Daniel Boyle

Daniel Boyle

You may remember Daniel Boyle from our June 2014 issue of IRIE featuring Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, the Upsetter, and his ‘Back on the Controls’ album release produced by Rolling Lion Studios. Well, the UK based Grammy nominated Mix Engineer and Record Producer is back with his latest project,
Nu-Roots Records.

Daniel has released many records with a number of Reggae’s greats, including Max Romeo, Sylford Walker, Winston Mcanuff, Lee Perry and many more, culminating with his 2014 Grammy nominated album for Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – ‘Back on the controls’ all produced at his Rolling Lion Studio in the UK. Daniel’s vision for his new label, is to combine the best of the old and new, and at the same time creating a platform to help, in a small way; with the current Reggae Revival movement that the world is seeing. In Daniels words:

“The reggae revival movement is fantastic, with Jamaica bringing conscious music back into the forefront of its culture, where dancehall reigned for so long.. We are seeing a renewed interest globally in the message roots music and Rastafari has to offer, as ever relevant today as it was back in the turbulent times of the 1970’s. However, here in Europe, it never really fell away, as dancehall never really did its thing over here in the same way it did in Jamaica. In Europe, we have been pushing conscious reggae music continually, supported by the many hard working UK and European sound systems, reggae artists and producers. Now Jamaica is outwardly pushing in this direction once more again too, my vision is to help in my small way, by creating a label that can partner with both sides of the globe; and combine artists and players of instruments together. To help with the creation a global reggae revival, and continue this mission, that for many; has never ended…”

With a mixed line up of veteran and modern session musicians, Daniel has combined the likes of Dennis Bovell, Vin Gordon, Hughie Izachaar, HornsmanCoyote, Ed-West, Leon King & Ryan Stanford and more, to form the ever evolving ‘Rolling lion all-stars’ session band to create a number of new, and remixed hard hitting roots tunes to be backed by a mixture of Veteran and reggae revival singers!

First 12” with Rosa Shanti & ORiel

The release schedule for 2015 is busy. Kicking off with a heavy weight 12” featuring a stunning vocal from a phenomenal talent from France, Rosa Shanti, entitled ‘Never Catch my Soul’. Then on the flip side, reggae fusion singer ORiel from the Dominican, with a powerful deep roots tune entitled ‘Free yourself’ about the struggle with modern Babylon intervention with our mental slavery. Both backed up by a tuff melodica cut played by Rosa, and a heavyweight Dub version mixed by Daniel at his Rolling Lion Studio. This is a perfect entry for Nu-Roots, a slow deep and heavy conscious song, made for the sound system!

Lee Perry’s Black Ark recuts

This is to be closely followed by a project with Lee Scratch Perry and New York based executive producer Chris Durning. Where Daniel and the Rolling Lion Allstar band has re-played a handful of obscure Black Ark tunes for Lee & Chris, with Dennis Bovell providing bass, Hughie Izacahaar and Vin Gordon and more also playing. These re-cuts are being voiced by Max Romeo, Sylford Walker, LeeScratch Perry, Congo Ashanti and more. So watch out for these explosive 70’s riddims coming out soon on Nu-Roots.

So Nu-Roots records begins! A slew of new releases planned for 2015 and beyond, with some very special singers in the production pipeline! With Daniel at the production and Mixing helm, the vision is to create modern roots reggae music, driving a conscious message, but produced and mixed with ultra-rare vintage recording equipment, blending the best of old and the best of new, not only with the players and the singers; but with the sound and the entire recording process too.

This is ‘Nu-Roots Records.’