Prince Far I

Featuring: Steve Beresford, David Toop

condition (record/cover): VG+ (2 hairline marks on side A that softly click for a few seconds) / EX

This entry in the Cry Tuff Dub Encounter series is a rare meeting between the British reggae and free improvised music scenes. In fact, this series might be the only one that ever took place, as the latter style of players often pride themselves on not being involved in anything that could be perceived as a musical genre, which certainly would include reggae. Steve Beresford and David Toop, both multi-instrumentalists who worked together frequently during the '70s and '80s, were always much more open-minded than this, and add some tasty touches to the tracks. It might not be the only time a toy synthesizer has shown up on a reggae record, as madman supreme Lee Perry has certainly tried everything under the sun, yet it is an intriguing and ultimately quite successful blend that results from putting these musicians together. Best tracks include the riveting "Shake the Nation," the deep pulse of "Low Gravity," and the superb longer track "Homeward Bound," no relation to Simon and Garfunkel.