Following an era during which the often-vulgar styles of dancehall deejays dominated the Jamaican music scene, Junior Reid’s breakthrough album Original Foreign Mind was a blinding reminder that singers — not deejays, not producers, not bands — were the fundamental representation of reggae music. Although the rhythms come hard and heavy on Original Foreign Mind (“Sensie A Medicine” and “Cool Breeze Blowing” are two powerful examples), Reid’s voice jumps in front of all other elements. In fact, it jumps right out the speakers. Listen as his voice soars up in startling emphasis on “Love Mama” (a parental dedication) and “Black Man Seed.” Although the album does concede at least one track to the trends of the dancehall (“Rub-A-Dubbing”), it is mostly filled with brooding admonishments and lyrics of devotion to a strict code of life. Not since Horace Andy debuted in the late Sixties had Rastafarianism seen such a stern and arresting voice expound its principles in song. Original Foreign Mind is a highlight of 1980s Jamaican music and the most focused album of Junior Reid’s career.