Johnny Clarke - Yard Style (2006)

Legendary Jamaican reggae vocalist Johnny Clarke, who defined his signature 1970s sound working alongside top producers such as Bunny Lee, Lee Perry, Errol Thompson, and King Jammy, traveled to London in the early 1980s. There, he laid down vocals for the Yard Style album, one of two full-length LPs (alongside Give Thanks) recorded for producer Mad Professor and his independent Ariwa label and studio.

The 9-track release reflected the transformation of reggae and dancehall toward explicitly electronic production by pairing Johnny Clarke's smooth, soulful croon with Mad Professor's precision-tooled, futuristic arrangements. Tracks like You’re All I Want, Nuclear War, Party, Dread Like a Lion, and Top Fight merge dread lyrical themes, dense synth lines, vocal delay diffusion, and taut early-1980s rhythm patterns.

Tracklist:
1. Johnny Clarke - You're All I Want
2. Johnny Clarke - Do I Do I
3. Johnny Clarke - Party
4. Johnny Clarke - Truth & Rights
5. Johnny Clarke - Nuclear Weapon
6. Johnny Clarke - Mount Zion
7. Johnny Clarke - We Want To Be Free
8. Johnny Clarke - Dread Like A Lion
9. Johnny Clarke - Top Fight