Soundsystem Champions 2

Description

The Glasgow reggae collective Mungo's Hi Fi celebrates 25 years of activity with Soundsystem Champions 2, the direct follow-up to its second studio album Soundsystem Champions. Released in 2008, this record quickly established itself as a benchmark, driven by heavy basslines, sharp horn arrangements, and a series of standout vocal performances. To mark this quarter-century spent behind the decks and the stacks, Mungo's composed Soundsystem Champions 2 from iconic dubplates, long reserved for sound system sessions. For the first time, these tracks leave their live context to be brought together on an album. The links with the first volume are clear: General Levy returns to the mic on the Belly Ska riddim, already featured at the opening of the 2008 edition, here joined on the track Gideon Boot. Marina P makes her return on Searching, while Kenny Knots closes the album with Rise and Gravitate, a roots track with a conscious spirit. This new release also expands the circle of collaborations. Eva Lazarus, a figure on the Bristol scene, offers a reinterpretation of Althea & Donna's Uptown Top Ranking. Solo Banton, from Reading, brings his distinctive flow to Bubble N Wine, at the crossroads of reggae and hip-hop. Cian Finn, the Irish singer, delivers a personal interpretation of Rainbow Country, an emblematic track from the Wailers' repertoire. With Soundsystem Champions 2, Mungo's Hi Fi continues its work of passing on the legacy between sound system culture and album format, while remaining faithful to the spirit that has driven the collective since its beginnings.