1985 Master Mega Hits Vol 1 and 2 – Jammys Records

Jammys’ 1985 Master Mega Hits Vol. 1 and 2 pulls together a deep, 19-artist dancehall lineup that reads like a who’s-who of mid-’80s Kingston, with Cocoa Tea, Echo Minott, Pad Anthony, Sugar Minott, Super Cat, Wayne Smith and Tappa Zukie all cutting through the same hard-edged session. The music has that lean, streetwise Jammys feel: spare drums, stuttering keyboard lines and plenty of room for the deejays and singers to ride the rhythm without clutter. Cocoa Tea’s “Hey Bobby” and Echo Minott’s “Put You Hand Pon The Key” set the tone early, while Wayne Smith’s “Under My Sleng Teng” points straight at the digital turn that was about to change dancehall. By the time Prince Jammy’s “Jammy’s Special” closes things out, the compilation feels like a snapshot of the sound moving from rootsy chant to the new era.