The proliferation of reggae's influence on downtempo music (which necessarily includes dub) is really one of the best things to ever happen. Which isn't to say it outshines or is out shown by the influences of Latin, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern music, or even soul and hip hop for that matter. These are all the reasons why Best Seven Selections 2, compiled by Best Seven label boss Daniel Best, is without question a vital listening experience. It so deftly steps through the world of reggae influenced downtempo and (more strongly) soul influenced reggae that you almost need to think of it as a defining study on the matter.

1. Dutch Riddim Combo "Ride of Your Life (feat. Bodea)"
2. Boozoo Bajou "Take It Slow (feat. Joe Dukie & U-Brown)"
3. Extended Spirit "Sista Riddim"
4. Funset "No Blame"
5. Frost & Wagner "Like A O (feat. Paul St. Hilaire)"
6. Taxi "A Certain Something (Frost & Wagner remix)"
7. Catrat "Freedom (feat. Yah Meek)"
8. DJ Vadim "Black is the Night (feat. Katherin DeBoer)"
9. Djosos Krost "Better Place"
10. Resurrectors "Let Rhythms Flow"
11. Eva Be "No Memory of Time (Reggae Version)(feat. Joe Dukie)"
12. Masa Collective "Natural Collie (feat. Noel McKoy)"
13. Melasse "Soulmap"

Among its 14 tracks is work from Dutch Riddim Combo, Boozoo Bajou, Extended Spirit, The Black Seeds, DJ Vadim, Djosos Krost, Eva Be and a bunch more. Featured MCs and vocalists include Joe Dukie of Fat Freddy's Drop, Bodea, U-Brown, and Katherin DeBoer (who has an amazing collaboration with DJ Vadim here) among others.

As I'm sitting here listening to this music and trying to think of clever, insightful things to say, I just find my mind drifting into the music as my fingers sit here motionless. It just takes over and makes you not care about anything but listening to the rhythms. So I think I just need to leave it at that. There really aren't words for it. Simply stated once again, this is vital listening.

Without question, get your hands on this compilation, but don't listen to it for the first time unless you've got a perfect, sunny day on which you have the luxury of doing nothing at all but sitting back in the warmth of the day and listening to these sounds. You'll thank yourself for it. Deep, deep, deep vibrations.

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Originally released in Europe on July 16, 2007

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