Police And Thieves Riddim – Upsetters Records

Cut in 1977 in the thick of Kingston’s roots era, the Police And Thieves riddim carries that trademark Upsetters tension: lean drums, haunted bass, bits of space that let the groove breathe, and just enough dub smoke to keep it untidy in the right way. Junior Murvin’s “Police And Thieves” is the anchor, of course, with his high, wiry vocal sitting right on the edge, while Jah Lion’s “Soldier And Police War” pushes the same rhythm into deejay territory and Glen DaCosta’s “Magic Touch” adds a sharper instrumental turn. Earl Smith’s “Bingo Kid” and the Upsetters’ own “Grumblin’ Dub” underline how much of this session lives in the hands of Lee “Scratch” Perry’s band, where a single riddim could move from vocal lament to cut-and-paste dub science without losing its bite.