Are You Sure Riddim – Unknown Label

Originally issued in 1973, Are You Sure Riddim comes from producer Larry Lawrence on an unknown label and keeps things lean with just two cuts: Dave Barker’s Are You Sure and a dub version. Barker, who was already well known for his sharp vocal style in Jamaican music, carries the vocal side here with a cool, direct delivery, while the dub version gives the rhythm a stripped-back counterpart. It’s a short but memorable early-’70s piece that fits neatly into the era when vocal sides and version cuts were being paired more often, and Larry Lawrence’s credit gives it a nice bit of historical weight.