The Rootsman Essentials 1996-1998

Akuphone is pleased to present the first compilation dedicated to musician John Bolloten, aka The Rootsman. As a precocious punk, he formed his first band, State Oppression, in his teens. Yet he is best known for his dub music, a genre that gave him international recognition. Largely influenced by the rhythms of North Africa and the Middle East, he built his musical identity around samples from these regional repertoires. His encounter with Bryn Jones — better known as Muslimgauze — further defined his artistic path.

This selection offers an overview of his work from 1996 to 1998, a prolific period when Into The Light, 52 Days To Timbuktu, Union Of Souls (with Celtarabia) and Distant Voices (with Pachakuti) were released. A visionary production that predicted today’s growing international predilection for the musical heritage of the MENA regions.

The compilation is enriched with an explanatory preface by Mabrouk Hosni Ibn Aleya and illustrated with rare archival photos— all of which are contained in a superb jacket designed by the artist Ghiya Haydar.