Under Me Sleng Teng Extravaganza – Tad’s Records

Wayne Smith’s “Under Me Sleng Teng” sits at the center of this Tad’s Records set, and even surrounded by voices like Echo Minott, Johnny Osbourne, Tenor Saw and Tonto Irie, you can hear why the tune changed the rules in 1985. The whole compilation leans into that spare, computerized pulse, with King Jammy’s digital touch pushing the rhythm into a colder, sharper shape and giving tracks like Echo Minott’s “Put Your Hand On The Key For Me” and Tenor Saw’s “Old Time Proverbs” a cracked, street-level bounce. John Wayne’s “Call The Police” and Tonto Irie’s “Posse Teng” keep the energy moving, but Smith’s cut still feels like the axis everything spins around. A neat time capsule, and the “Meg Dub Mix” opener doesn’t waste a second.