Various Artists - HOT WAX: Best of Roots, Reggae & Dub, Vol. 4 (2026)

HOT WAX: Best of Roots, Reggae & Dub, Vol. 4 is the fourth instalment in NAPS label's ongoing archival series, released on 27 March 2026. The series is dedicated to restoring and reissuing vintage Jamaican recordings spanning roughly the late 1960s to the late 1980s — the defining decades of roots reggae and experimental dub.
Volume 4 presents a rich panorama of Jamaican music, bringing together artists from different generations and creative niches. The album opens with Tommy McCook — the legendary tenor saxophonist and co-founder of The Skatalites — whose instrumental "Hornsman's Chant" sets a horn-driven, almost meditative tone. British roots outfit Aswad follows alongside vocalist Johnny Osbourne: in their early years, Aswad worked firmly within the roots reggae tradition, distinguishing themselves from Jamaican acts by addressing the experience of Black communities in Britain.
Dub and version tracks occupy a central place in the collection, from The Creation Steppers' extended "To Africa / Version" to the sprawling eight-minute "From Creation (Dub Version)" by Scom Band & Don Carlos. The appearance of The Revolutionaries — the elite Channel One Studio house band — alongside Freddie McKay underscores the compilers' commitment to authentic Kingston rhythm sections of the roots era. The Gaylads' "African Dubsman" and contributions from rarer names such as Derrick Lara, Paul Freeman, and Clive Matthews round out the selection with lesser-known but high-calibre genre specimens.
Overall, Vol. 4 stays true to the series' curatorial philosophy: not a hits compilation, but a considered survey of Jamaica's studio tradition — emphasising spirituality, African consciousness, and the experimental spirit of dub.

Tracklist:
1-1 Tommy McCook - Hornsman's Chant [2:47]
1-2 Aswad;Johnny Osbourne - Don't Bite The Hand [4:43]
1-3 The Creation Steppers - To Africa / Version [6:26]
1-4 Santic All Stars;Carl Prehay - Santic Special [3:32]
1-5 The Gaylads - African Dubsman [3:40]
1-6 The Revolutionaries;Freddie McKay - Adam And Eve [3:07]
1-7 Scom Band;Don Carlos - From Creation (Dub Version) [8:08]
1-8 Paul Freeman - Great Tribulation [5:36]
1-9 Derrick Lara;7th Extension Band - In A Dis Ya Time [5:37]
1-10 Fire Fox All Stars;Clive Matthews - Vanity [2:58]
1-11 Mike Anthony - Y. Dub [3:44]