Review: The undisputed king of reggae versions, Mato returns with his sixth series of dubbed out hip-hop covers. Far from the crass, crude mash-up culture, Mato's original instrumentation ensures a much more natural remix feel which, in some cases, sounds better than the original. Across the 10 track set we're treated a bouncy, sun-kissed take on Eve's "Gangsta Lovin", a tight skank-flexed take on The Beatnuts "Off The Books", a Vadim-style contemporary digi dub take on Nate Dogg's "Good Life" and a very authentic rendition of "Still Dre". Essential listening for both hip-hop and reggae heads.
Review: Scotland's most trusted reggae sound system Mungo's Hi Fi returns to Scotch Bonnet with the second single from the Soul Radio album, released earlier this year. It sees Sonny and Cher's 1967 number "And The Beat Goes On" souped-up ska-style with piano-led rhythms and vocal trips turned to something instrumental in "Ivory Coast". The Beat Goes SKA! takes in three distinct artists from different eras via an inter-generational family in Italian vocalist Marina P, legendary rocksteady and reggae deejay Dennis Alcapone and dancehall entertainer turned vocalist Tippa Irie on the mic! Said to embody the spirits of legends like Theophilus Beckford and Gladstone Anderson, the ska goes on!
