• 14 tracks new to CD. Fascinating insight into Lee Perry’s musical development. • A must for all committed Upsetter fans. Lee Perry had reached the top of the Jamaican music business as the 1970s dawned. His international chartbuster, ‘Return Of Django’ had not just confirmed his standing as one of reggae music’s leading music makers, it also provided the funds that facilitated a significant increase in studio time, so providing the luxury of further experimentations with sound.

This is clearly evident in his output throughout 1970, during which time the proto-dub recordings of his regular session band The Hippy Boys provided the primary focus of his releases. The extent to which the quartet dominated Perry’s output during the first half of the year is demonstrated on this, the third volume of his Jamaican singles, with 75% of the collection comprising instrumental works.

Featuring 14 of the tracks new to CD and many others unavailable on any format since the 1990s, ‘Land of Kinks’ not only provides a fascinating insight into the evolution of Lee Perry as a producer, it is also offers the opportunity to discover some of the most ambitious and remarkable reggae recordings of the early 70s.

Another great Cherry Red compilation. I may as well sleep in their basement. For some reason I’m very much in an old reggae phase at the moment.

Last night I was wondering around Morning Lane and Mare Street in Hackney where I first started working 30 years ago now.

The office in Morning Lane has long since been demolished and it deserved that fate as it was the old Berger Paint/Battery Factory and probably polluted to hell.

I used to work on the top floor and the flat roof leaked and rain would drip down my neck. Everything had a film of tobacco ash on it as the smoking room rule had only recently come in - pre complete workplace ban.

I’ll write about it properly one day as the memories start to re-surface.

I digressed of course but Well Street Market nearby used to sell homemade cassette compilations of old Lovers Rock and Ska tunes which was pretty much how we rolled before the internet ruined our lives.

There’s so much great stuff on this compilation so go buy it - even if you have to tolerate Cherry Red’s slightly cranky website it’s supporting them and not Jeff Bezos’ Space Penis.