Chill Out (Black Uhuru album)
Chill Out is an album by reggae band Black Uhuru, released in 1982 (see 1982 in music). The album was recorded at Channel One Studios in Jamaica and produced by Sly and Robbie. Featuring The Revolutionaries, an influential session group, Chill Out, together with its dub companion The Dub Factor, is widely considered a classic of reggae music.
Chill Out | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 1982 | |||
Genre | Reggae | |||
Length | 35:44 | |||
Label | Mango | |||
Producer | Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare | |||
Black Uhuru chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
30 seconds of "Chill Out"
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+[2] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ()[3] |
Reception
Chill Out peaked at #146 on Billboard's (North America) Pop Albums chart.[4]
Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Jo-Ann Greene said:
Arguably the best of Black Uhuru's electrofied albums, even if its predecessor Red was the bigger sell, Chill Out is a seminal blend of styles and cultures... The sound is extremely dense, but the producers still found plenty of space for Black Uhuru's sublime vocals. Over, under, and around the band, the electronic effects whoosh, pulling the album from its island roots, and planting it firmly in an international environment. This is most notable on the title track, which blends rootsy rhythms with a dance beat, and urban stylings with a tinge of world music... On Chill Out, the vocalists, band, and producers came together as one, and created more than a masterpiece; the album remains a stunning legacy for all involved.[5]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Michael Rose. except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Chill Out" | Michael Rose, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Derrick "Duckie" Simpson | 5:58 |
2. | "Darkness" | 4:00 | |
3. | "Eye Market" | 3:16 | |
4. | "Right Stuff" | 4:34 | |
5. | "Mondays" | 3:20 | |
6. | "Fleety Foot" | 4:00 | |
7. | "Wicked Act" | 3:26 | |
8. | "Moya (Queen of I Jungle)" | Simpson | 3:29 |
9. | "Emotional Slaughter" | Simpson | 3:41 |
Personnel
Musicians
- Wally Badarou - synthesizer, vocoder
- Barry Reynolds - guitar on "Wicked Act"
- Ansel Collins - piano, keyboards
- Radcliff "Dougie" Bryan - guitar
- Mikey Chung - guitar
- Sly Dunbar - drums, syndrums, arranger, producer, mixer
- Puma Jones - harmony vocals
- Chris "Sky Juice" Burth - percussion
- Robert Lyn - piano
- Bertram "Ranchie" McLean - rhythm guitar, organ
- Michael Rose - vocals
- Robbie Shakespeare - bass guitar, arranger, producer, mixer
- Derrick "Duckie" Simpson - harmony vocals
- Uziah "Sticky" Thompson - percussion
Technical
- Sly Dunbar - arranger, producer, mixer
- Robbie Shakespeare - arranger, producer, mixer
- Bruce Hamilton - engineer
- Steven Stanley - engineer, mixer
- Neville Garrick - design
- Lynn Goldsmith - photography
References
- Greene, Jo-Ann. "Black Uhuru: Chill Out > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Hull, Tom (April 19, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- "Chill Out > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- "Chill Out - Black Uhuru - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 July 2018.