Golden Greats, Volume 1

Singers and Players weren’t really a band, as such; they were a somewhat loose conglomeration of session musicians headquartered at Adrian Sherwood’s On-U Sound studio (who also often recorded under the name Dub Syndicate), called into service backing such singers as Bim Sherman, Congo Ashanti Roy, Mikey Dread, and (most memorably) Prince Far I. This album brings together some of their deepest, heaviest, and most dread recordings, including Prince Far I’s “Prodigal Son” and “Dreadlocks Soldier” and Congo Ashanti Roy’s exceptional “African Blood.” UK roots reggae has never been darker, heavier, or more brilliant than it is on this collection.