Roots Radics Band: Scientist & Jammy Strike Back! (translucent blue vinyl) [LMLR]

Why you'll love it

This limited translucent blue pressing (lightsaber blue, naturally) comes with a printed inner sleeve. Scientist and Prince Jammy, two of King Tubby's star pupils, split the mixing desk over Linval Thompson's productions.

This edition

• Translucent blue vinyl
• Printed inner sleeve
• Limited edition
• Lyrics included

About the album

In 1982 the biggest film franchise on the planet met the deepest bass in Kingston. Producer Linval Thompson handed his Roots Radics rhythm tracks to Scientist and Prince Jammy, two engineers who learned the trade at the same Kingston mixing desk, and let them square off at the controls, then dressed the results in a full science fiction costume.

Scientist mixed three tracks at Channel One, and Jammy handled the rest at King Tubby's studio, so you can hear two styles of dub trading blows across the sides. The Roots Radics, with Style Scott on drums, lay down rock-solid grooves, and many of the riddims come from vocal hits of the day, including Freddie McGregor's "Big Ship" behind the opener "Storming the Death Star," Wayne Wade's "Round the World" and Barrington Levy's "Rob and Gone." Style Scott's drumming on "Buck Rogers in the Black Hole" is a standout, and "The Death of Mr. Spock" proves nobody's franchise was safe.

It's playful, heavy and endlessly replayable, a fine entry point into the early-80s dub boom. Ten track titles and not one of them about the music, which we believe is called staying on brand.

Also at Kops: more Roots Radics on vinyl · browse Reggae & Caribbean

Tracklist

Listen

On Trojan Records / Culture Factory (cat# CFU1305), a reissue of the 1982 album.