Reissues continue to shine a fresh spotlight of records that were overlooked when they first surfaced or were so limited that they instantly became sought-after. In 2021, we are back with another collection of outstanding singles, lovingly re-issued and repressed, saving us from those Discogs sharks or listening to these records only on YouTube. The number of quality reissue singles doesn't seem to be abating despite the pandemic, and across many genres. Here, we highlight those reissues that now shine a new light on underrated obscurities such as The New Age Orchestra’s sought-after 1989 classic ‘Let’s Dream Together, which originally only ever had 50 copies made and was almost lost to obscurity before Young Marco & Amsterdam's Red Light crew rediscovered it and created a huge demand. Luckily, Music For Dreams' Kenneth Bager (and the original producer) not only found the original but now gives us a full epic suite in 5 parts to reveal its full glory!
Originally released in 1983, Earl Young’s sought-after and ultra-rare Gospel disco-soul treasures ‘Take Them In Prayer / Let Him Be Your Everything’ got a reissue on the excellent Athens Of The North label - such a beautiful record that until this year, was only known to a select few.
One previously unreleased collection of instrumentals that should definitely be heard are those by the Nassau Track Authority - disco, reggae, funk & punk sensibilities are fused in these classic recordings from Sly & Robbie - these Compass Point recordings became the bed for some iconic songs but the backing tracks were missing in action. Washed up on a distant shore, the original tapes have revealed these previously unheard Instrumentals, showcasing the talents of Shakespeare, Dunbar, Badarou & crew.
Only arriving in the store the week before Christmas, Psychedelic Research Lab's 'Tarenah' was a collaboration between Scott Richmond and John Selway from 1993 and never released on 12inch vinyl. The tune has been elevated to legendary status in certain circles - due to it being a firm favourite of “The Godfather Of Chill-out”, the late DJ Jose Padilla.
These are just some of the highlights from 2021, there are many more great titles to be discovered below…
