing

12. Justin Hinds – Sinners

13. Justin Hinds & The Dominoes – Mighty Redeemer

14. Teacherman, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – The Lesson

15. The Three Tops, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – Do It Right

16. U-Roy, the Tommy McCook Quintet – Rule the Nation

17. The Paragons – The Tide Is High

18. Alton Ellis, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – Breaking Up (Is Hard to Do)

19. Sir Lord Comic, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – What a Situation (aka Black Man's Time)

20. Stranger Cole, Duke Reid's Band – Rough and Tough

21. Don Drummond, The Skatalites – Garden of Love

22. Ken Parker, Tommy McCook, The Supersonics – I Can't Hide