Roots Manuva | ||
| Allmusic Biography : British rapper/producer Rodney Smith established himself as Roots Manuva in the late 90s and began releasing a series of highly regarded albums through Big Dada. Smiths work was firmly rooted in dub and ragga but also incorporated much of the trip-hop style often associated with Ninja Tune, the U.K. imprint that often distributed Big Dada releases. The MC debuted in 1999 with Brand New Second Hand, a promising album that garnered a sizable amount of attention from the international hip-hop crowd and won Britains coveted MOBO award. Beginning in late 1999, shortly after the album was released, Smith returned to the studio to begin work on Run Come Save Me, his follow-up. He completed the album and released it on Big Dada in 2001; thanks to his own production on the breakout single "Witness (I Hope)," the album became a British hit and increased his worldwide recognition. It narrowly missed winning the prestigious Mercury Prize and spawned an excellent dub album, Dub Come Save Me, released one year later. His third album, the introverted and somewhat constricted Awfully Deep, appeared in 2005 and peaked within the Top 30 of the U.K. album chart. The following years Alternately Deep, featuring remixes and original tracks recorded around the same time as those of its predecessor, was a looser affair. It hinted at the prospect of material with lighter subject matter, but Slime & Reason, released in 2008, was yet another set based on inward-looking, occasionally grim, content. Wrongtom, who produced versions of seven of the albums cuts for the sake of a two-disc edition, was eventually allowed to do the same with tracks from the entirety of Roots Manuvas catalog. The result of this experiment, Duppy Writer, was issued in 2010. 4everevolution, released the following year, was the most diverse Roots Manuva full-length and included appearances from Skunk Anansies Skin and Cass Lewis. A few singles and EPs appeared in 2012 and 2013, including collaborations with Jamie Cullum, Ill Audio, and Hiem. Smith began working on a new Roots Manuva full-length for release in 2015, with a double A-side single, "Facety 2:11"/"Like a Drum," featuring production by Four Tet and Machinedrum. Preceded by further singles "One Thing" and "Dont Breathe Out," Bleeds (which also featured production by Adrian Sherwood) appeared in late October 2015. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 17 Title: Brand New Second Hand Released: 1999-03-01 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:05:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Movements (04:12) 2 Dem Phonies (04:26) 3 Juggle Tings Proper (05:04) 4 Inna (04:31) 5 Soul Decay (03:49) 6 Baptism (04:21) 7 Strange Behaviour (03:52) 8 Organ Skit (00:16) 9 Big Tings Gwidarn (04:42) 10 Sinking Sands (04:10) 11 Wisdom Fall (03:10) 12 Roots-Fi Discotek (Skit) (00:31) 13 Clockwork (03:56) 14 Cornmeal Dumpling (05:27) 15 Fever (04:00) 16 Oh Yeah… (03:18) 17 Motion 5000 (05:12) |
| Brand New Second Hand : Allmusic album Review : A bright moment for British rap, the debut album from Roots Manuva introduced a hip-hop chameleon boasting dark productions and a distinct style, plus much more to say than most rappers. Both his raps and his productions rely on ragga as a bed, but instead of leading the party, Roots Manuva used it to reflect on the world ("Strange Behaviour") and his religious background ("Baptism"), as well as play the usual game of the dozens ("Dem Phonies"). Also of interest is the devastating "Clockwork", originally released on the Ninja Tune label compilation Funkungfusion. If anything, these low-key , bass-heavy productions (some by the rapper himself) arent able to convey Roots Manuvas lyrical finesse and thematic complexity. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 17 Title: Run Come Save Me Released: 2001-08-13 Tracks: 17 Duration: 57:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 No Strings… (01:25) 2 Bashment Boogie (03:19) 3 Witness (1 Hope) (04:14) 4 Join the Dots (03:58) 5 Black Box Interlude (00:22) 6 Ital Visions (04:42) 7 Kicking the Cack (03:36) 8 Dub Styles (02:40) 9 Trim Body (03:35) 10 Artical (03:21) 11 Hol’ It Up (02:48) 12 Stone the Crows (03:21) 13 Sinny Sin Sins (03:36) 14 Evil Rabbit (03:24) 15 Swords in the Dirt (04:40) 16 Highest Grade (04:05) 17 Dreamy Days (04:43) |
| Run Come Save Me : Allmusic album Review : Just when the British hip-hop community seemed on its last legs, the victim of an over-powerful American marketing machine, Roots Manuva hit the stratosphere with his second record, the nearly Mercury prize-winning Run Come Save Me. A stunning record, it balanced the stark digital soul of British ragga with lurching beats, and Rodney Smiths star-making delivery and wide-ranging repertoire. "Witness (1 Hope)" earned its place as the best British rap single since Trickys "Aftermath," while "Bashment Boogie," "Hol It Up," and "Artical" were distinctive, hard-hitting, surprisingly groovy performances. As on his LP debut, Brand New Second Hand, Smith also spent time reflecting on his religious upbringing, with a distinctly unhumorous track ("Sinny Sin Sins," never mind the title) that dealt with his heavily disciplinarian father. And where the productions on debut sounded thin and tame, for Run Come Save Me he hit another level entirely with tracks by either Bennett or RM himself, whose Blows Yard Studio quickly took its place next to New Yorks legendary D&D Studios as a home to distinctive underground rap. Roots Manuva handled every type of song with flowing confidence and a bemused air, whether it was a club jam or a message track. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 17 Title: Dub Come Save Me Released: 2002-07-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Man Fi Cool (03:59) 2 Highest Grade Dub (03:46) 3 Revolution 5 (04:12) 4 Styles Dub (04:25) 5 Tears (04:03) 6 Dreamy Days SFA Dub (04:22) 7 The Lynch (03:54) 8 Brand New Dub (05:33) 9 UK Warriors (02:54) 10 Witness Dub (03:56) |
| Dub Come Save Me : Allmusic album Review : The perfect candidates for a dub album, rapper Roots Manuva and his alter-ego, producer Lord Gosh, prove theyve got plenty of incredible productions up their sleeves, barely a year after Run Come Save Me earned plaudits as the best British LP of the year. Dub Come Save Me balances remixes of tracks from the album with altogether new songs, leading off with "Man Fi Cool," a glittering electro dub thats as impressive as anything hes done in the past. Shortly after comes "Revolution 5," yet another track its hard to believe was ever left behind, the supernatural pairing of Roots Manuva with another of the deepest rhythmatic rappers in the business, Chali 2na from Jurassic 5. The dub versions are just as incredible, with a parade of speaker-rattling productions ("Highest Grade," "Styles") and a rubbery remix of "Dreamy Days" by another top British iconoclast, Super Furry Animals. Roots Manuva comes roaring back, though, with a synth-monster named "The Lynch," the perfect bed for another great performance. Fans of the single "Witness (I Manifest)" can rest assured that its present here as well, in a suitably deconstructed dub that closes out the album. Its the rare dub/remix album that even comes close to the original; Dub Come Save Me nearly trumps the last one. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 17 Title: Badmeaningood, Volume 2: Roots Manuva Released: 2002-11-26 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:02:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Intro (02:06) 2 Priceless (03:29) 3 The Groundbreaker (03:21) 4 (I’m Gonna) Hold On (03:34) 5 Mirror in the Bathroom (03:01) 6 Sweetest Feeling (02:42) 7 Bad Boy DJ (remix) (03:26) 8 Crazy Sound Boy (03:46) 9 Caught Up (03:27) 10 Godnose (03:59) 11 Follow the Leader (03:32) 12 Straight Outta Compton (02:40) 13 Keep on Movin’ (Timeless) (Ron Van Den Beuken remix) (03:09) 14 I O U (03:42) 15 Sugar Free (02:36) 16 Can’t Stand Your Mother (03:34) 17 Elevators (Me & You) (03:56) 18 Yellow Submarine (02:55) 19 Stimulation of Chaos (instrumental) (03:50) |
 | Album: 5 of 17 Title: Awfully Deep Released: 2005-01-31 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:14:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mind 2 Motion (04:46) 2 Awfully Deep (04:02) 3 Cause 4 Pause (01:11) 4 Colossal Insight (03:45) 5 Too Cold (03:58) 6 A Haunting (03:57) 7 Rebel Heart (03:33) 8 Chin High (05:25) 9 Babylon Medicine (03:16) 10 Pause 4 Cause (01:28) 11 Move Ya Loin (03:12) 12 Thinking (04:48) 13 The Falling (03:52) 14 Toothbrush (04:14) 1 Chin High (Manuvadelics version) (05:12) 2 Too Cold (demo version) (03:27) 3 Colossal Insight (Manoustic at Reading) (03:59) 4 Rebel Heart (Manuvadelics version) (03:18) 5 The Falling (demo version) / This World Is Mine (demo version) (07:19) |
| Awfully Deep : Allmusic album Review : Roots Manuva has never lacked for critical respect from his British public -- a MOBO award for his debut, a Mercury nomination (and heavily favored to win) for his second -- but if he ever wished to crash the charts from Brooklyn to Bengal, 2005 was the year to do it. The success of British rap in general, and grime or Dizzee Rascal in particular, appeared to grant him the perfect point of entry into the greater world of pop music. The concept was even more perfect considering that the bashment style pioneered by Roots and his alter ego, producer Lord Gosh, was a natural fit for any Dizzee fans unaware of his hard-hitting, dubwise, digitalic work (which must have been an influence on a few grime producers). Instead, Roots Manuva decided to pull way back and record an introverted, questioning, occasionally angry album, one that studiously avoids the monster productions that propelled Run Come Save Me into the canon of great hip-hop albums. Early on, he proclaims what a term like British rap means to him: "Im just a U.K. black making U.K. tracks/Ive got love for every one of those scenes/and them pigeonholes will have nothing to hold me." Fans who see him squandering all of the inertia created by British raps quick ascent to worldwide respect wont be excited by what they hear, but a few tracks do stand out. "A Haunting" conjures up the ghosts of his West Indies and African roots with a spectral horn line and nyahbinghi rhythms underneath a near-spoken-word reading. And in the closest track to his patented bashment style, "Chin High" rides a brutal tech bassline and stuttering electro effects to support a rap about the absurdity of machismo. Overall, Roots Manuva may have a lot to say during the verses, but when his choruses consist of little more than a repeated line shouted over and over ("Awfully Deep," "Too Cold"), listeners wont be hanging around long enough to decipher his rhymes. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 17 Title: Back to Mine: Roots Manuva Released: 2005-10-24 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Twilight (03:40) 2 Who Is It? (02:55) 3 Going Back to Cali (03:57) 4 Under Me Sleng Teng (04:01) 5 70’s 80’s (Up Bringing mix) (04:13) 6 No Partial (03:29) 7 Rastafari Teach I Everything (04:33) 8 Can’t Trick I (04:25) 9 Shan-Ah-Shan (04:56) 10 The New Rap Language (03:18) 11 Can’t Contain Me (02:56) 12 Wherever We Go (03:45) 13 In This Life (03:45) 14 Goin’ Mad (03:36) 15 She Don’t Know My Name (03:46) 16 Easy Money (03:58) 17 Follow the Light (03:43) 18 Nightclubbing (05:01) |
| Back to Mine: Roots Manuva : Allmusic album Review : U.K. hip-hop artist Roots Manuva reveals some of his musical influences in another edition of the enjoyable mix series. Though there arent many surprises (his tastes tend toward classic reggae and hip-hop), the inclusion of 1980s hip-hop pioneers Mantronixs "Who Is It?" and the smooth R&B of Frankie Beverley and Mazes "Twilight" guarantees an entertaining set. He also resurrects little-known U.K. reggae artist Smiley Cultures "Shan & Shan," as well as Wayne Smiths timeless "Under Me Sleng Teng" reggae rhythm, rounding out the compilation with Grace Joness dark, definitive version of Iggy Pops "Nightclubbing." | ||
 | Album: 7 of 17 Title: Awfully De/EP Released: 2005-10-24 Tracks: 5 Duration: 19:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Seat Yourself (04:00) 2 Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues) (04:20) 3 Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues Metronomy remix) (03:59) 4 Seat Yourself (Diplo remix) (03:28) 5 Awfully Deep (album edit) (03:43) |
 | Album: 8 of 17 Title: Alternately Deep Released: 2006-03-13 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 No Love (03:53) 2 Seat Yourself (Miami mix) (04:00) 3 Double Drat (03:40) 4 Nobodys Dancing (03:58) 5 Things We Do (03:17) 6 Check It (remix) (04:15) 7 Get U High (03:24) 8 Colossal Insight (Jammer remix & Revox) (04:20) 9 Mean Street (06:10) 10 Pep My Game (02:52) 11 World Is Mine (Plan B studio version) (04:15) 12 Grown Man (04:10) |
| Alternately Deep : Allmusic album Review : Roots Manuvas Awfully Deep was a promising record, but it often sounded hamstrung by its protagonists wish to make an important album statement, one where every note and every word could be carefully considered. Alternately Deep, a compilation of period remixes and singles tracks, could well be a more satisfying listen, because its relaxed and uncomplicated. The songs may not say as much as their predecessors -- even when Mr. Smith proclaims "Dont nobody got no love for Smith" in the first track -- but the tracks are far superior; most are produced by Manuva himself, and they hit harder with the digital distortion and bizarre, ringing tones that Big Dada fans know and love. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 17 Title: iTunes Live: London Festival ’08 Released: 2008-07-15 Tracks: 8 Duration: 31:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Again & Again (04:17) 2 Join the Dots (03:18) 3 Movements (04:18) 4 Its Me Oh Lord (02:52) 5 Witness (1hope) (04:25) 6 Too Cold (04:00) 7 Juggle Tings Proper (04:45) 8 Seat Yourself (03:42) |
 | Album: 10 of 17 Title: The Roots Manuva ‘Slime & Reason’ Sampler Released: 2008-08 Tracks: 1 Duration: 16:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 ‘Slime and Reason’ Samples (16:35) |
 | Album: 11 of 17 Title: Slime & Reason Released: 2008-09-01 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:16:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Again & Again (04:05) 2 C.R.U.F.F. (03:53) 3 Do Nah Bodda Mi (03:14) 4 Let the Spirit (04:37) 5 Kick Up Ya Foot (03:42) 6 A Man’s Talk (03:46) 7 Buff Nuff (02:14) 8 It’s Me Oh Lord (03:32) 9 2 Much 2 Soon (05:22) 10 Do 4 Self (03:09) 11 The Show Must Go On (06:07) 12 I’m a New Man (03:03) 13 Well Alright (03:57) 14 The Struggle (03:48) 1 Again & Again & Again (03:35) 2 I’m a New Man (A New Version) (02:50) 3 A New Dub (03:02) 4 9 Dubs a Year (03:15) 5 Do Bodda Mi (in Digital) (03:17) 6 Dub for the Worms (03:17) 7 … And Again (02:33) |
| Slime & Reason : Allmusic album Review : Rodey Smith, aka Roots Manuva, has been a pioneer in the U.K. hip-hop scene for more than a decade, and SLIME & REASON finds him keeping step with of-the-moment contemporaries like the Streets and Dizzee Rascal, while tapping into something more laid back, musical, and global in its influence. “Kick Up Ya Foot” could be lifted from a mid-’90s Busta Rhymes session, but it’s kept grounded with Manuva’s Guru-esque, mega-chill flow. Elsewhere, on “2 Much 2 Soon,” he lets his delivery take on more of a cockney swagger, but juxtaposes it against a spare snare loop with occasional emphatic horn flourishes. And on bangers like “I’m A New Man,” Manuva goes for broke with chaotic, El-P-worthy production, bringing the album toward a close with a definitive reaffirmation of his legacy. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 17 Title: Duppy Writer Released: 2010-09-06 Tracks: 13 Duration: 42:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Butterfly Crab Walk (02:38) 2 Chin Up (04:05) 3 Duppy Writer (skit) (00:42) 4 Worl’ a Mine (03:38) 5 Big Tings Redone (04:27) 6 Jah Warriors (03:57) 7 Proper Tings Juggled (04:19) 8 Dutty Rut (03:38) 9 Dub Decay (skit) (00:19) 10 Lick Up Ya Foot (02:47) 11 Rebuff (02:59) 12 Son of Bodda (03:29) 13 Motion 82 (05:04) |
| Duppy Writer : Allmusic album Review : In 2002, shortly after he released the excellent Run Come Save Me, Roots Manuva followed with the remix record, Dub Come Save Me, which trumped one of his best original LPs to become the seminal LP of his career. Duppy Writer is another remix record, this time with Wrongtom replacing the good Lord Gosh (aka Roots Manuva himself) as main producer. (Additional production is prevalent, though, including Steve Dub, Toddla T, Loteks Wayne Bennett, and Roots himself.) Though always rooted in dub and reggae, Roots has never had this type of backing in his career, a skeletal, half-step digi-dancehall sound that suits his voice perfectly. Of course, theres plenty of dub on display too, as well as the organ-led rocksteady for "Worl a Mine." Duppy Writer ably serves either of two purposes, an alternate career retrospective or a remix record of taste and distinction. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 17 Title: 4everevolution Released: 2011-10-03 Tracks: 17 Duration: 59:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 First Growth (03:08) 2 Here We Go Again (03:59) 3 Skid Valley (02:46) 4 Who Goes There? (02:55) 5 Watch Me Dance? (04:05) 6 Revelation (04:17) 7 Wha’ Mek? (04:40) 8 Takes Time (03:13) 9 Beyond This World (02:33) 10 Go Champ (02:19) 11 Get the Get (02:41) 12 Crow Bars (02:54) 13 The Throes of It (07:03) 14 Noddy (03:51) 15 Much Too Plush (03:13) 16 The Path (03:14) 17 Banana Skank (02:35) |
| 4everevolution : Allmusic album Review : Now aged 39, South London rapper Roots Manuva may well be the elder statesman of British hip-hop, but his eighth studio album, 4everevolution, shows he can still summarize the state of the nation more succinctly in one line that most MCs half his age manage over the course of an entire album. "Cost of life so cheap round here/but the cost of living aint cheap round here," he cleverly delivers in his distinctive, sleepy Cockney drawl on the cinematic "Skid Valley," a diatribe against the government featuring dramatic, James Bond theme-style strings and impassioned soulful vocals courtesy of Skunk Anansies Skin. Its just one example of the effortless, lyrical wordplay and socio-political messages on offer throughout its eclectic 17 tracks, which embrace a whole host of urban sounds, from wobbling the dubstep on "Here We Go Again," a cautionary tale of a friend whos taken the wrong path in life, to the twitchy grime of "Revelation" to the woozy, East Coast hip-hop beats and skank guitars of "Who Goes There?" Indeed, Manuvas trademark swagger and acerbic wit are still very much in full flow, but this is by far his most versatile record to date. For every seven-minute slice of challenging, ambient electro-clash, ("The Throes of It"), there is a Radio 1-friendly attempt at soulful, 2-step garage ("Beyond This World"), and for every song which evokes the late-night, inner-city streets of London ("Takes Time"), there is a sunshine-fueled ditty more suited to the beaches of the Caribbean ("Wha Mek?"). Its an approach which could finally reap the rewards that have so far eluded his critically acclaimed but commercially ignored career, and although the likes of the Basement Jaxx-esque ragga of "Go Champ" and the disco-tinged collaboration with Toddla T ("Watch Me Dance") are potential club anthems, this is no Dizzee Rascal-esque mainstream make-over. Instead, 4everevolution is an appropriately titled, subtle progression which proves that intelligent hip-hop and accessible urban pop dont have to be mutually exclusive, and in the process, Roots Manuva has produced his best record since his 2001 breakthrough, Run Come Save Me. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 17 Title: Banana Skank EP Released: 2012 Tracks: 4 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Natural (?) 2 Banana Skank, Part 2 (?) 3 Banana Skank (WAFA remix) (?) 4 Party Time (?) |
 | Album: 15 of 17 Title: Facety 2:11 Released: 2015-05-04 Tracks: 4 Duration: 12:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Facety 2:11 (02:43) 2 Facety 2:11 (Instrumental) (02:43) 3 Like a Drum (03:38) 4 Like a Drum (Instrumental) (03:38) |
 | Album: 16 of 17 Title: Bleeds Released: 2015-10-28 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hard Bastards (05:18) 2 Crying (03:04) 3 Facety 2:11 (02:43) 4 Don’t Breathe Out (03:21) 5 Cargo (04:15) 6 Stepping Hard (05:19) 7 Knee-Jerk (03:31) 8 Me Up! (03:46) 9 Like a Drum (03:38) 10 One Thing (03:48) 11 I Know Your Face (05:23) 12 Fighting For? (03:46) |
 | Album: 17 of 17 Title: Switching Sides Released: 2016-04-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Iron Shirt (?) 2 Crying (?) 3 Body Hot (?) 4 Watch (?) 5 One Thing (?) 6 Iron Shirt (instrumental) (?) 7 Crying (instrumental) (?) 8 Body Hot (instrumental) (?) 9 Watch (instrumental) (?) 10 One Thing (instrumental) (?) |