Bobby Digital’s One 2 One rhythm is one of the most celebrated reggae beats of the year after underpinning such massive hits as Buju Banton’s title track, Sizzla’s inspired Thank You Mama, Beenie Man’s I Thank You and Morgan Heritage’s Man In Love. All of these songs have played heavily in the dancehalls, where more traditional forms of reggae still flourish amidst the fireworks generated by hardcore Ragga tracks.

There are few greater sights than a packed dancehall illuminated by hundreds of lighters held aloft and swaying from side to side in the darkness. It takes classic songs and a special rhythm to achieve such a reaction, but the reggae massive
took One 2 One to their hearts immediately, and will surely cherish it forever.

The success of the cuts mentioned above has now led to matching versions by other artists, and the results will take your breath away as Luciano, Anthony B, Spragga Benz, George Nooks, Bushman (sounding just like Peter Tosh on Change You Life), LMS, Ras Shiloh and friends all bring fresh, individual creativity to this classic rhythm. Watch out too, for JA dub chanter DYCR and fine performances from Lukie D, Norris Man (who sings, rather than deejays on I Will Survive) and Richie Spice, the younger brother of Pliers and Spanner Banner. All are renowned for the quality of their output and also their exceptional writing abilities, since every track included here is an original and stands alone on its own merits, irrespective of the other artists’ contributions.

This insistence on originality stems from producer Bobby Digital, who served his apprenticeship at King Jammy’s studio in Water house during the mid-to-late eighties, when computers, rather than “live” drum and bass, provided the ruling sound. It was his input on Jamaica’s earliest digital hits (including many by Shabba Ranks) that inspired his name, but it’s his rootsier productions that have won him acclaim in more recent years, as artists like Garnett Silk, Morgan Heritage (Protect Us Jah and Don’t Haffi Dread), Jah Mali and Sizzla (Black Woman & Child and Da Real Thing) began to visit Bobby’s studio in the Kingston suburb of Hughenden. It was at this studio where
Buju Banton first celebrated his embrace of Rastafari with such seminal tracks as Untold Stories and ‘Til I’m Laid To Rest, which brought a live, acoustic sound back into Jamaican roots music. Nearly ten years later and the same pairing have come up with another masterpiece in the shape of One 2 One; a song so tender, it’s nothing short of life-defining...

01. Free The People - Ras Shiloh
02. I Thank You - Beenie Man
03. I Depend On You - George Nooks
04. Thank You Mama - Sizzla
05. Crying For Love - Richie Spice
06. Change You Life - Bushman
07. I Will Survive - Norris Man
08. Man In Love - Morgan Heritage
09. One To One - Buju Banton
10. Get Down Off It - Luciano
11. Black Woman - Anthony B.
12. Who’s Gonna Pave The Way - LMS
13. When Will It Be - Lukie D
14. Delroy - DYCR
15. Jah Bless & Protect - Spragga Benz