Ras Michael - Rastafari Dub (1999)

The ROIR label, historically famous for its cassette-only release policy, continues to digitize its archival catalog, restoring rare monuments of punk, ska, and reggae to listeners. One of these crucial archival treasures is the CD reissue of a seminal work by Ras Michael, the most prominent popularizer of the spiritual Rastafarian tradition of ritual Nyahbinghi drumming and chanting. The release features the scarce dub companion to his 1972 album “Rastafari.” For a long time, this recording existed only as a rare original vinyl pressing and scattered bootleg fragments, until ROIR issued it on cassette in 1989, which served as the foundation for the current official CD release. The only oversight by the publishers is that they did not utilize the remaining space on the disc to include the original vocal version of the album.

The musical value of the record lies in its unique and flawless fusion of styles. The recording sessions featured key figures of the Jamaican scene, including bassist Robbie Shakespeare, guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith, flutist Tommy McCook, and drummer Carlton "Santa" Davis. Their masterful instrumentation allowed for the perfect marriage of the urban, electric sound of canonical reggae with the raw, rootsy, and meditative folklore performance of acoustic Nyahbinghi drums. Critics highlight the monumental tracks “None a Jah Jah Children No Cry” and the uncompromisingly dry, heavy “In Zion,” both showcasing the peak of 1970s psychedelic dub engineering.

Tracklist:
1-1 Ras Michael - None A Jah Jah Children No Cry [4:24]
1-2 Ras Michael - Truth & Right [5:26]
1-3 Ras Michael - In Zion [5:54]
1-4 Ras Michael - Sufferation [5:25]
1-5 Ras Michael - Give Love [4:15]
1-6 Ras Michael - New Name [3:40]
1-7 Ras Michael - Birds In The Tree Top [4:45]
1-8 Ras Michael - No Hoppers [3:25]