Thirty-two years ago when Natty Pablo released Good Friends, his first album, it was on vinyl, which was still fashionable in roots-reggae circles.

In July, Hold A Vibes, the singer’s second album, came out on the same format.

A veteran of the sound system scene, Natty Pablo was raised on vinyl. Even in the era of streaming, he believes it remains the strongest market for grass roots artistes.

“I wanted to put together an album of substance, meaning I wanted it on vinyl too, not only streaming,” he said.

The vinyl edition of Hold A Vibes was released by elasticstage.com, a British company.

Star Zone Music, an affiliate of Canadian company Talee Promotion Inc, will handle digital distribution in August.

Natty Pablo produced nine of the 10 songs on Hold A Vibes, which features seasoned musicians such as keyboardists Robbie Lyn and Franklyn “Bubbler” Waul, and bassist Daniel “Axeman” Thompson.

From east Kingston, Natty Pablo (born Paul McKenzie) made a name in that area, performing on sound systems like Soul Express and Stereophonic. The latter produced All Time Lover, his first song, which came out in 1985.

He followed-up with songs produced by Sly and Robbie, Philip “Fatis” Burrell, and Bunny Wailer. Those songs are available on vinyl.

Vinyl is the most resilient market in the music industry. Forbes Magazine reported that sales for vinyl records surpassed US$1 billion in 2025.