Steve McQueen’s Small Axe soundtrack set for vinyl release

Featuring music from Janet Kay, Marvin Gaye, Toots & The Maytals, King Tubby, Sheyi Cole, spoken word by Linton Kwesi Johnson, and more.

The soundtrack to Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series is being released on vinyl, via Motown Records this June.

Created and directed by McQueen, the Small Axe anthology series tells the stories of the lives of West Indian immigrants in London during the 1960s-1980s – “love letters to Black resilience and triumph in London’s West Indian community.”

Across five instalments, it explores: the Mangrove 9’s battle for justice; the lovers rock scene and how London house parties became cultural epicentres of young Black people shut out from racist white clubs; educational segregation of Black children in the UK and how a group of West Indian women sought change; the story of writer Alex Wheatle; and the story of police officer Leroy Logan.

The soundtrack features a combination of excerpts from the score and music from the series, alongside spoken word pieces by Linton Kwesi Johnson.

It includes music from Toots & The Maytals, Marvin Gaye, Michael Kiwanuka, King Tubby, Augustus Pablo & The Aggrovators, Sheyi Cole, Tiana Major9, Sheyi Cole, and more.

Pre-order Small Axe Soundtrack here in advance of its 12th June release, check out the artwork and tracklist below.

Tracklist:

2. Toots & The Maytals — Pressure Drop

3. Prince Far I — Throw Away Your Gun

4. Linton Kwesi Johnson — New Crass Massahkah

5. Sheyi Cole — Uprising

6. Marvin Gaye — Got To Give It Up

7. Tiana Major9 — Silly Games

8. Rochenda Sandall — Dread Beat An’ Blood

9. Mica Levi — Old Bailey

10. Michael Kiwanuka — To Be Young, Gifted And Black

11. Imagination — So Good, So Right

12. Junior English — After Tonight

13. Mica Levi — In God You Must Trust

14. Shaun Parkes — Inglan Is A Bitch

15. Janet Kay — Silly Games (Lovers Rock Edit)

16. King Tubby, Augustus Pablo & The Aggrovators — More Warning