Upsetters – Double Seven – Vinyl LP

This classic album from 1973 saw its creator, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry exploring synths and starting to develop his Black Ark sound – the enigmatic producer was at the time in the process of building his famous studio and honing his ideas about dub as a musical form.

The LP opens with the eerie “Kentucky Skank”, Perry’s ode to KFC, complete with frying chicken sounds, spliced between winding tapes, a ghostly trumpet, and futuristic moog synthesizer, overdubbed at London’s Chalk Farm studios.

U Roy’s “Double Six” and I Roy’s “High Fashion” & “Hail Stones” illustrate just how strong The Upsetter’s deejay material had become, while versions of the Chi-Lites’ “We Are Neighbours”, Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” and a re-working of Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” (retitled “Jungle Lion”) all betray the funky soul influence that was increasingly shaping his work.

The backing tracks illustrate the producer at his best; the audio spectrum is fully differentiated while spatial placement an important component – something it would take years for him to achieve at the Black Ark.

Double Seven is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on silver coloured vinyl.

• 180 gram audiophile vinyl
• Limited numbered edition of 750 copies on silver coloured vinyl

Side A
1. Kentucky Skank – The Upsetters
2. Double Six – U Roy
3. Just Enough To Keep Me Hanging On – David Isaacs
4. In The Iaah – The Upsetters
5. Jungle Lion – The Upsetters
6. We Are The Neighbours – David Isaacs

Side B
1. Soul Man – The Upsetters
2. Stick Together – U Roy
3. High Fashion – I Roy
4. Long Sentence – The Upsetters
5. Hail Stones – The Upsetters
6. Ironside – The Upsetters
7. Cold Weather – The Upsetters
8. Waap You Waa – The Upsetters