January 2020

Bost & Bim, various artists: Dreamcatcher Riddim review – Steve Topple For Pauzeradio.com. If you’ve ever woken suddenly in the middle of a dream, you’ll know that ‘otherworldly’ feeling when you’re not sure if you’re still awake or asleep. Well, the latest riddim from Bost & Bim musically encapsulates that experience perfectly. But the track and its interpretations are no nightmare. Dreamcatcher Riddim, released via The Bombist, is a curiously enthralling creation. It sits somewhere between Roots and Dub, probably being at home in the Revival movement. But you get the feeling Bost & Bim took a little bit of

Seani B, Don Chandler and various artists: Freedom Horns Riddim review – Steve Topple For Pauzeradio.com. The ‘old ones are the best’, allegedly. Not always the case, maybe – and five, short years is hardly ancient. But one of the most recognisable riddims of the 2010’s has just got a fresh outing. And the result is a delicious expansion on a classic. Freedom Horns Riddim, released by Bruk Out, is an exquisite piece of work by Seani B and Don. Musically intricate, it harks back to the golden age of Reggae while simultaneously rooting itself firmly in the 21st century.

Various artists: World A Reggae riddim review – Steve Topple For Pauzeradio.com. (Songs On This Riddim Are Available In The Pauzeradio Vinyl Shop) If ever the title of a track summed up not only its content, but also the musical genre, it was the World A Reggae Riddim. Because you can chart the history of the music, and its true meaning, across all the artists’ interpretations. It’s a bold move for World A Reggae, one of the leading websites for the genre, to release its own riddim. But given the roll-call of artists who have put their talents to it,

Prince Allah: Stand Firm review – Steve Topple for Pauzeradio.com. To say Prince Allah is a veteran of the Roots movement is probably an understatement. But this legendary artist has lost none of his spark, as his most recent project demonstrates. Stand Firm, released by Sunvibes Music, may be small. But to coin a cliché it is perfectly formed. And moreover, its four tracks accompanied by four Dub versions encapsulate Prince Allah perfectly. The album opens with Some A Dem. It’s pure, classic Roots. The musical arrangement uses an extremely effective one tone chord drop-down across each bar. This gives