Echoes, November 2023

This month's two reggae features couldn't be more different. Stephen Marley is an important producer, in addition to being one of those rare artists who can legitimately claim to have shaped reggae history with his two groundbreaking albums Revelation Parts 1 & 2. His latest is Old Soul which finds him exploring some of the sounds and songs that inspired him as a youth, as well as delivering tracks of haunting and poetic beauty. The other puts Welsh singer Aleighcia Scott in the spotlight. Her album Windrush Baby was produced by Rory Stone Love and is an astonishing debut from Cardiff's finest.

Ghost & Bounty Killer's Despite It All, Buju Banton's Stop Gazing and Busy Signal's Rose Petal head Run The Track. We also review new singles by Manudigital, Leba Hibbert, Ginjah, Mr. Williamz and Romain Virgo, and albums by Victor Axelrod (If You Ask Me To), Collie Buddz, Prince Fatty, King Jammy Presents Gregory Isaacs and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

In our regular monthly column Vibes, I pay tribute to former Third World former keyboard player / arranger Ibo Cooper, who sadly died of cancer on October 12th.