Various – Pay It All Back, Vol. 8 (Blue Vinyl)

Celebrating over 40 years in the business, On-U Sound return with Volume 8 of their legendary Pay It All Back series. The label sampler compilations took a hiatus in 1996, resurfacing over two decades later in 2019. Even after a slight few years pause, it thankfully hasn’t taken the same amount of time for the next instalment to arrive. Featuring exclusive and unreleased cuts, alternate mixes, and previews of their upcoming releases, Vol. 8 is a varied selection spearheaded by the legendary label operator and producer Adrian Sherwood. Sherwood’s prints are all over the compilation, from his collaborations with Tectonic’s Pinch, to boldly shredding tracks from Tackhead. Even his daughter Denise Sherwood, makes an appearance, with a haunting and atmospheric song named for her 2020 debut album ‘This Road’, where dub verges on classical with evocative strings and slick rhythms. The late Lee “Scratch” Perry takes the lead on this record, with an outtake from the Rainford and Heavy Rain recordings that plays out bright brassy hits under clear blue skies. Elsewhere, reggae icon Horace Andy shares a cut from his On-U Sound debut LP Midnight Rockers, and two moodier tracks from the vaults of Andy Fairley are unearthed, showcasing his menacing and unapologetic dub poetry. On Pay It All Back Vol. 8, the On-U Sound roster present a dub and reggae package that is both a testament to the label’s long-standing musical legacy, and a fresh outlook of what’s still to come