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Gemma Rogers
Song of the Day: A tasty fusion of summer pop and gentle reggae by the London artist in a languid, cheery sounding but seriously deadpan song responding to how government takes about civil liberties in an underhand but also blatant form of social control
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The Selecter: Human Algebra, the title track to their new album
Song of the Day: A Thursday spring-in-your-step number and title track of the forthcoming album by the 2-Tone Records ska veterans, fronted by singer Pauline Black along with Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson and Charley ‘Aitch’ Bembridge
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La Dame’s Furtives EP
Song of the Day: Rhythmic, eclectic, witchy, and an altogether mysterious brew, this striking and wonderful single by the artist Erica Lippert, with guest vocals by Goldie B aka Bonnie Mbala, from La Dame’s fourth EP, Furtives
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Dave Okumu
Song of the Day: A powerful song inspired by the documentary about the January 1981 New Cross Fire in south London that claimed 13 Black young lives, with the title from a chant of anti-racism protests that followed
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Dot Allison
Song of the Day: A nicely alternative, dark, spooky number for Valentine’s Day by the sensual voiced Scottish singer-songwriter and seasoned collaborator, here with a fabulous dub-reggae remix version that was the great Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s final project before his death last summer
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Alewya’s EP Panther In Mode
Song of the Day: From the recent EP Panther In Mode, a sensual, powerful fusion of soul, reggae and other roots music by the charismatic London singer, here celebrating her African heritage, out on Because London Records
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Soothsayers
Song of the Day: With a remix by the British reggae and more legendary producer, aka Mike Pelanconi, this wonderfully positive song by the London Afrobeat and dub band is a new version from the 2020 album We Are Many
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Ranking Roger from The Beat, 1963-2019
Song of the Day: A short musical tribute after the sad loss of Ranking Roger, co-lead singer and MC with the Birmingham ska band that along with Specials became a cornerstone of British and Jamaican music at its best
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The 7-inch Single cover
Song of the Day: Returning to the nextdoor dispute theme, a fabulously catchy number the by Brixton reggae artists and DJ, aka Anthony Henry, relating neighbours’ noise clash from his 1986 album Is It Really Happening To Me
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Paragons of great rocksteady reggaeL with John Holt
Song of the Day: After A Quiet Place by Garnet Mimms, more neighbour disturbance with a ‘68 rocksteady classic inspired by another song penned by Paul Witt, and then an electronic landmark sung by Horace Andy from 1998’s album Mezzanine
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Sandi Shaw
Song of the Day: To capture the current state of farcical flux and political impasse over Brexit and US government shutdown, a classic written by Lionel Bart for the musical Oliver!, which also became a feminist 60s pop hit for the female star
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Dread rocker Lenny Kravitz
Song of the Day: After Arctic Monkeys taxi rank scenes in Sheffield night-life, a double header focusing on the drivers with a dismissive attitude and different attempts to hail them on either side of the pond
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Some of the many musicians collaborating on the Playing For Change project
Song of the Day: Yesterday's pick was Cuban played by Africans, today's is an even richer blend with artists from Morocco, Hungary, Mexico, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Senegal, Egypt, India, USA, France and Serbia
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Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013
Song of the Day: At a time when true statesmen are very much needed, and to mark the centenary of the great South African's birth, two great 1980s songs that helped bring his incarceration, and apartheid, to worldwide attention
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Super Furry Animals single cover for Northern Lites
Song of the Day: After Renaissance, let's turn to the innovative Welsh band, here adding a catchy dash of Caribbean calypso, steel drums and brass into a song written years earlier by frontman Gruff Rhys
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The Beat in 1980
Song of the Day: A political, but prescient number from their debut 1980 album I Just Can't Stop It, this wonderful Birmingham ska-reggae outfit, best known for their hit Mirror In The Bathroom, was among the 2 Tone label's finest
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Bob Marley & The Wailers in their early heyday
Song of the Day: Yesterday's Sly and the Family Stone were also famous for their track Stand, so by connection, from the same era, a masterpiece by the king of reggae with an equally powerful political message.
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The unmistakable Grace Jones
Song of the Day: To mark the release of the revealing, insightful and at times hilarious documentary film, Bloodlight and Bami, directed by Sophie Fiennes, a couple of Grace's finest, with two sample live performances capture her ferocity, style, sexiness, humour, and above all, consummate skill as an artist
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