The Orb: I'll Be Black
Thu Oct 25 2007
Time Out Ratings :
<strong>Rating: </strong>5/5From rocksteady and early reggae through modern-day dancehall, Trojan Records' output has mirrored the evolution of Jamaican music since the label's 1968 founding. Nowadays, Trojan is mainly a reissue label, and this compilation—pieced together by Alex Patterson of the veteran U.K. dubtronica act the Orb—reminds us why the music has such universal appeal.
From rocksteady and early reggae through modern-day dancehall, Trojan Records' output has mirrored the evolution of Jamaican music since the label's 1968 founding. Nowadays, Trojan is mainly a reissue label, and this compilation—pieced together by Alex Patterson of the veteran U.K. dubtronica act the Orb—reminds us why the music has such universal appeal. Aside from one Orb track and three collaborations between the Orb and Mad Professor, the two-disc release is an embarrassment of deep and soulful '70s-era riches, ranging from King Tubby's none-sweeter "Come On Little Girl" to the skeletal dub of Tapper Zukie's "Mah Ah Warrior." The mix's direct-from-vinyl clicks and pops only add to the warmth.
Various artists (Trojan Records)
