The Slits – Cut

The Slits were favorites in London’s punk scene for years before they recorded their first album. When they did finally step into the studio in 1979 for Cut, it was with legendary dub producer Dennis Bovell. Reggae had been wholeheartedly welcomed into the scene by this point, and a brilliant lot of producers from Jamaica were tasked to help reinvent a sound that often veered a bit too close to chaos. That influence is heard from the first track “Instant Hit” with a four on the floor steppers-inspired rhythm driven by the drums, bass, and guitar; a rhythmic motif that is a through-line of the record. The recent 2019 Island reissue includes a bonus tune – the group’s powerful rendition of rhythm & blues classic “Heard it Through the Grapevine” that features a monstrous bassline and wonderfully aggressive vocals from singer Ari Up.

– Tana Yonas

Recommended – A1 Instant Hit, B4 Typical Girls, B6 I Heard It Through The Grapevine