Various: King Jammy's, The Rhythm King

(Herald rating: * * *)

Jamaican studio ruler King Jammy was a man with an ear to the past and eye on the future, so when new digital technology came along in the 80s he embraced it. Jammy's studio was capable of giving local acts a snazzy sheen courtesy of people like Steely and Cleavie who had a solid roots background and brought that musicality to machines with numbers not names. This 18-track collection is a selective slice of Jammy's techno-enhanced dancehall reggae (no Shabba Ranks who had a solid roots background and brought that musicality to machines with numbers not names.

This 18-track collection is a selective slice of Jammy's technol-enhanced dancehall reggae (No Shabba Ranks who became the ragga star and bannerman of the new digital dancehall period) and over the long haul those who like rootsy reality reggae on bass'n'kit drums will find it tough going. But as sampler of an emerging dance-reggae style (Plus two dub plate tracks) it's good, and the cast of Johnny Osbourne, Sugar Minott, Horace Andy, the Wailing Souls and Eek a Mouse includes some of 80's reggae's biggest names.

(Label: Chant)