Horace Andy - Midnight Scorchers

Horace Andy - Midnight Scorchers

On-U Sound are proud to announce a sequel to the hugely successful Midnight Rocker album. This is the ‘sound system’ take on the original sessions, featuring brand new tracks; radical dancehall re-works with guest toasters; and stripped back instrumental version excursions in deep dub reggae style. 

Horace Andy has remained a much-loved figure in a musical career stretching over 50 years, but in recent times has perhaps been more lauded for his work as a guest vocalist for Massive Attack, and touring a live set built on his rich catalogue of 1970s Jamaican hits. The Midnight Rocker album, carefully assembled by producer Adrian Sherwood with Horace over the course of several years, and released earlier in 2022, put the great singer back front and centre as a contemporary artist. Released to rave reviews across the board, including the Guardian putting it top of their albums of the year so far, and lauding it as a “late career masterpiece”, the album is now into it’s fifth pressing and continues to disappear from the racks at record shops across the globe. 

The Midnight Scorchers album takes the story one step further, with dubplate style re-rubs (including microphone contributions from Lone Ranger and Daddy Freddy); songs that didn’t quite fit into the ‘Rockers’ sequence but are allowed a chance to shine on this new set; and fresh mixes that allow the striking arrangements to take rhythmic flight. In the same way as the music has been re-imagined, so has the artwork, with award-winning animator Ruff Mercy (Goriilaz, Earl Sweatshirt, Thom Yorke) putting a streetstyle graffiti spin on things, also in evidence in his psychedelic and colourful video for first single “Feverish”, a massive new version of one of Horace Andy’s Studio One era classics. 

An essential second half of the ‘Rockers and Scorchers’ story, the album is a must listen for hardcore reggae fans and open-minded music lovers alike.  

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More about Horace Andy: 

Horace Andy was born as Horace Hinds on February 19, 1951 in Kingston, Jamaica. Andy, also known as "Sleepy," has become an enduring voice on the Jamaican music scene. His signature early 1970s hit, "Skylarking," defined his ability to deliver songs of black determination and social commentary, but he could equally deliver songs of love. 

Andy worked with producer George "Phil" Pratt on his first single, "This Is a Black Man's Country," in 1967. His cousin, Justin Hinds, was starting to enjoy some success at that time, but Andy would not gain notice until working with noted Jamaican producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd in 1970. "Got To Be Sure” became his first release for Studio One, Dodd's studio. Dodd gave him the stage name of Horace Andy - a reference to popular singer Bob Andy. With Dodd, Andy went on to record "See A Man's Face," the well-received "Mr. Bassie" and the breakthrough hit "Skylarking," among other songs. "Skylarking," which encouraged wayward youth to clean up their act, was released as a single and topped the Jamaican record charts, becoming a signature tune for Andy.

Although American R&B singers were Andy's early influences, he also comments: “I wanted to be like Jimi Hendrix, to play the guitar like him! I didn't see myself as having a great voice. I didn't know I'd be a great singer."

Andy has consistently recorded and performed around the world, and has remained relevant in reggae subgenres such as roots reggae, rock steady, lover's rock and dancehall, recording with some of the all time great reggae producers including Bunny “Striker” Lee, Niney Holness, Tapper Zukie, Lloyd Barnes and Steely & Clevie.

In 1990, he was discovered by the Bristol based trip-hop band Massive Attack, who cited Andy's work as a major influence. He recorded the song "One Love" for their 1991 debut album ‘Blue Lines’, and the band's popularity exposed Andy to a younger generation of fans, many of whom continue to seek out his earlier work. After Massive Attack launched their own label, Melankolic, they released Skylarking, a compilation of Andy's career hits. Andy is the only singer of Massive Attack's rotating group of guest artists to appear on each one of the band's albums. He also appeared on the British group Dub Pistols' 2001 album ‘Six Million Ways to Live’, and on the Easy Star All-Stars' 2006 Radiohead tribute ‘Radiodread’.

Voor meer INFO:op met nienke.hoogenberg@v2benelux.com.