Livin' It Up + Dub: Limited Edition

Of all the great Jamaican singers of his generation, Horace Andy was the most resistant to complacency. His late-career collaborations with Massive Attack attest to his unwillingness to rest on the style of the old days. However, as his canonical ‘70s recordings were reissued to newfound acclaim in the ‘90s and ‘00s, he was coaxed back into the studio by the great Sly and Robbie, who wanted to record an album in the classic style. “Fire a Go Burn,” “I’m Alive,” and “True Love” are thick and engrossing. Even when the band revisits well-worn Andy classics like “Skylarking,” it adds new layers. Because Andy’s such a singular presence, he rarely worked with DJs. Therefore, it’s a pleasure to sense the chemistry of “Holy Mount Zion,” a collaboration with King Kong; it’s one of many songs here that prove Andy isn’t a relic and is still potent to a modern dancehall audience. While the dub versions don’t have the immortal majesty of King Tubby’s mixes for Andy (nothing does), new and intriguing sonics are explored on “I’m Alive Version,” “Zion Gate Dub,” and “Livin’ It Up Dub.”