Originally cut in 1978 by Prince Far I’s former backing band, the sessions for Starship Africa were intended for the debut album by since forgotten MC, Superstar DJ. However, then up-and-coming producer Adrian Sherwood deemed the results unsatisfactory and shelved the sessions. Returning to the rhythm tracks two years later, Sherwood roped in six more percussionists (and whoever else happened to be passing through the studio at the time) to play on the tracks. Despite, or maybe because of, the fact that they were frequently out of time and Sherwood – egged on by business partner Chris Garland – took a leap of faith and mixed the tracks blind by flipping the tape over and running the tracks backwards, the process created a space dub masterpiece. Starship Africa’s shards of post-Dancehall sonics, extreme reverb and swirls of tape loop laid the cornerstone for Sherwood’s On-U Sound productions for years to come and still sound extraordinary today.