Good Vibes

Taken from a prime period for Jamaican reggae, this compilation collects together a number of rare late 1970s cuts from Horace Andy that were originally issued as singles or 12” mixes, with versions of ‘Skylarking’ and John Holt's ‘Serious Thing’. This is Andy at his finest, with his beautifully emotive voice riding high on deep rhythms with rattling cymbals, heavy purposeful bass lines and occasional flourishes of horn and organ. Almost all tracks feature the vocal version followed by its dub counterpart after a momentary pause, which makes for a slightly jarring experience, but this is a problem of sequencing and no more, for all of the music is gold.
‘Reggae Rhythm’ and ‘Pure Ranking’ shine brightest: effervescent gems that blend quality melodies, musicianship, production and that gorgeous voice in all the right ways. But there are darker cuts, such as ‘Youths of Today’, which surely sets the blueprint for Andy's later collaborations with Massive Attack, and the dub version of ‘No Problem’ featuring carnivalesque organs that shimmer into light at the bleakest moments. Originally released on Blood and Fire, this is a vital document of a Jamaican original.