Flinty Badman (Trevor Destouche) and Deman Rocker (David Destouche), aka The Ragga Twins, are now seen as the dot joiners of UK dancehall reggae, jungle and hip-hop. Their early releases the ground breaking Shut Up And Dance label at the start of the 90s are now much sort after and have been recently been repackage up a double CD/vinyl compilation on the ever excellent Soul Jazz Records. This has without doubt raised their profile and helped find a new audience and at the same time reminded us older folk how seminal they are.

They have lost none of their motor mouth dexterity over the years as they smashed it with their classic Reggae Owes Me Money period, ‘Spliffhead’ (original Slammin’ Vinyl) and even a little bit of Unity Sound System action. They shared the stage with Aquasky who provided a mix of old skool, electro, house, reggae and breaks; I certainly didn’t think I’d be hearing Dexter Wansell’s ‘Life on Mars’ (no relation to David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’); perhaps I should have.

Aquasky were signed to Moving Shadow back in the day but there’s much more to them than just D’n’B. The Ragga Twins warmed up for their appearance by nodding their heads in deep mediation whilst sitting in comfy chairs at the back of the stage overlooking Dave Wallace, Kieron Bailey and Brent Newitt burn up the decks, laptops, CD players and other bits of equipment. In fact, the pair of them reminded my of boxers (pehaps Lennox Lewis due to the hair) as if they were about to enter the ring for a title fight, there was something of [ragga] royalty about them anyway.

Aquasky have their own label, Passenger, and their last 12”, ‘Give It Up Old Skool’ was with The Ragga Twins and even featured a Trevor Loveys remix! It all brings back those party memories the 80’s? The bass last night was just as Party Skank loud and the highlight of any Ragga Twins show ‘Juggling’ showed them to be as good as it ever were; whoa-whoa-woy, Ragga Twins!

Recomended: The Ragga Twins - Ragga Twins Step Out (Soul Jazz Records) Cat. No. SJR CD 190 /SJR LP 190 Vol. 1&2 Release date: June 2008
“ESSENTIAL!!!, Shut Up & Dance and Ragga Twins - Ahead of their time… EVERY choon is a classic! Totally essential album!! THE music re-issue of the YEAR!!! BIG up to Soul Jazz Records who continue their output with integrity & quality control; Heeey… Hooo… Come on now - Everybody - Order a copy NOW!!!” - DJ Charles Bronson, 22 July 2008.

And check Shut Up And Dance’s Death Is Not The End and the link to Daedelus’ “On matters of Rave” blog (via Splitloop)

Links
www.myspace.com/raggatwins
www.aquasky.co.uk
www.myspace.com/aquaskyuk
www.myspace.com/passengerrecords
www.shutupanddance.co.uk
www.ragga-jungle.com
www.thomastripplive.com