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Originally released on legendary imprint 99 Records in 1981, War Of Words is the classic debut album by Singers & Players, a loose collective featuring top Jamaican deejays Prince Far I and Jah Woosh, plus members of the Arabs and Roots Radics. The mic is dominated on this record by the sweet vocals of cover star Bim Sherman.
Whilst very much based on a dub reggae blueprint, the record also features Keith Levene from Public Image Limited on guitar and Ari Up from The Slits on backing vocals. Kingston sound system culture as viewed through the prism of the London post-punk squat scene, and championed by the quintessential downtown NYC no wave record label.
The track "Reaching The Bad Man" was a highlight of the recent compilation Sherwood At The Controls Volume One: 1979 - 1984, and is very much a product of that era of Adrian Sherwood's leftfield experiments with the possibilities of dub.
Re-cut at dubplates & mastering in Berlin for maximum bass pressure. Includes a fold-out poster insert and download card.
Released alongside it is an accompanying 10" vinyl EP of unreleased tracks from the War Of Words studio sessions. "Calling Over The Distant Sea" has a previously unheard vocal by Prince Far I cut on the classic Kunta Kinte rhythm. Masterful Adrian Sherwood dub versions of War Of Words tracks "Devious Woman" and "Reaching The Bad Man" follow, before winding up with a great unheard deejay cut by Jah Woosh. This is another archival release in the long-running On-U disco plate series, following on from the very popular Record Store Day 10", An On-U Journey Through Time & Space (4 sci-fi themed dubs from the vaults). Cut by CGB at dubplates & mastering (hub of the groundbreaking Rhythm & Sound series and the essential Bullwackies reissues). |
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