An ode to cover songs.

Don Letts has curated the latest instalment of the Late Night Tales compilation series, called Version Excursion, released via Late Night Talesthis September.

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Speaking about the 2xLP, Letts shares: “I wanted to carve out a space that was distinctly my own – something that reflected my musical journey and the culture clash that’s made me the man I am today.”

Exploring the art of cover songs, the album “crosses time space and genre, from The Beach Boys to The Beatles, Nina Simone to Marvin Gaye, The Bee Gees to Kool & The Gang, The Clash to Joy Division and beyond. You’d think it impossible to draw a line between ’em but not in my world. Fortunately, the ‘cover version’ has played an integral part in the evolution of Jamaican music and dub covers were just a natural extension.”

Its 21 tracks feature music by artists including Dennis Bovell, John Holt, Ash Walker, Cornell Campbell, Khruangbin, Mad Professor, Quantic, Gentleman’s Dub Club, and The Tamlins, and more.

Version Excursion follows Jordan Rakei’s instalment in the label’s mix series.

Pre-order Version Excursion here in advance of its 24th September release, check out the artwork and tracklist below.

Tracklist:

2. Prince Fatty & Shniece McMenamin – ‘Black Rabbit’ – Originally recorded by Jefferson Airplane

3. Wrongtom Meets The Rockers – ‘Dub In The Supermarket’ (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by The Clash

4. Gaudi Meets The Rebel Dread ft. Emily Capell – ‘E = MC2’ (Exclusive track) – Originally recorded by Big Audio Dynamite

5. Rude Boy – ‘Superstylin’’ (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Groove Armada

6. Capitol 1212 ft. Earl 16 – ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ (Full Vocal Dub) (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Joy Division

7. Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno – ‘All I Do Is Think About You’ (Far East Dub) (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Tammi Terrell

8. Zoe Devlin Love ft. Tim Hutton – ‘Caroline No’ – Originally recorded by The Beach Boys

9. John Holt – ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ (Mad Professor 2021 Dub) (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Lou Rawls

10. Cornell Campbell – ‘Ital City Dub’ (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Marvin Gaye

11. Matumbi – ‘(I Can’t Get Enough Of) That Reggae Stuff’ – (Dennis Bovell Remix) (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Kool & The Gang

12. Gentleman’s Dub Club ft. Kiko Bun – ‘Use Me’ (Ben McKone Dub) – Originally recorded by Bill Withers

13. Black Box Recorder – ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ – Originally recorded by Althea and Donna

14. OBF – ‘Sixteen Tons of Dub’ – Originally recorded by Merle Travis

15. Yasushi Ide – ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ (Space Dub Mix) (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Bill Withers

16. The Tamlins – ‘Baltimore’ – Originally recorded by Randy Newman

17. 15 16 17 – ‘Emotion’ (Dennis Bovell Remix) (Exclusive remix) – Originally recorded by Samantha Sang

18. Ash Walker – ‘There’s Nothing Like This’ (Exclusive track) – Originally recorded by Omar

19. The Senior Allstars – ‘Slipping Into Darkness’ – Originally recorded by WAR

20. Easy Star All-Stars – ‘Within You Without You’ – Originally recorded by The Beatles

21. Khruangbin – ‘Dern Kala’ (Khruangbin Dub Mix)

Photo by: Dan Medhurst