Dancehall Version Excursion Vol 2 – Black Solidarity

Black Solidarity’s Dancehall Version Excursion Vol. 2 digs into that late-’80s sweet spot where the rhythms are stripped, digital-leaning, and built to let the deejays cut loose. The line-up is a nice cross-section of the era too: General Trees bringing that sharp talk-over style on “Mouth Talk, ” Jack Radics sounding especially supple on “Just When I Got Into You, ” and the pairing of Jennifer Lara with Lady Patra on “I Don’t Wanna Cry” adding a smoother edge against the tougher cuts. Compared with the label’s earlier Black Solidarity sets, this one feels a little more like a deep-dive into voices and character than pure hit-chasing, with Derrick Irie, Papa San, and Prince Jazzbo giving it proper yard energy. It sits neatly in the catalogue as one of those compilations that catches the label in its version-driven dancehall mode rather than its rootsier side.