BLACK SYMBOL - Journey (2024 Reissue) - LP - Gold Marble Vinyl [FEB 23]

LP - Strictly Limited Edition Gold Marble Vinyl. Only 300 copies pressed in this edition. 

Ten years ago, Reggae Archive released the Black Symbol album Journey on their sister label Sugar Shack Records. It was the first new music from Fatman in thirty years - although he stopped releasing music in the early eighties, he continued to write and record. Journey has sold steadily ever since but at the time it was only released it on CD.

The last decade has seen the vinyl revival go from strength to strength so a vinyl issue of Journey is long overdue. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Fatman and Black Symbol helped to put Birmingham's Handsworth area firmly on the reggae map with a series of Black Symbol singles and three albums in conjunction with other local artists, including the two legendary volumes of "Handsworth Explosion" mostly released on the band's own eponymous label. Over the last forty years, those original Black Symbol releases have grown in status as more and more people discovered them via our comprehensive reissue campaign.

Journey was produced by Paul Horton for Ecks Productions. Paul has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award for his work on Steel Pulse's "Victims" and Pato Banton's "Life Is a Miracle." Although the music benefits from Paul's experience and knowledge of the latest production techniques, he was careful to ensure that the music recalls the Black Symbol of old retaining that original spiritual edge.

Spiritual is the best word to describe this collection of eight songs and an instrumental version and there couldn't be a more apt title than Journey, our lives are a journey. Fatman's journey has taken him from St. Ann's, Jamaica to Handsworth, England and increasingly he looks towards Ethiopia and Africa. It is a recurring theme throughout the songs on this collection. When Fatman sings "Mama Africa," he sings of Africa as his homeland just as much as Jamaica or England. Fatman rejects the corruption of modern society, we must come away from the "muddy water" and drink from the pure spring of Rastafari. Fatman is not afraid to proclaim his faith throughout this album, in fact that is exactly how he begins with the track "I'm not Afraid" with more positive, uplifting, and spiritual messages filling "Let It Shine."

Special mention should be given to Empress Bev, whose backing vocals add so much to the unique sound of this album and help it stand out from the crowd. Black Symbol always sounded different from any other British reggae, the music always felt as though it had flowed straight from a spring in the hills of Jamaica rather than coming from the terraced streets and concrete of Birmingham.

Tracklist: 

Side A
1. I'm Not Afraid
2. Mama Africa
3. Journey
4. Jah People

Side B
1. Morning Dew
2. Mr. Money Man
3. Let it Shine
4. Bongonman
5. Bongoman (Version)