REGGAE GOLD 1996

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REGGAE GOLD

TRACKLIST


1. Old Dog - Beenie Man
2. When I Hold You Tonight - General Degree
3. No Long Talking - Lady Saw
4. Benz & The Beama - Bounty Killer
5. Bad Boy - Buju Banton
6. Give Me the Reason - Lady Saw
7. Love from a Distance - Beres Hammond
8. Fed Up - Bounty Killer
9. Heart of a Lion - Shabba Ranks
10. Night Nurse '96 - Gregory Isaacs/Lady Saw
11. Murderer - Barrington Levy/Beenie Man (Remix, remix)
12. Showers of Blessing - Mikey Spice
13. Love Somebody - Junior Tucker
14. Love Jah and Live - Luciano


Label VP
Orig Year 1996

Like the RAS label out of Washington, D.C., VP Records has found success as a stateside label specializing in modern dancehall reggae. Whereas RAS focuses on more roots-minded vocal and DJ cuts, VP keeps attuned almost exclusively to the digital ragga sounds that came to the fore during the '90s. The label certainly has one of the most impressive rosters in this respect, including the likes of Buju Banton, Beenie Man, General Degree, Lady Saw, Beres Hammond, and Bounty Killer, among many others. This fourth installment in VP's high-profile Reggae Gold series offers up prime cuts from all these singers and DJs, along with some updated roots-ragga from Luciano as well as a fine Gregory Isaacs and Lady Saw duet on an update of "Night Nurse." Other standout tracks include Saw's ribald "No Long Talk" (her infamous vocal gymnastics taking on Diamanda Galas proportions), Bounty Killer's tight bit of robotic funk "Benz & the Bimma," and General Degree's slinky rub-a-dub cut "When I Hold You Tonight." Those in need of more traditional vocalizing can look forward to Beres Hammond's sunny "Love From a Distance" and Mikey Spice's "Showers of Blessing." And after getting the cloying taste of Junior Tucker's abysmal pop-lite side "Love Somebody" out of your mouth, be sure to also check out more prime sides by both Shabba Ranks and Banton. Also featuring the stellar production work of studio luminaries like Steely & Clevie, Sly & Robbie, Bobby Digital, and Phillip Burell, Reggae Gold '96 makes for a fine introduction to the world of digital reggae. ~ Stephen Cook


Includes liner notes by James Goring.


Producers include: Dave "Stranger" Kelly, Patrick Roberts, Aden Jones, Donovan Germain, Garfield "Sampalue" Phillips.


Compilation producers: Derrick Moo-Young, Ryan Andrews, Joel Chin, Edwin Howell.


Liner Note Author: James Goring.


Editors: Paul Shields; Chris Scott.


Arrangers: Dave Kelly; Donovan Germain; Glen Browne; Aden "Noble" Jones; Bobby "Digital" Dixon; David Sanguinetti; Stranger; Lloyd Campbell ; Patrick Roberts; Philip "Fatis" Burrell; Sly & Robbie; Steely & Clevie; Beres Hammond; Robert Browne.The Beat (V.15 #4 1996, p.73) - 5 Stars (out of 5) - "REGGAE GOLD has become my favorite album of the year and this year's installment fully lives up to my expectation....If you want to hear what is hot in dancehall, buy this album."
Reggae Report (V.14 #6 1996, p.40) - 5 Stars (out of 5) - Classic - "...The latest edition, REGGAE GOLD 1996, is a veritable gold mine..."