This is a very welcome reissue of the first four albums by African Head Charge – reissued as individual vinyl LPs, each with a digital download card. The group were part of the Adrian Sherwood stable of artists that included Tackhead, New Age Steppers, Dub Syndicate and Little Axe. They were led by percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, who had learned Nyabinghi drumming with legendary Jamaican group Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari. The first album was released in 1981 and was a response to the groundbreaking Brian Eno and David Byrne collaboration My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. While it is underpinned with Rasta drumming and strong dub reggae tendencies, this first recording explored the then-new possibilities of using pre-recorded found sound – what eventually became known as sampling. Adrian Sherwood provided the technological experimentations allowing Bonjo to explore rhythmic possibilities with a revolving cast of On-U friends and associates. African Head Charge's music goes far beyond dub reggae and has elements of avant-garde experimentation and free jazz. It's real soundscape stuff – almost like industrial gamelan – and incredibly advanced for the time.

The first two LPs were recorded in a basic basement studio; but by the third release they had moved to a more sophisticated digital studio. There is a marked technological development, but they still retain the challenging and highly innovative excitement levels. By this stage the group had become a fully fledged touring band. On the fourth LP in 1986, it's clear Sherwood and his studio collaborators had totally engaged with the possibilities of the new technology of loops and samples. Off the Beaten Track is a far more modern-sounding album with bigger beats and a considerably more realised concept: a precursor to their generally acknowledged pinnacle release Songs of Praise in 1990. Despite the passage of time, they all sound remarkably fresh, highly accomplished and inspirational.