Featuring cuts from Basic Channel's beloved reissue series,
Wackies Sampler, Vol. 3 covers everything released since the Vol. 2 sampler. Once again, the Berlin-based label takes great care with these recordings, retaining the deep bass and spaciousness Wackies label head Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes laid on these tracks back in the '70s. Keep in mind that Basic Channel prefers their releases to be uniform and fairly stark so the liner notes are minimal and there's no history of Barnes' Bronx based label, plus there are no rare dubs or mixes to be had so loyal buyers will find this to be 100-percent duplication. All that aside, this is intoxicating reggae and dub, ranging from spaced-out instrumentals from Wackies' house band to silky smooth lovers rock from the likes of
Horace Andy, whose cover of "Love Hangover" is simply delicious. His roots number "Live in the City" is just as vital, as are hits from John Clarke,
Little John,
Sugar Minott, and
Max Romeo, but it's the inclusion of prime tracks from lesser known acts that really makes the set, and the series, special. Reggae fans unfamiliar with
Jezzreel and Lloyd McTaggart will be sold by their great cuts and grateful that the mighty Basic Channel, as always, goes deep. ~ David Jeffries