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ISLE OF JURA

**Collectors Edition 180g Vinyl Edition**
**Includes Inner Sleeve Based on the Original 1983 Cover**

The original single from Escape From New York finally gets an official reissue. Originally released in 1983 ‘Save Our Love’ was released a year before ‘Fire in My Heart’ and sets out their highly effective fusion of New Wave, Disco, Italo and Post Punk. Featuring Jaki Graham and D.C Lee on backing vocals, the 12” also includes an instrumental mix and cult classic ‘Slow Beat’ (Dance Mix). Escape From New York were short lived and disbanded in 1984 following the release of ‘Fire in My Heart’, ultimately buckling under the pressure of commercial expectations for their innovative brand of pop music. Fast forward to 2023 and history has been kind and these singles are now regarded as being pioneering classics.

TRACK LISTING

Save Our Love
Slow Beat (Dance Mix)
Save Our Love (Instrumental)

Various Artists

Jura Soundsystem Presents Transmission One

    Since they made their entrance on the reissue stage in 2016 (with the essential reissue of "Fire In My Heart" no less), Isle Of Jura have dropped nothing but fire, proving to have a formidible ear for an unheard hit. Now the crew come through with the first in a series of compilations which blend Dub, Ambient, Downtempo, Boogie and Proto House with a focus on music never before released on Vinyl, sought after out of print titles and some special versions edited specifically for the album.
    The intention with this project was to delve deeper into the reissue pond and unearth some lesser known tracks and artists. Highlights include Smackos' (AKA Legowelt) ambient epic ‘We Can Watch Alf In The Hotel Room’, never before released on Vinyl, the dub / psych hybrid of Minus Group’s ‘Black Shadow’, Kash’s sought after ‘Percussion Sundance’ and special edits of Ken Dang and Tabou Combo. As if that weren't enough to tickle your pickle, then the four ambient tools the Jura Soundsystem have cooked up for the finale totally take the cake.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Patrick says: After a string of excellent reissues over the past two years, Isle Of Jura drop their first compilation, a mega set of not-on-vinyl heat, out of print excellence and specially edited bangers for disco, house, downtempo and dub fans. Maximum respect!

    TRACK LISTING

    1. Smackos - We Can Watch Alf In The Hotel Room
    2. Astral Engineering - Seashore Dub
    3. Minus Group - Black Shadow
    4. Ken Dang - Born In Borneo (Jura Soundsystem Edit)
    5. Trevor Bastow - Integration
    6. Kash - Percussion Sundance
    7. Tabou Combo Superstars - Ooh La La (Jura Soundsystem Edit)
    8. Blindboy - Traumerei
    9. Mix-O-Rap- All Party People (Special Mix) (Go-Go Style)
    10. Jura Soundsystem - Jungle Ambient Tool
    11. Jura Soundsystem - Ocean Ambient Tool
    12. Jura Soundsystem - Time Ambient Tool
    13. Jura Soundsystem - Pyramids Ambient Tool 

    Shiva

    Never Gonna Give You Up (Jura Soundsystem Special)

    Limited one sided 12” featuring an extended edit by IOJ label boss Jura Soundsystem that teases out the vocal and pulls back on the sax with judicious amounts of delay and reverb to create a 11’25 mins dubby disco excursion.

    Super limited copies, one time pressing - you know what to do! 

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Matt says: Matt Says: Swaying, sumptuous, disco-reggae dubbed out to the max with a lil' bit of lover’s rock flavour about it. This is fuckin' incredible - miss at your peril!

    TRACK LISTING

    Never Gonna Give U Up (Jura Soundsystem Dub Edit)

    Two lost disco classics appearing for the first time on a single 12” featuring soul legend Leon Ware and Jo Ann Harris, a little known backing singer for Bob Dylan throughout the 80s.

    Both songs originally appeared on the "20 Minute Workout" Video and LP released in 1983 by Canadian label Ronco, "What Does It Take" providing an uptempo crescendo to the third part of the workout and "Never Gonna Give You Up" the final warm down track. Licensed from producer Ira Newborn, Hollywood soundtrack royalty who composed the scores for an incredible run of films including The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Naked Gun trilogy, Weird Science, Ace Ventura and Uncle Buck. Ira’s lawyer persuaded him to get involved in the project for Ronco and it was Ira who hand picked Leon Ware and Jo Ann Harris to add vocals to two tracks to aid the commercial potential of the album.

    There are two original versions backed with extended instrumentals sourced from a rare lazer disc version of the album. It feels right to shine a light on one of Leon Ware’s lesser known performances, whilst the Jo Ann Harris cut has a distinct Balearic air featuring sultry keys and sax at a tempo of 98 BPM.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Matt says: Isle Of Jura keep turning out the top trumps. Lost disco culled from 80s VHS workout videos! For me, it's all about that "Never Gonne Give You Up" track (so good it's got a separate dub release); but the deep driving funk-soul of "What Does It Take" has a Lofty air about it which I feel should tickle the fancy of any David Mancuso heads.

    TRACK LISTING

    What Does It Take (Featuring Leon Ware)
    What Does It Take (Instrumental)
    Never Gonna Give U Up
    Never Gonna Give U Up (Instrumental)

    Following the success of the 2021 reissue of Ambient Warrior’s cult classic "Dub Journey's" (1995), Isle of Jura is pleased to present their unreleased second album, "II". The album was recorded from 1995 to 1999 and is born from the same oceanside fusion of instrumental dub, reggae, bossa nova and tango music that made "Dub Journey's" so distinctive and memorable; II is an equally sublime collection of eleven unheard tracks from the brilliant minds of Ronnie Lion and Andrea Terrano.

    Evoking the delights of white sands, palm trees and sunsets, all set against clear waters and endless blue skies, "Dub Journey’s" and "II" document the golden moment when Ambient Warrior came together during the mid-90s to create some of the most Balearic Dub ever made. 'Music is the greatest traveller, isn’t it?' says Ronnie. 'It gets to places the actual artists can’t even get to really.'

    The son of an orphaned Jamaican jazz trumpet player and professional boxer who enlisted in the military after stowing away on a boat to London, Ronnie grew up between Germany, Singapore and the UK before becoming a working musician in his mid-teens. A bass player by trade, he honed his skills playing in a series of soul, jazz-funk, blues, rock and reggae bands that performed throughout the UK.

    By the time Ambient Warrior released "Dub Journey’s", Ronnie and his business partner Ras Joseph were running the Lion Inc. recording studio and record label in Brixton, London. Having set up distribution arrangements with Roots Records (UK) and Semaphore (DEU/NL), they recorded and released a series of singles, compilations and solo albums from a who’s who of roots reggae artists, including Twinkle Brothers, Delroy Washington, Michael Prophet, Alton Ellis, Little Roy, and Ronnie’s own band The Amharic. 'Lion was a regular port of call for visiting Jamaican artists,' reflects Ronnie. 'When you were in London, it was on the route.'

    An accomplished guitarist, producer and recording engineer from Trieste, Italy, Andrea grew up listening to Russian folk, Klezmer and the Italian harmony tradition in a Sicilian-Ukrainian family. After completing compulsory Italian military service, he moved to London to continue studying music. One night, he turned up at Lion Inc. and approached them about running audio engineering classes from the studio.

    In Andrea, Ronnie found a collaborator who shared his desire to create borderless music that reflected the diversity of their backgrounds. 'I wanted to do something that had no boundaries,' Ronnie explains. 'If you’re working on a roots album, it has to sound a certain way, but with Ambient, especially in the nineties, it was just a license to let off. You could do whatever you wanted to do.' 'It was a melting pot of influences like London itself,” adds Andrea.

    Although they wrote most of "II" at the same time as they were recording "Dub Journey’s", it took them several years to finish off the album. 'Things never got done quickly,' Ronnie remembers. By the time it was complete, Roots Records had gone out of business, leaving Lion Inc. without UK distribution. Not long after, their Brixton studio flooded, bringing the label to a close.

    These days, Andrea continues to work as a session guitarist, recording engineer and producer in London. Over the last two decades, he has collaborated regularly with Basement Jaxx and released several solo albums. Ronnie, on the other hand, lives on a boat equipped with an onboard studio, where he has recorded a series of oceanic dub albums off the British coast. Twenty-eight years after the release of "Dub Journey’s", he recently started working on demos for a third Ambient Warrior album he hopes to record with Andrea in the not-so-distant future.



    STAFF COMMENTS

    Max says: A brilliantly diverse dub which removes itself from the cultural confines of Jamaica, allowing the producers more freedom to incorporate global influences and explore new landscapes within the dub genre. A masterpiece!

    TRACK LISTING

    The Dub Chamber
    Parisian Dub
    Vibration Dub
    Truths And Rights
    The Dub Stepper
    Dub Lounge
    Desert Horse Dub
    The Mighty Iguana
    Land Of The Dubbites
    Deliverance Dub
    Nugus Dub

    In 1972, French producer turned ZE Records founder Michel Esteban released a one-off single as Bella Vista, "Mister Wong". Like many of the records the New York-based entrepreneur worked on, the track gleefully joins the dots between spacey synth-pop, NYC style mutant disco and what these days we'd call sun-kissed Balearic disco. The slow motion, glassy-eyed original version comes accompanied by the original flipside "Disco Dub" - a much sparser affair focused on the killer slap bass, reverb-laden percussion and slivers of guitar and synth - and a brand new "Extended Disco Dub Edit" by Isle of Jura chief Kevin Griffiths as Jura Soundsystem. This extends the oh-too-short Disco Dub for greater dancefloor pleasure while adding some fantastic new percussion.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Patrick says: Despite my predilections for anything French, Balearic, sunkissed and slightly frothy (which all roll nicely into a slightly warm stubby of Panache), I'd never heard Bella Vista's brilliant "Mister Wong", until about an hour ago and it's brought a full sun out on an otherwise miserable day. Naïve synths, slow disco groove and so much sugar!

    TRACK LISTING

    A1. Mister Wong
    A2. Mister Wong (Disco Dub)
    B3. Mister Wong (Jura Soundsystem Extended Disco Dub Edit)

    The next official reissue from Isle Of Jura oozes the feelgood factor, a reggae disco cover of ‘Ain’t Nobody’ by Jamaican artist Yvonne Archer. For the first time since the original release in 1980 the full length original 12” mix gets the reissue treatment along with the lovers rock leaning ‘Checking Out The Way I Feel’.

    On the flip Jura Soundsystem provide 2 edits, a main edit that pulls back on the electric guitar from the original and a dub adding subtle delays and sparse use of the vocal to let the groove work its magic. This is the first of two 12”s licensed from producer John Rubie that have appeared on Isle Of Jura. 

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Matt says: A stonkingly good crowd pleasing reggae - disco cover that'll have everyone unified under its summery sway. Chaka Khan ina rub-a-dub stylee!

    TRACK LISTING

    Aint Nobody Original 12 Mix
    Checking Out The Way I Feel
    Aint Nobody Jura Soundsystem Edit
    Aint Nobody Jura Soundsystem Dub

    Double 140 Gram LP in a 5mm Spine Shrinkwrapped sleeve designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

    The third and concluding edition of the Transmissions compilation series curated by IOJ Jura Soundsystem. The compilation focuses once again on rarities no longer available on Vinyl and touches upon Reggae & Dub, Ambient House, Downtempo and Leftfield Disco.

    Mixmaster Morris in his Irresistible Force guise opens the album with the Ambient Electronica of ‘Lotus Position’, a long time favourite that’s been unavailable on Vinyl for nearly 30 years. Full Moon Scientist pick up the Ambient Dub baton with ‘Lunar Base Dub’ segueing into Australia’s Rude Band, featuring Oz radio royalty Doug Mulray on the aptly titled ‘Doug’s Dub’ originally released on Oz Sounds in Australia in 1982, a true Balearic gem recorded long before the genre had been widely discovered. Other highlights include Mary House’s ‘Ambient’, a chuggy slo-mo piano houser originally the last track on a 7 track EP released in 1991 on Italian label Technology, and ‘Do It’, an obscure South African track by Inspiration which covers the music from Sylvester’s ‘I Need Somebody To Love Tonight’ paired with new vocals using the refrain ‘Do It’. Jean-Michel Bertrand gave his blessing to a special Jura Soundsystem version of ‘Dream Reggae’ which features long time collaborator Mike Burn adding lead and rhythm guitar to an extended edit of the song. The album closes with some Ambient Tools which should serve to raise a smile at the end of the series.

    TRACK LISTING

    The Irresistable Force - Lotus Position
    Full Moon Scientist - Lunar Base Dub
    The Rude Band - Dougs Dub
    Robert Minnott - Give Me Your Lovin Dub
    Mary House - Ambient (Krishna Instrumental)
    Mamukata - Kalimba Del Sol (DJ Jimmy Groove Version)
    Inspiration - Do It (12” Club Mix)
    Optimus - Four Point One
    Jean Michel Bertrand - ‘Dream Reggae’ (Jura Soundsystem Special Version)
    Jura Soundsystem - The Boathouse (Ambient Tool)
    Jura Soundsystem - Bonus Tools & FX

    A stunning cover version of Errol Dunkley’s ‘Movie Star’ originally released on Brooklyn label Witty in 1987. Produced by Paul Beecher, the 707 drums are phat & crisp and the keys shine brightly in the mix to complement the incredibly soulful vocal from Melody Beecher. Backed with Dub Version and an extended 12” mix, housed in a sky blue and red IOJ Island Disco sleeve with sticker designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Paul says: Another cover from Beecher! I've been seriously digging her versions of these 80s hits. "Movie Star" is a true classic - but it works so well as a reggae-rub-down!

    TRACK LISTING

    Movie Star
    Movie Star (Dub)
    Movie Star (Extended 12" Mix)

    An extended 12” ‘Club Mix’ of the 1980’s classic covered in true lovers rock style by the late Melody Beecher. Produced by husband Paul and remastered from the original two track session tape. Jura Soundsystem delivers a ‘Lovers Version’ combining snippets of vocal from the original with the dub mix, going heavy on the reverb to create a more dubbed out excursion.

    The 12” is housed in a black and yellow IOJ Island disco sleeve with sticker designed by Bradley Pinkerton. 


    STAFF COMMENTS

    Matt says: Nice extended version and dub of this brilliantly genius 80s cover version inna reggae stylee. The Jura Soundsystem Lovers Version is worthy of some attention here - swamping the mix with reverb and delay for a monstrous slice of island dub!

    TRACK LISTING

    Careless Whisper (Club Mix)
    Careless Whisper (Jura Soundsystem Lovers Version)

    Lovers rock cover of the 80’s classic complete with killer Dub version, originally released in a very small run of 7”s in 1985. Performed by the late Melody Beecher and produced by her husband Paul Beecher the 7” has been re-mastered from the original two track session tape. Hand stamped in a kraftboard sleeve and limited to 300 copies.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Matt says: Who'da thunk a George Michael reggae version could be so divisive?! We're torn here at Picc HQ between genius and cat shit. Me and Pasta Paul are onboard though, which is all that matters really ;)

    TRACK LISTING

    Side A:
    Careless Whisper

    Side B:
    Careless Whisper (Dub)

    Originally released in 1990 ‘Voaria’ was written by Benjamin Nhassavele and produced & arranged by the late Tata Sibeko, the revered South African producer and member of Kabasa. Taken from the LP of the same name ‘Voaria’ was released at a time when early house music was emerging as a key influence in the South African musical landscape, an evolvement of the Bubblegum pop sound that had fused disco and boogie with township funk. Characterised by Roland kick drums, Yamaha DX7s and Juno Synthesisers the Kwaito sound is the musical heartbeat of ‘Voaria’.

    As well as being in Novidade, Benjamin toured the world extensively as part of Alec Kaholi’s Umoja and ‘Voaria’ is a song about his desire to go back to Maputo, his hometown in Zimbabwe. Featuring Benjamin on lead vocals ‘Voaria’ comes in 2 versions, a main House mix on the A side and the Clubhouse mix on the flip which switches up the arrangement placing more emphasis on the magical groove. The 12” is housed in a full sleeve jacket by Bradley Pinkerton based on the original release design.


    TRACK LISTING

    Voaria (House Mix)
    Voaria (Club House Mix)

    House Of Assembly

    Hot Rock

    Originally released in 1988 ‘Hot Rock’ was the final single from Pennsylvanian based roots reggae band House Of Assembly. The band, comprising main songwriter Norman Bailey, Marc Campbell, Claver Campbell and Louis Putman, grew up in the Water House area of Kingston, Jamaica bonding over their shared love of Dub & Reggae. The 4 members moved to Pennsylvania in the US in the early 80’s and released one album ‘Confusion’ on the local Meadowlark label, touring throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and becoming stalwarts of the Pennsylvanian roots scene.

    The band started their own Concrete label in 1988 releasing ‘Hot Rock’ complete with a Dub Version possessing a potent combination of punchy 707 drum programming, killer rolling bassline, stripped back lead guitar and a rising synth line. For the official reissue there’s an added ‘Rockapella’ version not found on the original 12” and a new full sleeve jacket designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Matt says: Isle Of Jury continue to gift us overlooked moments of musical brilliance. Here they focus on House Of Assembly, the unlikely Pennsylvania reggae band who had modest local success but never really broke the big time.

    TRACK LISTING

    Hot Rock
    Hot Rock (Rockapella)
    Hot Rock (Dub)

    Very in demand and hard to find LP, comes with alternate cover and Includes the banger ''Wantin’ U''..

    "Exit" was recorded in Barbados in 1985. The best reissues succinctly capture a moment in time and this album provides a snapshot of island life in the Caribbean region of the America’s in the middle of the 1980’s. The LP encompasses new wave, funk and early house rhythms with a backbone of calypso.

    The idea for Fire Flight started with 'Carl Beaver' Henderson, a musician, arranger and producer who initially provided back up band services for the Royal Bank of Trinidad & Tobago’s annual staff Calypso competition. In 1981 the idea quickly evolved into the 15 piece band that was Fire Flight who took Trinidad and Tobago’s performance spaces and annual carnival by storm with their electrifying life performances. The band also travelled to Toronto, Montreal and New York for their annual carnivals. In 1984 the band entered the now defunct Coral Sound Studios in Barbados to record their debut album. The driving force behind the LP was the band’s main songwriter Francis Escayg’s desire to explore alternative avenues of recognition for the band and to perform and thrive in the carnival off season. Highlights from the LP include the slow new wave funk of "Best Shot" & "White Horse", the melting pot of calypso, zouk and reggae influences on "Hard Life" & "Mornin Lovin" and the tropical proto house of "Wantin U" that was a highlight of the Fire Flight live show.

    Original copies regular fetch upwards of £400 on 2nd marketplaces...

    This official reissue is pressed with new full sleeve artwork from Bradley Pinkerton. 


    TRACK LISTING

    Heartbreak City
    Best Shot
    Hard Life
    Wantin’ U
    Brown Sugar
    White Horse
    I'm In Love
    Mornin’ Lovin

    Ozo

    Anambra

      Isle Of Jura continue to navigate the uneven terrain of the collective wantlist here, jumping licensing hurdles to deliver an official reissue of one of THE all time cosmic classics. Taking us back in time to the sultry summer of 1976, the reissue specialists explore the early work of British/Nigerian soul/dub/funk ensemble Ozo, shining a light on the unique "Anambra", a spiritual, ritualistic expression which became a staple at Mancuso's Loft and Baldelli's Cosmic parties. Fusing African & Nyabinghi drumming with the Buddhist mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum"a mystical flute riff and soulful chants, Ozo created a slow burning moment of true dancefloor transcendence. Here we get both the extended 12" mix and the edited version, backed for the first time by later variation "Anambra River", a deep, dreamlike and mystical reprise which ups the tempo and intensity for a seamless midset flow from Dadawah to Morricone.

      STAFF COMMENTS

      Patrick says: Another amazing reissue from Isle Of Jura here, treating us to a fully official pressing of this total Loft classic from Ozo. Spiritual vocals dance with gorgeous flute while the ritualistic drums clatter on and on.


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