Atlanta based producer Matt Mansfield aka Piper Street Sound has created a collaborative EP of instrumental Reggae music with legendary Reggae guitarist Andy Bassford (Toots and the Maytals, Dennis Brown, Horace Andy, Culture, Roots Radics). Black Eyed Peace follows 2020’s Small Plate / Rid Them EP but puts a focus on guitar melodies masterfully executed by Maestro Bassford. The songs still bear Piper Street’s customary horn heavy and dub infused style but move into some new territory; elements of Rocksteady abound, major keys now bounce alongside their minor key brethren, Yaya Brown’s akete drumming prods and propels the rhythms carved by the ultra-tight drumming of Brian Daggett and the bass of Mansfield, Chris Case’s keyboard mastery blazes alongside the horns of Will Scruggs, Jonathan Lloyd and Dashill Smith.

Black Eyed Peace is a collaborative affair pieced together gradually over the course of the pandemic, the horn sessions miraculously took place the week before everything shut down, and all other elements were recorded in home studios and electronically gathered by Matt, who acted as track-herd and trail guide, scouting ahead, blazing a path while shooting fearful glances behind at the specter of disease and death that shadowed the procession through the forest of fear.

Piper Street Sound found a sacred glade, a clearing in the forest with room for hope, and got to work building a fire with his fellows, over which to craft this musical brew, heavily dosed with dubwise analog effects, shimmering and splashing spring reverbs, rich and hearty tape delays, the guitar mastery of a musical hero floats atop as frothy foam, and love for humanity is the base malt. Here it is. Won’t you take a sip?

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