The Hills Man Riddim from Zion Gate

French label ZION GATE MUSIC the people who brought you the crucial I LOVE JAH. ROCKERS and DETERMINATION ROCK riddims are now about to unleash a new one called the HILLS MAN

This riddim is a fantastic almighty one drop and will be released on 3 singles, all produced by Ras Abubakar, with the first being a maxi single featuring vocals cuts by Danny Red, Nassadjah (singing in his native French) and Anthony John plus a straight instrumental version from the Zion Gate Players.
The second single is due to be released a month after the first and will feature Anthony Que and Ras Mac Bean and the third, released the following month with Lorenzo, Vivian Jones and Solo Banton fulfilling vocal duties.
I have no confirmed release date as yet but it is sure to be soon and once heard everyone will want it. So keep checking out their Myspace and Facebook for further details.

Dub From Atlantis - Silly Little Things

Ranking Records have just brought out their first release from Bristol bass giants, Dub From Atlantis.

DFA have been playing and promoting all styles of reggae music in Bristol since the summer of 2000, performing with most of Bristol’s best known reggae artists as well as newcomers to the scene & big names from out of Town.
‘Silly Little Things’ shows dub from Atlantis’s unique ability to fuse a classic dub foundation with modern production twists. The sax played by James Gardiner Bateman harks back to those vintage studio one records, as vocalist Celestine floats over the riddim with beautiful melodies, taking influence from classic reggae and soul, with the low end taken care of by some mighty sub bass frequencies.
Dub from Atlantis draw deep for the dub, which is peppered with stylish licks from James Gardiner Bateman and Josh Archaleo.
Cymatic is a production crew consisting of some of the most prolific and respected producers in UK dance music: Ruckspin, DLR, Quantum Soul and Chris Octane come together for their first ever release on Ranking, a nasty brooding dubstep stinker that lurches and grooves towards a synth rinseout on the Second Drop.Kähn is from a new generation of Bristol producers and DJs, brought up in the city's renowned culture of Sound Systems, Punk Rock and Hip-Hop. While true to its tradition and respecting its influence, he's building a following based on a sound of his own. His ‘Silly Little Things’ remix comprises a funky as hell 2- step shuffle that bubbles over Celestine’s vocal so neatly that it could almost be an original version. Reverse instruments and long, ambient reverbs pad the background, and as the Beats and Bass Develop, a dreamy sonic landscape reminiscent of ranking regulars Ruckspin and Quark oozes out of the speakers.

1. Silly Little Things (ft.Celestine)
2. Silly Little Things (ft. James Gardiner Bateman and Josh Archaleo)
3. Silly Little Things (Cymatic Remix)

4. Silly LittleThings (Kähn)

SUBSCRIBE TO DO THE DOG SKAZINE & GET 2 FREE CD’s!

March will see the publication of the 60th issue of Do The Dog Skazine! and to celebrate the occasion they are offering you the chance to get 2 free CD’s when you subscribe to the zine for 4 issues.

A 4 issue subscription to Do The Dog Skazine costs just £5.00.

So for a measly fiver you will receive 4 issues of essential ska news & reviews plus 2 top notch ska releases!

All subscriptions are a huge help in keeping Do The Dog Skazine alive & kicking! the zine has been going since 1989, when it was originally called Rude Skazine. 52 issues of Rude were published before changing the name to Do The Dog Skazine in 1996, so the March issue will in fact be the 112th issue to date!

Due to the continual rise of printing & postage costs they now actually lose money on each issue that is published so please help support the zine that supports the scene by buying a subscription!

If you are already a subscriber to Do The Dog Skazine you can still help out & also take advantage of the 2 free CD’s offer by topping up your subscription for an extra 4 issues.
The Do The Dog Skazine 2 Free CD Subscription Special Offer will run until the end of February 2011 & you can choose from the following Do The Dog Music label & distro CD’s for the offer:

Amphetameanies – Say Something Special (Scottish 2 tone ska)
APB – Karoshi (UK 2 tone ska, reggae & dub)

The Bakesys – Return To The Planet Of The Bakesys (UK 2 tone ska)
The Bakesys – self titled (UK 2 tone ska)
Robb Blake – No Time To Waste (UK 2 tone ska & reggae)

Robb Blake – One Man Ska Explosion (UK 2 tone ska & reggae)
Robb Blake – Ain’t Got No Soul (UK 2 tone ska & reggae)
Robb Blake & Liam O’Kane – Heavyweight Acoustic Ska Showdown (UK acoustic ska)
Capone & The Bullets – I Don’t Feel (Scottish 2 tone ska)
Captain Black No Stars & Rasta4Eyes – Boss Sounds Of The Boom & Bust (UK reggae & 2 tone ska)

Cartoon Violence – Whatever Happened To The Likely Lad? (UK 2 tone ska)

Catch It Kebabs – Skanking Sausages (UK ska/punk)

Dirty Revolution – Its Gonna Get Dirty (UK 2 tone ska & reggae)
Drewvis – For The Win (UK acoustic ska)
Ettin – Rise Yourself (UK 2 tone ska & reggae)

Four 0 – Across The Borderline (UK 3rd wave ska)
Four 0 – Tales Of The Unexpected (UK 3rd wave ska/rock/reggae)
Honeyshop Screamers – Going Out Dancing (UK 2 tone ska)
Jimmy The Squirrel – self titled (UK 2 tone ska)
Jimmy The Squirrel – Whatever The Weather (UK 2 tone ska)

John Player Specials – Identification (UK 2 tone ska)
Los Tres Puntos – 10 Ans Ferme (French 2 tone ska)
Los Tres Puntos – Live (French 2 tone ska)
Los Tres Puntos – Si Oh (French 2 tone ska)
New Town Kings – Sound Of The New Town (UK 2 tone & trad ska)
Liam O’Kane – Happy Days Sad Songs (UK acoustic ska)
Pama International – Float Like A Butterfly (UK trad ska & reggae)
Rebelation – Pounds & Pence (UK trad ska & reggae)

Rebelation – State Of The Union (UK trad ska & reggae)

Rebelation – Steppas (UK trad ska, reggae & 2 tone)

Rebelation – Yo Swing Dat Mama (UK trad ska, reggae & 2 tone)

Rebelation – The Berlin Session (UK trad ska & reggae)
Resolution 242 – self titled (UK reggae, dub & acoustic folk)
Ruby Throat – Hit By A Pavement (UK 2 tone/pop/reggae)
Rude Bones – 6 Rude Radio Show (Japanese 2 tone ska/punk)
Sadies Doll – self titled (UK 3rd wave ska, reggae & dub)

Sally Brown – Mi Palabra Es La Ley (Spanish 2 tone ska)
Skauci – self titled (Polish 2 tone ska)
The Skints – self titled (UK ska/punk, 2 tone, reggae & dub)
Skylar – self titled (Uk trad ska & reggae)

Smoke Like A Fish – Here’s One We Made Earlier (UK 2 tone ska)

Smoke Like A Fish – self titled (UK 2 tone ska)

Smoke Like A Fish – Survival Of The Hip’est (UK 2 tone ska)

Squid 58 – Dismantled (UK 2 tone ska)
The Steady Boys – Roots (UK street punk & 2 tone ska)
The Supatones – Unity Avenue (UK 3rd wave ska)
3 Minute Warning - Tramps Jackpot (UK ska/punk & 2 tone)

Too Many Crooks – Bounce (UK 2 tone ska)

Too Many Crooks – Inside (UK 2 tone ska)

Too Many Crooks – Spanish Fly (UK 2 tone ska)
Various – Shack vol. 3, Transatlantic Ska (UK & US ska comp)
Zlodzieje Glow – Siedmiomilowe Buty (Polish ska/punk)

Please Note that only the 52 CD’s listed above are available with the subscription offer and that they are only available with the offer while stocks last. Postage & packing is included in the subscription price.

The offer is I'm afraid only available to UK residents and the closing date is 28th February 2011.

How To Pay:
1. By cheque or postal order. Simply write the 2 free CD’s you would like with your subscription on a piece of paper along with your name, postal address & email address & send it, with your £5.00 cheque or postal order to…

Do The Dog Music, 65 Blackdown Way, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 3FY.

Please make your cheque or postal order payable to "Do The Dog Music".

2. By Paypal. If you have a Paypal account then you can send your £5.00 zine subscription payment by Paypal to dothedogmusic@yahoo.co.uk

Make sure you write the words “zine subscription” & the 2 free CD’s that you would like with your subscription in the notes section when you send your Paypal payment.

Reggae iPhone Apps

Recently United Reggae brought out an iPhone app and it would appear that it is not the only reggae orientated app out there.

Dubmatix has had his own iPhone app available for some time now with over 4400 downloads reported to date. The Dubmatix app allows you to




* Stream 80+ songs anytime
* Watch videos
* Keep up on new tours and show dates
* Post your comments on the fan wall
* Follow Dubmatix on Twitter

If this is the sort of thing that appeals to you then click on FREE DUBMATIX iPHONE APP to download.

Also out there and featuring the music of Dubmatix is the DUB SELECTOR APP (For iPhone, iTouch & now iPad) that allows you to become a reggae DJ. The app gives you control of the sirens, beats and effects while you play with its interactive graphics and games creating your own version songs that feature vocals by Michael Rose from Black Uhuru, Dennis Alcapone, Fredlocks, Mighty Howard and Raffa.
To view a video of the app in action click here…View Video


Or if you want to get your free or paid version straight away go here to Download

There are I'm sure many more apps out there, indeed Protoje who has just released his "7 Year Itch" album has an app similar to Dubmatix here as does his cousin the producer Don Corleon. If you know any more great reggae apps please feel free to let me know and I'll add the links.

Culture at Joe Gibbs

Last month it was Dennis Brown now it's the turn of Culture

This essential 4CD collection reassembles the three classic sets produced at Joe Gibbs, 'Baldhead Bridge', 'More Culture' and of course 'Two Sevens Clash', The success of which led them into the mainstream and introduced Culture to an international audience.

The fourth disc, titled, 'As Hard As The Rest' rounds up the non album Joe Gibbs sides from Culture including their debut Belmont single “This Time”, together with all eleven dubs from that classic run of roots rockers from the golden age of reggae, the majority of the tracks on this album are appearing on CD for the very first time.

Read a full review at UNITED REGGAE

Read this blogs profile on the band here

Buy: Amazon

Play

MAROON TOWN & INTENSIFIED

Both Maroon Town & Intensified are out now promoting their soon to be released albums. Maroon Town’s ‘Urban Myths', out on 7th March is available for pre-order now at Rockers Revolt

It is already picking up a heap of praise and airplay so check out the video for the lead track off the album 'Lemme Tell Dem (Ya Ya)'

It is destined to be one of the hits of the summer and you can catch ‘em live at.....

25.02 London Brixton - Hootananny
13.03 London Streatham Hideaway - 2 Empire Mews
21.04 London Intl Ska Festival - Clapham Grand Theatre
11.05 London Trafalgar Square - Cafe in The Crypt (underneath St.Martins church)

Intensified meanwhile are celebrating their 20th anniversary as one of UK's first trad.ska outfits by bringing out a brand new album 'Lunar City Groove' complete with DVD documentary out soon on Rockers Revolt and can be caught live at the following venues soon

04.02 Oxford, The Cellar (w/Skylarkin Sound System)

11.02 Newcastle, The Cluny (w/The Sidewalk Doctors & DJ Wrongtom)
19.03 Germany, Mainz Reduit
23.04 London Intl Ska Festival - Clapham Grand (W/English Beat, Dub Pistols, DJ Lynval Golding & more)

Dancehall Culture In Pictures

For lovers of reggae, especially dancehall culture, take a look at a new website that has just opened dedicated to the works of photographer and author Beth Lesser.
Beth along with her partner David Kingston first got involved with Reggae music and its culture when they started a fanzine called ‘Live Good Today’, for Augustus Pablo’s organization Rockers International in 1980. The magazine grew and eventually became ‘Reggae Quarterly’. As part of Beth’s duties she took hundreds of photographs that captured the rise of Dancehall Culture.Many of these pictures are now available to view at http://www.bethlesser.com/ where you’ll find the artists like Gregory Isaacs, Eek a Mouse, Tenor Saw pictured in the streets, Sly Dunbar, Jah Thomas and Bunny Tom Tom at work in the studio, or in the case of Michael Palmer and U Roy giving a live performance.
Many of her photographs have also been used by major reggae companies for album covers, like on VP’s recent ‘Henry Junjo Lawes Volcano Eruption Anthology’ plus gracing the covers of books and magazines, Reggae Explosion, Natty Dread, Reggae Vibes and more from all over the world.In addition to her photography she has also written books and was the first to write a biography on the producer "King Jammy" and the book depicting dancehall’s story from its roots to its heights, "Dancehall, the Story of Jamaican Dancehall Culture" which was accompanied by the Soul Jazz Records album of the same name.The site is well worth a look as there are some fascinating pictures to be seen and gives people a rare opportunity to dive directly in to the Jamaica of the 1980’s for a feel of its fashions and colourful nature of the time