Among one of the most sought after english dub albums, Black Jade Contempo is still somewhat of a mystery. Definitely ahead of its time, their deeper dub style was very sophisticated indeed. The material was originally recorded between 1975-76 and then collected in their self-produced debut. The vinyl first appearance was at the Notting Hill Carnival in the summer of 1976, where the band – apparently – was freely distributing it on the streets.

In the act of reissuing the LP, Solid Roots still only partly lift the veil: first set to tape between 1975 and 1976, the album was recorded by a still shadowy cadre of Notting Hill residents. Their continued anonymity may form part of a decided effort to mythologise, though it almost certainly also reflects a niche facet of deeper-shades dub. Authenticity abounds: we hear preemptions of the hiss-floored undulations of Chain Reaction in this record as much as we do the busy instrumental imbroglios of Horace Andy, with the manly bass-charges of 'Virulence' polarising the sensitive subby coos of 'Love, Love, Love'.

This Dutch pressing from 2025 is still sealed.