Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
£8GBP or more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Vinyl LP of Mad Professor's Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions, reissued on vinyl for the first time. Remastered and cut by Matt Colton, pressed at Mother Tongue.
Includes unlimited streaming of Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 5 days
Purchasable with gift card
£20GBPor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
CD of Mad Professor's Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions. Remastered by Matt Colton.
Includes unlimited streaming of Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming reissue album in collaboration with Mad Professor titled Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions. This remarkable collection of early recordings will be available in Vinyl, CD, and digital formats starting from September 1st.
Pre-orders available now!
Mad Professor, also known as Neil Fraser to his friends is renowned worldwide for his groundbreaking dub recordings, captivating live sets showcasing the creativity of dub sound engineers, and his collaborations with both reggae and non-reggae artists alike such as Lee Scratch Perry, Jah Shaka, Sade, The Orb, Massive Attack, Grace Jones and many more. Above all, he is celebrated for his prolific output in the genres of Dub, Lovers Rock, Reggae and more through his own Ariwa label and south London recording studio boasting an impressive catalog of over 300 releases, among other notable achievements.
A few years back, we stumbled upon this outstanding Lovers Rock and Dub album which had a very unique raw sound and felt like a whole experience when listened to from start to finish. Alternate versions of the same tracks with different performers in varying styles, tape rewinds, it had us all wonder why it hadn’t gained wider recognition amongst Mad Professor's other releases.
When we finally had the pleasure of meeting Neil at his recording studio, he revealed that this album was one of his earliest works. It was born out of a birthday gift from his wife—a four-track recorder that inspired him to venture into music-making after years of repairing and building electronics and audio equipment. When we asked him if he would be making music if not for that gift, he confessed that it was highly unlikely (!)
Mad Professor further explained that this album, originally released in 1984, is a compilation of tracks recorded between 1979 and 1981, representing the nascent stages of his recording and production career, when the idea of establishing a studio and the Ariwa label were just beginning to take shape. He set up all his gear, including his first homemade four-track mixing desk, in the front room of his house in South London. With no prior studio experience, he positioned microphones where he thought they should fit and invited local musicians to collaborate. Errol Sly, Ranking Ann, Sergeant Pepper, Deborah Glasgow, Victor Cross, Sister Audrey, his backing band the Sane Inmates and a host of other talented local artists, some of whom would go on to become stalwarts in their respective genres, all contributed to this album, capturing the raw essence of Mad Professor and Ariwa's early sound.
Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions is an essential piece of Dub and Lovers Rock history, marking the inception of an institution. Out in Vinyl, CD and digital formats on September 1st. The album has been remastered from the tapes by Matt Colton and pressed at Mother Tongue."
Established in 2015, Melodies International is a reissue label whose sole aim is to share very special and relatively undiscovered sounds - music that few ears have been lucky enough to hear before.
supported by 44 fans who also own “Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions”
Moodymann creates innovative soul funky music with deep 70s inspiration. The vocals are simply outstanding. A step back in time, 50 years ago! Superb. jef37
supported by 41 fans who also own “Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions”
Like so many others, this came like a bolt out of the blue and, even though it's well before payday, I had to have this astonishing album on vinyl to prove it exists. The feel of the tunes makes me feel like the Impressions do, Curtis Mayfield, the big spaces and instinctive horns and stuff drifting in and out. Great grooves and I can see lots of ghosts nodding along to this with big smiles on their faces. At last! Anthony Cottrell
