Various Artists - The Midlands Roots Explosion Volume One (Reggae Archive Records)

Birmingham is the UK's second largest city and producing bands like Steel Pulse (the compilation opens with 'Kibudu-Mansatta-Abuku', the band's 1976 obscure first single), Musical Youth (included here is 'Political', a sturdy roots tune with ex-Techniques-member Frederick Waite Sr. on vocals) and UB40, played a pivotal role in the popularization of the reggae genre in Britain. In addition to these well-known bands, the region sprouted countless other reggae formations. Thanks to the releases of Reggae Archive Records, bands like Sceptre, Capital Letters, Black Symbol and Eclipse need no introduction, but others included on this compilation - Iganda, a band from Birmingham whose output is limited to one 7inch ('Slow Down' included here), Carnastoan, Mystic Foundation (the never released  'Instruments' was unearthed by Reggae Archive Records for this compilation) or Groundation (no not the band from California, but a formation from Leicester) were completely unknown to yours truly. Interesting trip down memory lane, uncovering the at times forgotten reggae history of the British Midlands.