Fashion Presents Jamaicas Finest Volume 1 – Fashion Records

Fashion Records keeps this one deep in late-’80s lovers and roots territory: warm bass, crisp drum programming, and that polished, slightly sweet feel that still leaves room for grit. Across the set, Delroy Wilson sets the tone with “It’s A Shame” and “Let’s Get Married, ” Frankie Paul cuts through with “Earth Angel, ” and Horace Andy’s “Mrs. Brown” brings a cooler, more measured edge. Junior Delgado doubles up on the riddim with “All Night Rocking” and “Breaking Up, ” while Leroy Gibbon and Mikey General help round out a lineup that mixes veteran soul with younger studio-era polish. Issued in 1989 as the first volume of Jamaica’s Finest, it sits right in Fashion’s run of UK-based reggae packages that kept classic voices moving through the final stretch of the decade.