A Reggae label, and an outlet for products of Byron Lee's 'Dynamic Sounds' studio. As part of the Trojan group Dynamic issued nearly 60 singles between 1970 and 1972, in a DYN-400 series. The first three issues had a plain pink label with the company name in large italic capitals (1). With the release of DYN-404 this changed to the familiar red design (2), which was retained throughout the rest of the Trojan period. Occasionally during 1972 singles came out with plain labels which harked back to the original design (3); the example shown comes by courtesy of Robert Bowes. At least one single had a red label from which the pink colour was omitted (4); Nicholas Hough has provided that scan. The text 'Made in England' appeared intermittently on records from June 1971 onwards, starting with DYN-417, but DYNs 427 to 499 and 452 lacked it.
When the agreement with Trojan ended, Dynamic Sounds' records came out on a new label, Dragon (q.v.). In 1976, however, Dynamic was revived. It was given a new label design (5) and catalogue series (DYN-100), and was handled by Creole Records. The momentum died out towards the end of 1978, and Dynamic seems to have managed just one release in 1979. The label slumbered through 1980 and the first half of 1981; when it was reawakened singles were numbered in the DYN-10s. The label survived until at least 1987, though issues in the '80s were sporadic to say the least. It appears that only two singles, DYNs 134 and 135 from September 1977, had promo copies pressed - their labels were marked accordingly (6). Manufacture was by Orlake during the Trojan era, if the examples I've seen in the vinyl are anything to go by; Creole Dynamics were manufactured and distributed by EMI until August 1977 and by CBS thereafter, as were Creole's own records. Thanks to Charlie Chalk of the 45cat site for permission to use the first scan here. The discography below only covers the 1970s.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.