This photographer has captured classic reggae record sleeves in their original London locations

London isn't the capital of reggae – that’s Kingston (not upon Thames). But thanks to its colonial ties and a history of Caribbean immigration, our drizzly city has consistently been a centre for Jamaican music. As a result, there are plenty of corners of London that have been unexpectedly immortalised on reggae album covers, and a music-loving photographer called Alex Bartsch has spent two years tracking them down.

His book project ‘Covers: Retracing Reggae Record Sleeves in London’ reframes 42 album sleeves in their original locations. Jamaican stars such as Peter Tosh and John Holt appear alongside British vocalists like Smiley Culture and Carroll Thompson, posing across town from Brixton to Buckingham Palace. It’s a labour of love and a thing of beauty, so dig deep and help Bartsch bring it to life on Kickstarter. 

See more of the pics: 

Alex Bartsch

Alex Bartsch

Alex Bartsch

Alex Bartsch