Rockin Like A Champion gives iconic (former) Black Uhuru frontman Michael Rose the Subatomic Sound treatment, akin to the boost that the mighty Lee Scratch Perry got about a decade ago. SASS is the NYC based collective that builds reggae back up from the ground off with mostly digital instrumentation (though Larry Mcdonald often provides his inimitable live percussion). The result is often, as it is here, a sort of space age roots reggae somewhat akin to the treatment that Adrian Sherwood gave to reggae legends with his own On-U sound system. The main different being that where Sherwood would make spacey, cold, haunting sounds, SASS uses pounding digital beats to make a bombastic party.

Michael Rose, who is a massively important and talented singer, has often swung from a sorrowful sound to bouncing party vibe, often within the same song. He’s still in top form here. The party track has a driving party beat, complete with soaring horns, while Rose, still sounding a great as ever, lets his voice soar and drop and soar and drop, resulting in a joyful crash.

Meanwhile, Hollie Cook, daughter of Sex Pistols Paul Cook, who has entered the reggae/dancehall arena on her own context and made a name for herself, adds background vocals, somewhat mirroring Uhuur’s Puma Jones, and plays the foil to Rose’s booming voice.

As is Rose’s own turns, he does have a song hailing the marijuana leaf. Despite the jam band styler title of “Get High,” rose treats gangja like the true rasta he is and salutes it as a sacrament of utmost respect. In fact, SASS even slips in some high flying echoes behind the vocals that makes the song subconscious sound like it’s being recorded in a temple or church- or, since Rastas are usually against the idea of a physical church, maybe it sounds like a really big gathering, if you will. At any rate, here, and throughout the album, SASS slid in understated sounds that conjure a feeling without drawing your attention to it, all the while kicking out exposure dubby beats. It really goes to show how SASS have mastered digital reggae with nuance and power, whereas many other producers fall into the trap of being TOO quiet or just obnoxious and cliche.

Throughout the release, Rose, despite the fact that he has released like 30 albums and countless singles, is still in top form, especially when he gets a powerful backbeat, as is supplied by SASS. Hollie Cook demonstrates her availability to fit into any situation and slid in her own talents. This release does justice to all three main acts billed here and really is one of the best releases for each of them. Right now it appears to be digital only, so, uh… LET’S GET A PHYSICAL VERSION OF THIS, OK?