There’s always been something which sets British reggae aside from it’s Caribbean counterparts, maybe it’s the weather; a drizzly autumn afternoon in any UK inner city is pretty much the antithesis of that old sun-drenched reggae myth. And with our temperate climate comes a tumultuous sense of humour, one captured by Greensleeves in-house designer Tony McDermott who’s caricatures remain as much a part of the UK reggae idiom as Janet Kay’s silly games or David Hinds’ hair.

I was but a fresh faced kid when I first heard David “Smiley Culture” Emmanuel’s dulcet tones gracing my speakers, I can’t remember who’s copy of Great BritishMC’s I was listening to as I certainly didn’t own it at the time but I was won over by the sparse fast chat intro of Smiley’s Slam Bam and I’ve remained a fan of the style to this day.