Love Island

Love Island captures a moment in 1978 when Eumir Deodato was on top of the world. This was his maiden release under Warner Bros. since his departure with MCA, and top notch session players are at the fore once again with warm melodies riding on phat basslines, sumptuous synthesiser waves and the presence of the legendary George Benson soloing in the centre section in the title track.

1978's Love Island found Deodato in pretty much the same space he'd been for much of the decade, concocting his own ineffable brew of fusion and funky disco, with the help of friends and cover songs along the way. Love Island finds him unleashing yet another passel of songs which are all pleasant to the ear, if not completely fresh – what makes it most interesting is that it could almost be considered a concept album, every song title apparently revolving around jungle tropics, warm winds, sandy beaches, and, more likely than not, a few beauties bearing cocktails to complete the picture…

Aswad is arguably Britain's most successful reggae band, in terms of both popularity and longevity. Critical opinion of their body of work is often divided. Some hail their early material as the greatest roots reggae Britain ever produced, beginning with their 1975 self-titled debut, which highlighted the plight of the immigrant Jamaican in the unfamiliar and often hostile environment of '70s London. Others find their later pop-crossover phase more distinctive and unique, when they shifted to funk and soul, resulting in the U.K. chart-topper "Don't Turn Around." Regardless, Aswad's ability to adapt themselves to the changing times – new musical trends, shifting personnel – was ultimately the driving force behind their decades-long career.

BRIAN ISLAND (real name Brian Cowieson) is a Canadian bass player and vocalist. The man has played with many local acts, written songs for other artists and scores for movies & TV shows. He was part of the cult cancon AOR band Prototype which released a very good album back in '83.