Various Artists - Best Of 2 Tone (Various Artists) - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The Specials were one of the defining bands of the late 70's/early 80's along with Jerry Dammers iconic tag Two Tone Records. Originally formed in 1977, as The Coventry Automatics, The Specials combined Jamaican ska and rocksteady, mixed with the energy of punk and launched a whole ska revival. The group released InchGangstersInch as their first single in the summer of '79, quickly followed by the classics InchA Message To You Rudy,Inch InchDo NothingInch and InchRat Race.Inch They released their eponymous debut album in 1979, followed by More Specials in 1980. During this time, the band had two UK No. 1 singles, a live version of InchToo Much Too YoungInch from The Special AKA Live EP and the unforgettable InchGhost TownInch in the summer of 1981. Dammers continued as The Special AKA in late 1981, releasing their third album In The Studio which included the iconic single InchNelson Mandela.Inch

Planet Mu is a tag that has always survived on it's own very independent terms. For 20 years it's existed both on the fringes and in the centre of emerging electronic music, from IDM and breakcore to dubstep and grime and lately to footwork, which it took a chance on, opening it up to the world through the two Bangs & Works compilations. It also has a strong history of connecting the dots in between those genres by supporting idiosyncratic artists, from tag stalwart Venetian Snares to Kuedo, Machinedrum, Boxcutter, Vex'd, Falty DL, Luke Vibert, Ital, Jlin and Mr. Mitch to name just a few. Run by Mike Paradinas, who under the name µ-Ziq was one of the first wave of producers pushing the musical envelope in the wake of house and techno's initial burst of inspiration, Planet Mu is an established engine of creativity and enquiry, with one foot in the pop world, and a sense of fun that never let's it's experimentation disappear into exclusivity and snobbery. To celebrate their 20th Anniversary, Planet Mu have organised a 50-track, triple CD compilation of both old and new unreleased tracks and remixes packaged in a deluxe DVD-style boxset complete with a 100 page book charting the history of the tag, with insight from artists and staff, written by electronic music writer Rory Gibb. The music on CDs one and two is mainly from the current decade, with contributions from Kuedo, Machinedrum, John Wizards, Ital Tek, Remarc, Boxcutter, RP Boo, John T. Gast, Jlin and new signing Herva to name but a few. They're colourful, broad and adventurous rides across the roster that will impress and excite any fan of electronic music and are a strong reminder of the consistent quality and broad mindedness of the tag too. CD three features more of the older guard, dipping back into the roster from the late nineties and early 2000s with a range of noisier, knottier contributions from artists

Formed in Rochester, NY in 1976, New Math opened for the likes of the Ramones, Pretenders, The Cramps, The Psychedelic Furs, The Damned, and The Gun Club at now-extinct local clubs. Offering up an endless supply of ascending guitar lines and catchy hooks of amphetamine-fueled power pop.With ease, the band produced charming, should've-been hits like the adrenaline rush of InchThe Restless Kind,Inch the two-tone English Beat-inspired InchOlder Women,Inch and of course the hyper-melodic anthem InchDie Trying.Inch The latter was produced by Howard Thompson, who was known for working with John Cale and the Psychedelic Furs. It was first released on Reliable Records in 1979 and then re-released on CBS in England with the same B-side InchAngela,Inch a take on '60s girl groups that juxtaposed it's innocent pop leaning with a tragic story. InchDie TryingInch did receive some airplay on John Peel's radio show and landed somewhere near the bottom of the British Charts.With a 7Inch on CBS in the UK (which now goes for a strong price on Discogs) and a debut EP on US indie tag 415 Records, the band rode the new wave. This collection of out-of-print early singles and unreleased demos showcases why they made fans both in the US and UK.1. Die Trying2. Johnny's On Top3. Angela4. Hot Sounds5. Take To The Night6. Diana7. Can't Get Off The Ground8. The Restless Kind9. Consequence10. Older Women11. When I Was Young (live)