The Heptones Essentials

Jamaican troupe the Heptones combine irresistible retro soul with their native roots reggae, their Motown-worthy harmonies swaying on a lovers-rock edge. Emerging from the Kingston ska scene of the early ‘60s, the smooth vocal trio played a key role in shifting the Caribbean mento and jazz-inflected genre into cool rocksteady with hits like the languorous two-tone banger “Cool Rasta” and the swaggering, vintage synth-driven “Book of Rules”. A few years later, they paired up with legendary producer Lee “Scratch” Perry for dub-powered loungers like “Party Time” and “Babylon Falling”.