Glasgow reggae collective Mungo's Hi Fi celebrates 25 years of activity with Soundsystem Champions 2, a direct sequel to their second studio album Soundsystem Champions. Released in 2008, this record quickly established itself as a benchmark, driven by heavy basslines, incisive brass arrangements, and a series of striking vocal performances. To mark this quarter-century spent behind the decks and stacks, Mungo's composed Soundsystem Champions 2 from emblematic dubplates, long reserved for sound system sessions. For the first time, these tracks are taken out of their live context to be gathered on an album. The links with the first volume are clear: General Levy returns to the mic on the Belly Ska riddim, already present as the opener 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 conscious roots track. This new opus also expands the circle of collaborations. Eva Lazarus, a figure from the Bristol scene, offers a reinterpretation of Althea & Donna's Uptown Top Ranking. Solo Banton, originally from Reading, brings his characteristic flow on Bubble N Wine, at the crossroads of reggae and hip-hop. Cian Finn, an 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 transmission between sound system culture and album format, while remaining true to the spirit that has driven the collective since its beginnings.
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