KINGSTON SOUND SYSTEM REIMAGINES SMALLTOWN BOY IN FULL REGGAE GLORY FEATURING JIMMY SOMERVILLE
Kingston Sound System just flipped the script on a classic. Their soulful version of Smalltown Boy—featuring Bronski Beat’s Jimmy Somerville—is a bold, bass-heavy rebirth. It’s not a remix. It’s a full-blown reggae resurrection.
This stunning rework is the third single from Classic Hits In A Reggae Groove, an ambitious project that unites legendary vocalists with Jamaica’s finest players.
Somerville’s haunting vocals float over a thunderous roots rhythm, wrapped in dub-soaked horns and warm riddims that swell with Caribbean pride. Every note hits deep. Every beat carries weight.
Kingston Sound System reworks Smalltown Boy with original vocals and a full-bodied reggae arrangement recorded in Jamaica.
Originally a global LGBTQ anthem and protest hit, Smalltown Boy was never shy. Now, 40 years later, it feels louder than ever. Kingston Sound System infuses the track with fresh energy and a defiant pulse. And yes, that’s the Jimmy Somerville’s original vocal, raw and defiant as ever.
KINGSTON SOUND SYSTEM REWORKS SMALLTOWN BOY WITH A FULL-BODIED ARRANGEMENT RECORDED IN JAMAICA
What sets this project apart? It’s all real. No AI. No gimmicks. Just live recordings tracked in Jamaica, powered by a crew of reggae icons who’ve backed legends like Peter Tosh, Ziggy Marley and Wyclef Jean.
The album’s first drops—Steve Winwood’s Higher Love and Blondie’s Heart of Glass—already turned heads. Smalltown Boy follows with pure fire. And with reworks of Love Shack, Don’t Get Me Wrong, As I Lay Me Down, and Time After Time on the way, the full album promises nothing but heavyweight magic.
ABOUT KINGSTON SOUND SYSTEM
Kingston Sound System is a powerhouse collective from Kingston, Jamaica, blending reggae roots with bold, genre-defying energy. Featuring icons like Ian “Beezy” Coleman, Devon Bradshaw, and Guillaume “Stepper Sax” Briard, their sound is both timeless and electric.
They’ve backed legends from Burning Spear to Ziggy Marley—now they’re leading with vision.
Each track honors reggae’s legacy while breaking new ground. Their upcoming album, Classic Hits In A Reggae Groove, promises rhythm, soul, and serious heat.
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ABOUT JIMMY SOMERVILLE
Jimmy Somerville rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead vocalist of Bronski Beat and The Communards. His breakout hit, Smalltown Boy, became a global LGBTQ+ anthem, blending raw emotion with synth-pop energy.
Later, with The Communards, he topped the charts again with the song Don’t Leave Me This Way. With his distinctive falsetto and fearless lyrics, Somerville has consistently combined powerful vocals with bold, socially conscious messages that continue to resonate today.
