Soul and Dub today

I have to up this rare soul 45 first, because it's such an urgent-sounding 45 that it is practically forcing itself up onto the internet. It's a Curtis Mayfield production on the Windy C label from the Five Stairsteps (before they had their big hit with "Ooh Child"), "Ain't Gonna Rest (Til I Get You)" b/w "You Can't See." The A-side is really fast-paced Chicago soul from the late 60's, clearly a Curtis Mayfield production from the instrumentation, alone. The song is sublime, it's just furious and urgent as hell. The B-side is mid-tempo and has that same uptown sound with some strings and percussion that really make it for me. Big fan of this 45, and see it sell for quite a bit. Download the songs here and look for it to buy, it's worth it. (I dug and paid 2 bucks for it in NJ).

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HJ5Q6L87

And Horace Andy's In the Light album is among the most influential of his or any reggae singer's career, and its dub counterpart Dub the Light is right up there with it. I have an original vinyl copy of Dub the Light on the Hungry Town label, so I ripped and upped it for you. It's complete with pops and scratches, as old Jamaican vinyl loves to be. But I don't think it skips, so you have every song here. Obviously, if you can find a copy of this on CD or vinyl, even the re-issue, get it, because it's absolutely genius. Seriously deep dub, great occasional snippets of vocals, more echo than a gigantic Arctic ice cave. A must have for any reggae/dub enthusiast.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KJ3SBR6X