Hard hitting dub reggae from late 70s New York. The Wackies imprint was founded in the 1970s by Lloyd Barnes (bka Bullwackie). Barnes was a protege of Prince Buster and worked for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label as an engineer before emigrating to The Bronx, New York in the early 70s. In New York he founded Wackie's House Of Music record store and set up a recording studio in the back. From there he went on to produce for heavy hitters like Horace Andy, Sugar Minott, Junior Byles, and Lee "Scratch" Perry. Black World was originally released in 1979 on the Wackies' imprint Hardwax (where the Basic Channel dudes presumably got the name for their Berlin based record store). Leroy Sibbles of The Heptones led the selection as well as shared bass duties - there are versions of his classic composition "Guiding Star" and stylish Wackies heavyweight, "This World." "Tribute To Studio One" reworks The Heptones' "Gonna Fight" as well. Reggae classics "Drifter" and "Skylarking" are served up along with a dub version of Delroy Wilson's "Rain From The Skies." Heavy stuff indeed.

• music label: Wackie's 2014

reviewed by Señor Sueño Latino 04/2014