Our Lives Ft Lee Scrath Perry, Earl 16, Dennis Bovell

Encompassing celebrated artists such as George Clinton, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Alfred Pee Wee Ellis and many more, star-studded funk collective, Smudge All Stars will release their remix ep ‘Our Lives’ via Violent Drum Recordings on April 18, 2026. With renowned session musician Richie Stevens at the helm, Smudge All Stars is a sprawling intelligence network reflecting London’s cultural melting pot – it’s ever-revolving door policy deep-rooted by some of music’s most esteemed innovators. The group’s debut single, ‘Our Lives’ marries funk and reggae’s vintage relationship and is a ray of sunshine reminding all to get the most out of life, even in these increasingly testing times. Richie Stevens: “Reggae has a big place in our hearts by virtue of the cultural history of the UK. It was common for funk bands to put one, reggae-flavoured, tune on their album, so we thought we would keep up the tradition. It has come to our attention that the lyrics of reggae from the 60’s and 70’s, especially the ‘conscious’ tunes, were spot on! So here is a continuation of a golden tradition.” Delivering an intricate dub, ‘Our Lives’ is a revivalist anthem. Showcasing instrumentation from Dennis Bovell and pronounced vocals from the late great legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Leftfield/Dreadzone collaborator Earl Sixteen, the track is a resonant beckon call to the forever distinctive sound of Jamaica. Its breezy lyrics drift through consciously delivered preaching for carefree enlightenment and stands up as a timeless restoration of the genres intrinsically good-natured temperament. ‘Our Lives’ marks the first release from the self-titled Smudge All Stars debut album, which is available on vinyl. This limited-edition remix ep comes loaded with the rootsy original mix, plus three killer reworks from Jamiroquai’s DJ D-Zire, Richie’s dub alias Dubversive, and heavyweight dub machine scientist Fletcher Fathoms.