Rootsman

Hailing from Bradford in the U.K., Rootsman has moved from a fairly traditional roots reggae sound to an eclectic, experimental dub approach informed by African, Middle Eastern, and Asian sounds, as well as electronic dance music. After creating his own Third Eye label in the mid-'90s (about a decade after he first began recording and DJing in 1985), Rootsman's output became quite prolific, if not quite readily available outside the U.K. He remixed and collaborated with artists as varied as the Orb's Alex Paterson, Brazilian metal band Soulfly, and experimental noise artist Muslimgauze, as well as reggae figures like Junior Delgado, Dub Syndicate, and U-Brown. In early 2000, Rootsman achieved his first official U.S. release with the remix album Versions of the Unseen, which contained material from 1999's Realms of the Unseen. His next album, New Testament, came in 2002 and showcased the numerous vocalists that he had signed to his Third Eye label. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi