ELECTRIC DREAD: WINSTON MCANUFF SPARKS ACROSS ROOTS AND TIME
Winston McAnuff’s 1986 album Electric Dread has re-emerged in vivid form as part of 17 North Parade’s Skengdon catalogue reissue series. Produced by Kenneth “Skeng” Black and arranged by Bernard “Touter” Harvey, the eight-track set blends sharp social commentary with genre-bending melodies.
Although concise in length, Electric Dread moves from roots-heavy grooves to soulful, dance-ready rhythms. McAnuff’s songwriting keeps the themes wide-ranging, his delivery cutting through with an urgency that still feels fresh today. The production, recorded at Circle Sound Studios, carries the crisp warmth of mid-80s Jamaican studio craft.
McAnuff remains one of reggae’s most distinctive voices, a figure whose career spans decades, continents, and creative eras. In the early 2000s, renewed interest in his work sparked a surge of popularity in Europe, particularly in France, leading to collaborations, festival appearances, and ongoing tours worldwide.
MCANUFF REMAINS ONE OF REGGAE’S MOST DISTINCTIVE VOICES
Now, with VP Records bringing Electric Dread to streaming, a new generation can experience its mix of grit, insight, and musical versatility. It stands as both a snapshot of a fertile era in reggae and a testament to McAnuff’s enduring vision.
Distributed by VP Music Group, the reissue confirms why Electric Dread still resonates: it captures an artist in full stride, unafraid to experiment, yet firmly rooted in the power of reggae’s storytelling tradition.
ABOUT WINSTON MCANUFF
Winston McAnuff has been shaping reggae on his own terms for decades. Born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, he cut his teeth in church choirs before rising through Kingston’s roots scene. Tracks like Malcolm X and albums Pick Hits To Click and What The Man A Deal Wid announced a voice both gravelly and urgent.
Rediscovered in Europe in the 2000s, he fuses dub, funk, punk and soul. Collaborations with Danakil, Inna De Yard and Nadia McAnuff keep him vital across generations.
