Riddim: The Best of Sly & Robbie in Dub 1978-1985

Performer: Sly & Robbie
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare have been at the epicenter of reggae, dub, ragga, and Jamaican crossover music since the 1970s. Known primarily for their innovative work as session musicians, the Riddim Twins (as they are called) also garnered attention for their cutting-edge production techniques. In addition to helping to define the sound of such Jamaican superstars as Gregory Isaacs, Peter Tosh, and Black Uhuru, Sly & Robbie have also worked with Grace Jones, Bob Dylan, and Herbie Hancock, among others. RIDDIM collects the duo's own work in the dub vein between 1978 and 1985. While Sly & Robbie have lent their trademark sound to recordings that range all over the stylistic map, it's perfectly suited to the deep, heady vibe of instrumental dub. Shakespeare's pulsing, organic bass bobs and weaves between Dunbar's fractured, rimshot-filled rhythms, creating grooves that are at once spare, elemental, complex, and irresistible. Ironically, Sly & Robbie man the mixing boards on only a few tracks here, allowing guest producers to assist in constructing their soundscapes. The result is a lengthy, completely satisfying set of instrumental dub that spotlights the talents of one of the world's most notorious rhythm sections.

Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare are not only the most renowned rhythm section in reggae, they're among the most celebrated groovemeisters in all of pop music. The Kingston pair starting playing together in the mid-1970s, when reggae was really hitting its stride, and they quickly became in-demand session players. In Jamaica they graced the recordings of countless artists, from Lee "Scratch" Perry to Peter Tosh. After Sly & Robbie's fame spread to the US and UK in the '80s, they were recruited by Bob Dylan, Grace Jones and other pop/rock stars. The duo's own project Taxi, featuring various guest vocalists, was a reggae crossover success that displayed Dunbar and Shakespeare's growing technological facility as well as their vaunted rhythmic prowess.

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