Old Reggae Album Covers That Blend Into Modern Day London

By Harry Rosehill Last edited 88 months ago

Harry Rosehill Old Reggae Album Covers That Blend Into Modern Day London

Pat Kelley - Sings. Rephotographed at Albert Memorial, 36 years later.

After recognising some locations from old reggae album covers in his collection, Alex Bartsch began a bit of a project. He decided to retrace the covers to their original spot, then take a photo of the LP at arm's-length, blending them in with their surroundings.

Al Campbell - Rainy Days. Rephotographed on King Edward VII Park, 38 years later.

Bartsch's photos force the viewer to consider the passing of time, as all records date back at least 30 years. It's interesting to see in many of them that so little has changed, bar, say, a little bit of paintwork, or a new hedge. It makes the original images feel more relatable to the viewer — as if London's rate of change isn't going quite at the rapid pace people fret about.

Smiley Culture - Cockney Translation. Rephotographed on Plough Road, 32 years later.

The book contains over 40 covers in areas as diverse as Penge in south east London to Harlesden in the north west. It paints a fascinating map of London's reggae heritage.

Carroll Thompson - Hopelessly In Love. Rephotographed on Milton Avenue, 34 years later.

Bartsch funded publishing the photos in a book through Kickstarter and the crowdfunding move was remarkably successful. He was only aiming to raise £15,000 but ended up with nearly twice that — £28,877. Most supporters will receive a copy of the book but one guy shelled out £400 for the top reward: a half-day private bicycle tour around some of the locations with Alex himself.