Bright Years: A review of Andromeda Sign Of The Times by Sydney Salmon & The Imperial Majestic Band

VIBES. In terms of 'supporting' and 'fleshing out' this wonderful music that we listen to, one of the things that I think often goes overlooked is the amount of different but IMPRESSIVE styles that we come across. Music -- and most things -- is often categorized under one umbrella, "genre" in this case, but when you dig into it and wring out that umbrella, what you find, specifically, can be damn different than something else within the same category. Dancehall, for example, may be quite simple on the surface but if you think about.... Elephant Man scoring a hit with the... seemingly endless number of dance tunes he used to make back in da day (and probably still does, it's been a minute since I've caught up with Ele's music) was "Dancehall" (literally); but so was Bounty Killer declaring a full on war with almost every significant and semi-significant peer he had (male, female, violent, peaceful, he didn't give a damn). If that doesn't make sense, you can go even broader, beneath an even larger umbrella, this one called "REGGAE" and, tracing it back a little, you might arrive at a man named Robert (if you don't get there, you've SURELY made a wrong turn somewhere) and, yes, Ele's 'Willie Bounce' and Bounty's 'Mi Nuh Business' were TECHNICALLY the same as what Bob did... if you can explain that. That is one end of the spectrum, on the complete opposite would be Roots Reggae, music which isn't regarded as being nearly as diverse but does have a few disparate facets which're definitely worth taking a look at. What got me into thinking about this is when I heard the material that we're dealing with today, it brought to my mind, fairly quickly, a favourite of mine - Ancient King. There is an undeniably beautifully GRIMY approach to making Roots Reggae. In the hands of someone such as Ancient King or a Jah Rubal, Roots music is... scattered. It's unkempt. It isn't neat. The food is a little burnt and no one's cut the grass in a very long time but it definitely has its appeal and I consider myself to be fortunate because I'm capable of enjoying that type of vibe (trust me, not everyone is). Now, if you go there, and you maybe mop the floor and do a little dusting (not too much though), you end up at Ambush or Jalifa ["Rastafari means Head Creator"]. Mow the lawn, plant some FLOWERS (and I do mean flowers because you know exactly what is growing at Ancient King's house) and now you're on holy ground, you're at Vaughn Benjamin's. Do a bit more and maybe you end up at Norris Man's...

Now, you can tidy up ENTIRELY. You can paint, mow the lawn (and then keep it mowed), get all of that shit out of the garage port so you can actually fit a car in there (biggup my wife) and just de-clutter in general. You can make that piece of land SO NICE that people stop on the road to take pictures of it. In that spectrum, you're talking about the likes of Tarrus Riley, Etana (when she's in form), Chonixx (when he's in form) and I'd even put Mark Wonder in there. These are individuals who making downright GLORIOUS sounding Roots music. It is... immediate (meaning that you instantly know what you're dealing with when you hear it) and it's also 'transferable', to my opinion (more on that later). You could definitely add a few others to that list and I have one, in particular, in mind.  

2022

Back in April, we did a vault review ("vault reviews" are of any piece of work that is from before the previous year) of an album from 2022 by the name of "The Ultimate Challenge" by Sydney Salmon & The Imperial Majestic Band. Salmon had a most interesting back story: Having been born in Kingston, where he also began his career as a musician and his later travels would see him to New York City and, later (and currently, still), he would find his way to Ethiopia. You've heard dozens -- if not hundreds -- of Reggae songs speaking about the process of repatriation? Sydney Salmon actually did it (and biggup the Volcano Trumpet, Qshan Deya. Born in St. Vincent, now living and thriving in Ghana) and by the time he got there he had evolved into something well worth listening. "The Ultimate Challenge" was GORGEOUS! It is absolutely lovely and FULL Roots Reggae music which captures elements of both an era gone by also as a more modern sound. In either case, what you hear is this VIBRANT and ALIVE vibes and it was all sorts of captivating throughout "The Ultimate Challenge". A funny thing happened after I wrote that review: We got a message from an ooooooooooold friend of ours, James 'Dr. Seuss' Lord from Irie Sounds International who, himself, had also packed up and moved to Ethiopia and was well aware of Sydney Salmon and co (I'm almost certain that I knew that the good Doctor had moved from a few years ago). Fast-forward to the end of the year and Dr. Seuss got back in touch to tell us of the forthcoming "Andromeda: Sign Of The Times", from Sydney Salmon & The IMB. This time, he was directly involved in the "co-production", with the album coming through on Irie Sounds (and he brings in some HEAVY hitters as well, with the likes of Dean Fraser and Computer Paul, amongst talented others working here) as well as on Imperial Majestic Productions. On top of that, the Irie Sounds Band is actually given a credit on six of the album's thirteen tracks, so Dr. Seuss well has his hands all over this project. "Andromeda" really came as a nice surprise for me at the end of the year. There was another release that I was really looking forward to that released a week on from it (might tell you about that one next week... it ain't good) but when this set popped up, I IMMEDIATELY became interested, particularly given what came before it. You throw Irie Sounds in the mix and, Sydney Salmon - you now have my full attention, what will you do with it??

You will shine. I used the word (perhaps poorly but I'm sticking with it) "transferable" in an attempt to describe what I hear when I listen to music like this and what I meant, specifically, was that I think what you're going to hear on this album works for.... pretty much everyone. More entrenched, longtime fans of the genre only need to be informed of its existence but I can see someone entirely new to Roots music having an appreciation for what they hear here. It's just SO open and very well done and we don't typically apply terms like 'crossover' to Roots Reggae (and I'm not about to now) but while I know that SOMEWHERE out there must be some awful soul who just detests everything Reggae -- minus that poor soul -- virtually everyone else is almost guaranteed to hear something on "Andromeda: Signs Of The Times" that will work for them in some way. If you needed an example, just try the album's first tune, the LOVELY previous single 'My Banner'. I'm thinking  that I probably ran into this tune, initially, through doing background for the review for the review for "The Ultimate Challenge" because as soon as I heard it, I recognized it and began humming along with it. This is a beautiful song about pride and Sydney Salmon touches on a variety of different things that he has pride in and that represent very significant things in his life. On top of all of that, THIS SONG WILL MAKE YOU SMILE. If you feel bad, IT WILL CHEER YOU UP! There's a powerful vibe behind 'My Banner' that pulls you in and to the credit of this album and its creators, it isn't the only such tune here. 'Organize & Centralize' is of an different type but it is MAMMOTH and firmly within the conversation of the absolute best that "Andromeda" has to offer altogether.

This tune caught me! I was listening to it and it hits a moment, relatively early on, where the music TOTALLY comes together and what you get is this.... damn near EXPLOSIVE, golden presentation which highlight The Imperial Majestic Band, arguably, even more than Sydney Salmon, himself! Salmon does more than hold his own with a message centering around the adage of 'if you fail to plan then you plan to fail' ["But some love the silver and some love the gold; and some, them own birthright, dem already sold"] and you HAVE to stick around here because the music on this song does so many wonderful things that is has to be experienced. BOOM! ["Now the truth is before their eyes"] The opener puts a smile on your face. The second song gets you moving a bit. The album's third track, 'Good Life' (biggup Cocoa Tea), is going to glue itself to your memory and long after you're on to the next (and the next one after that), you'll be singing:

"Have a good life!"

Along with its sonic appeal, 'Good Life' does have some substance to it also. The song is a very clever one about UNITY. It's about doing the best you can for yourself and making sure that you do the same for others and allow them the room to do what they want and pursue what they want in their lives. For me that means something as simple as.... not complaining ALLLL the damn time. Having something nice to say to someone ["kind words and good emanation frequency"] (biggup Vaughn Benjamin) and bringing some tiny piece of joy to their day. That can be really powerful stuff and that's something that I felt from 'Good Life': Helping yourself to the good life and others also! Next up is the SWEET 'Africans Alive'. You listen to the nascence of this one and how it begins with this BEAUTIFULLY scattered horn sound before it ascends even higher into the sugary African delight and praise. Salmon reaches on a broad level but also takes things very specifically ["A peculiar people we are yet we never started no war"] at times. He puts things under a spiritual umbrella, thanking The Almighty for what WE, as children of Africa, have been through to arrive where we are today (still here despite.....). There isn't even a hint of aggression in this, until the end of matters (and even then it's in a joyous way) but there's something to 'Africans Alive', despite its 'easiness'. This song has a BACKBONE. It's strong! It's precisely what you would expect the vibes to have at least a sprinkling of on such an offering. The first of two title tracks (I think that may be a first for me), 'Sign Of the Times', taps a classic riddim whose official name I don't feel like looking up (so we're going to call it the Hello Mama Africa Riddim because that's the most well known tune on it) (biggup Garnet Silk) (...of course I looked it up anyway, because I'm a nerd, it's the Smile Riddim) and Salmon well makes the most of it with a beautiful social commentary. This song is SPOTLESS. You know how you have some old piece of clothing that may have a hole in it or a blotch of paint or something that you can never quite wash off but you just love it for some reason? That is not this song. You could wash this one every day and the colour will look exactly like it did when you bought it. It will not fade at all! The riddim here is perfect for Salmon and what results is one of the nicest listens on the entire album. 'Andromeda', the other title track, is something special. This thing is ALIVE! 

"The Andromeda is the great constellation

From the beginning of a civilization 

To I & I is just a sweet inspiration

Mama Ethiopia: The origination of I & I"

Salmon and the IMB head to the stars and return with a MASSIVE tune which, by the slimmest of margins, is the album's single greatest offering in my opinion. I'm going to save most of this point for closing (even though I've already started building it) but the presence of this tune is really something special. It's almost a live performance in a medium that is COMPLETELY audio. You can't see a damn thing listening to it but it almost feels like you can as they put on a performance befitting The Almighty, Whom it honours. And I might as well mention it here: The song in the unenviable position of having to directly follow 'Andromeda', the curiously familiar 'I'm On A Roll' (I think I know this song from somewhere), gets on like it doesn't even care. 'I'm On A Roll' is... top four-ish on this release. It is SO NICE! What I took from it is that it is a celebration of self but not in an arrogant way. You go through life, you have your proverbial (and actual 'ups and downs') and we lament and cry about it when things aren't going our way, so maybe we should a song when we're feeling good for a stretch of time. It won't last so all the more reason to lift it up and, should you have the talent to make something like this (and you don't) (neither do I), you're able to not only celebrate YOU but maybe pick the rest of us up there as well. 'I'm On A Roll', is delightfully infectious and, again, you won't find much on this album better than it. 

Sydney Salmon & The IMB pay a LOVELY tribute to the current (I THINK) president of Burkina Faso on 'Ibrahim Traore'. I really liked this one, in its idea, because Traore is still a relatively young man and it goes to both honour someone who is still with us but also to make others aware of him and the esteem in which Salmon and co. hold him. The song is so SIMPLE in its approach, initially, but as you continue to listen, this thing DEVELOPS into a freight train of a song... whether you realize it or not. There is a stretch of pure instrumentals right in the middle of 'Ibrahim Traore'; when the vocals return, it's leveled up! There are more sounds (you hear a piano) and things have intensified just a touch. What you end up with is a spectacular display of music and with a significant purpose. HOPEFULLY Ibrahim Traore, himself, gets to hear it one day. Maybe he could listen to the entire album. Doing so would also allow him to hear 'Blessed' which is another strong selection. This song almost sounds like a 'vibe' to my ears. I would think it didn't entail much planning and, instead, came about more organically (and I saw that ONLY in comparison to the other work on "Andromeda", which often comes off as being an incredibly meticulous project). 'Blessed' is more scattered and I would think a very good tune to SEE performed as well as, especially in its latter portions, it sounds like everyone is having a very good time. Chasing 'Blessed' is.... an absolute MONSTER of a song in 'Come Away'. 

"The Father is calling us

For us to come home

Leave babylon alone

Rastafari calling us

For us to be free

To live in love and inity"

Now, doesn't Sydney Salmon have a very unique perspective on a song about repatriation?! The man speaks from personal experience! This isn't someone talking about the ideal or something that someone else is preaching. It is something he, HIMSELF, has done and he can provide an perspective like so few of his peers are able to. Furthermore, LISTEN TO THIS THING! 'Come Away' sounds like a march right down the middle of the biggest road in your town ["a no stick shift, a strictly automatic"] and it soars! By its end, I'm hearing a flute and beautiful drums making for, arguably, the finest composition in this galaxy of an album. Given that unique perspective that Salmon has, I think it's nice that he has something that is just as distinctly Ethiopian and he offers a couple of such selections in 'Ethiopia Zelalem' and 'Giramawi'. The former is a sterling tribute to Ethiopia (Google tells me that "zelalem" translates into "forever"). featuring Helen Legesse who, I believe, is a member of the IMB; and has a significant part in 'Ethiopia Zelalem'. She has vocals which're downright hypnotic and times and, along with paying homage to the country, Salmon also weaves a more generally socially aware amount of messaging in this one. He is seemingly lifting up Ethiopia while accepting that there remains work to be done ["Take me back to Ethiopia! THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE PURE NOT POOR"]. 'Giramawi' (which might mean 'Majesty') (you can guess what this is about), may be entirely in Amharic, is delightful! The Ska-fused track well provides the album with a great deal of colour and, again, I can imagine having all sorts of fun seeing a performance of 'Giramawi' as Salmon and the band seem to have had such a great time in recording it. I will make a direct criticism here: 'Giramawi' is the shortest song on this album BY FAR (literally, by more than a minute) and I think it would have been a great touch to just let the riddim play on. I'm not saying you had to give me seven minutes of it (though I wouldn't have complained about it if you did) but just a bit more time to enjoy would have been lovely. Lastly, "Andromeda" continues to churn out surprises with its concluding piece, 'Make A Change [Jah Jah People]'. The vocals here come from a Misganaye Salmon (given her name, you would confidently presume she is of some type of relation to Sydney) and I think that she is going to make a lot of fans with her efforts. With a title like 'Make A Change', you probably know what this song is about ["Jah Jah people stand up and tell babylon 'we're going to take no more"] but only a listen will tell just how nice it is. Misganaye's voice is more on the relaxed end for the most part but she does push it slightly at song's end but for the kind of rumbling riddim behind it, what she does is nearly perfect. It works for what she is saying and the full vibes of the album's closer and the next time Sydney Salmon makes an album, I hope to hear from her again.

There're a couple of things I want to stress here before closing, very briefly. The first is to give a similar credit to Sydney Salmon that I just gave to Misganaye: His voice is EXCELLENT. It works flawlessly for the type of music that he makes and, just in general, he's PLEASANT TO LISTEN TO. I enjoy what he says and I enjoy the way he says it. You will also. The next thing I want to mention is something that I've alluded to a few times in this review: This album sounds spectacular. Just from a purely sonic-appealing point of view - It's gold and it is that house that people stop on the road to take pictures of when they're driving (and not only that but, RIGHT NOW as I write this, I was listening to 'I'm On A Roll' and when it ended 'Africa Arising' from "The Ultimate Challenge" started... LISTEN TO THAT SONG) and it is the type of Roots music, in my opinion, that has a definite chance of drawing in fans who're not typically into the genre. Its PRESENTATION is fantastic and when you see just how much credit the band gets here, it sounds like you'd hope that it would. It sounds like an audio presentation of a live sound, not just artist in studio... on random riddim. Andddd, the artwork here kind of makes you long for the days when physical media for music was actually a thing. Clearly someone has put a lot of time and money into making this set what it is and it was worth it.

Overall, I have a hard time NOT recommending "Andromeda" to... pretty much anyone. Along with being more open for the newer listeners, it is fairly THICK as well. So if you enjoy your Roots heavy on the revolution with a side of spite, you'll be happy too. I do see Sydney Salmon's name pop up occasionally but I am under the belief that, when he's releasing music, an album (somewhere out there) is the goal. Maybe it's still a year or two away but that is where they will end up. I say that because "Andromeda" is seamless. Everything flows so nicely together, including the end where the changeups come in. They sound like they belong here and you're happy they are as well. 2025 has been a very interesting year for Reggae music and a very healthy one on the album side, in my opinion. I had a big, late-year project disappoint me recently (might tell you about that one next week) but "Andromeda: Sign Of The Times" has stepped in its place. At a time of the year where we're all sitting around, thinking about things like 'best of the year' lists, Sydney Salmon & The Imperial Majestic Band have just locked down a spot for themselves. GORGEOUS! 

Rated: 4.7/5

Imperial Majestic Productions + Irie Sounds International

2025

Distinguished: A review of Endeavors by Spragga Benz

Heavier. As is the case with virtually anything else, when it comes to music, respect is a thing that is earned, first and foremost. Whether or not it is lasting in any particular case is another question but when you receive the respect and the deference and the adoration of fans and your peers, you have to be doing something right. On one scale, we could look at the status of a 'one hit wonder' who could, conceivably, attain a level of immortality via one big tune (and you could probably think of songs from... fifty years ago now, which are eternally linked to the name of one individual). That is a type of respect: You made a giant song and it made a lot of people feel good - THANK YOU! Going beyond that, we can look at individuals who, while they aren't amongst the absolute biggest of stars in any certain genre, they have achieved a level of acclaim and distinction which, again, has made them unforgettable in the eyes of many. Not too long ago, we did a Signatures feature on Jah Mason and he's a pretty good example of that. I was prompted to write that feature in reaction to seeing someone refer to the Mason as a one hit wonder (insanity) but when you really get into the rest of his career, you realize that he's been SO MUCH MORE than just one massive tune and his been a very consistent soldier of Reggae music for a very long time. I look at several of Jah Mason's Roots geared peers such as Bushman, CHUCK FENDA, the late Determine and others in the same light. These are long-tenured artists who have given us endless enjoyment through the years and while they have peers whose names are more widely known, their contributions are not to go overlooked or underappreciated. As I have discussed in the past, on a personal level, there are those who, for one reason or another, have charted a very high level of appreciation and reverence for me and not just on the strength of their music (though primarily) and another, still, whose names just carry a lot of weight with me. Aside from the lot that you're expecting (i.e. Mark Wonder, Norrisman, Queen Omega...), I'm thinking of people such as the fantastic General Degree, Mad Cobra, Ras Batch and I've come to realize that Spragga Benz is definitely amongst these. 

2019

These're artists who may not be very active for the most part (in the case of Degree and Batch, not hearing a single thing from them over the course of an entire year is not a rarity at all) and that surely helps; but I find myself so damn interested in hearing what they're up to when they do finally reach with something. Their names carry such a weight with me and I'm just HAPPY to see them attached to some project. Gone are the days when the Dancehall heads amongst them would hop on any riddim (I don't know how old Batch is but Degree, Cobra and Spragga are all sixty within the next four or five years) and, of course, the genre has changed to a large degree in that aspect; so I appreciate when they're out and contributing. On top of that, as you might expect, I don't get to write about any of them very often, so I also stay looking for opportunities to do so in order to celebrate what they've given us previously but are also still currently up to. 

2020

Taking a look at these specific cases: I THINK the last time Batch made an album remains 2017's "Rootz & Kulcha" (need to do something about that), I haven't a clue when the General's last studio project released (I THINK there was an EP maybe a year or two ago) and Mad Cobra's last album is probably STILL be "Snypa Way" which is damn near twenty years old at this point and was likely one of the first reviews I ever did on this blog (and it was not completely new even then). Spragga Benz, on the other hand, has been downright prolific, by comparison. Spragga's most recent album release was 'just' five years ago in 2000's very well received "The Journey Chosen". That set, though very varied (what!) was SOLID, fun and featured guest spots from the likes of Kymani Marley, Konshens and Wayne Wonder. The year prior to that was "Chillagon" which was even more diverse and though less of an album than "The Journey Chosen", was an okay set and did a decent job of showcasing Spragga's talents, albeit in spurts. What is Spragga Benz good at and how did he earn his stripes over the years?? I'd make the case that what really draws me to his style is just how FREE it is when he's at his best, with this LARGE, beautiful voice. Spragga has this way of... doing damn near anything that he wants, lyrically, without falling too far away from the subject at hand. It's very loose. For contrast, take General Degree. He's very SHARP and to the point and CLEAN (Degree's music is awesome. It's just so damn fun to listen to), and I would also include people like Beenie Man, Buju Banton and the likes who, if ever there was a school of delivery, they attended and were the top scholars. Someone else who would fit in there BUT has a hint of something else is Agent Sasco who took a grand amount of inspiration from his mentor, Spragga Benz and, at least for me, Assassin is one of THE most gifted lights the Dancehall has ever produced. PERIOD. You do hear that kind of spontaneous and rough-around-the-edges approach from Sasco though on occasion and I owe that to Spragga. If you remember Mega Banton and how BRILLIANT that an could be but it never sounded too well situated or planned out, that's always where I've put Spragga Benz. Whatever it is, it's worked for him, historically, and it's still working for him as 2025 sees him on a new project, "Endeavors". The album comes via Red Square Productions [DUH!] as well as Lamar Reynolds who handles production via his LMR PRO Productions outfit. As has been his norm in recent times, "Endeavors" is a blend of several different styles and had I written this review a month or so ago, it probably wouldn't have been this positive. As it is, while I do not LOVE everything I hear, it does prove to be a compelling and colourful piece by its end. Not doing anything at the moment?? I'd love to tell you about it. 

Along with being well respected amongst fans, Spragga Benz has also made a name for himself with his peers and he's able to pull in three huge ones to feature on "Endeavors", including one VERY special guest.... so we might as well start there! There is an all kinds of interesting tune here by the name of 'Shoot Down That Drone' which features the late, great Calvin Scott, bka Cocoa Tea who we lost earlier this year. The tune has been billed as the final recording of Cocoa Tea and I've even seen it suggested that the tune may've been done via AI. Cocoa Tea doesn't sound his typical self in the vocals (I've also read that it may've been recorded (or at least partially) from his deathbed), Spragga, on the other hand, is absolutely dominant in one of the finest displays on the whole of "Endeavors". 

"Countering system weh wi call Drone Killa

Wi need some dung a Tivoli and need some up a Villa

And send some fi mi thugs a Trinidad & Anguilla

So wi disrupt every signal weh dem fly ova di hill yah

Haffi link up Raggamuffin, haffi link up Gongzilla

Cause di ting is like a little monkey vs a gorilla"

The anti-surveillance (or is it pro-privacy???) track stands as a legitimate highlight here not only for its background circumstances but also for its quality as 'Shoot Down That Drone' makes a heavy impact in its brief time. On the very next tune up, the very THICK praiser 'Teach Them', things go even higher as joining Spragga this time is Sizzla Kalonji. BOOM! You may recall a couple of albums from a year that I don't feel like looking (had to be almost twenty years by now) up, by a label called Drop Di Bass (didn't have to look that up) - "Prototype" & "Addicted". I think they were both released on or around the same day and they were full albums from Spragga Benz and Sizzla Kalonji, respectively ("Prototype" was average and "Addicted" was horrible, if I recall correctly. "Addicted" is probably THE worst album Sizzla has ever done in my opinion, even still). Both of those albums featured two or three combinations between the two and none of them were noteworthy and they've had at least one other song together and you've surely seen them on stage more than once as well; so, obviously, they're very good friends. 'Teach Them' is the best song they have together in my opinion and, by the slimmest of margins, it's also the best song "Endeavors" has as well. While Spragga remains on top of his game ["And when mi use mi weapon Jah Jah gimme a reward. But dat weapon yah no kill you, but it help. DI WEAPON YAH CAN MEK YOU FIND DI GOD INNA YUHSELF"], Kalonji also shows flashes of the brilliance that you know is still somewhere in there (just wish he'd bother digging it up more often than he does these days) ["Judge mi by my character and that is all. Cause me and the devil ain't no friend at all. This can't be duplicated, I'm not easily manipulated. Rastafari you're the greatest, we ever stand tall. And mi seh now would be the right time: Turn from evil, change yuh lifestyle. Stop hurting people when a night time. Praise Rastafari with a bright smile! Don't you sell your soul, you've got an option. And don't you go mix inna corruption. Better stand firm at the junction, cause babylon system ah malfunction"] making for a GORGEOUS display and one which well draws you in to this release. A lot happens in what turns out to be a relatively short time at just south of three minutes. The star power continues on the lovely 'Believe In You' where Spragga taps Tarrus Riley to beautify the vibes and, of course, he serves that purpose to near perfection. Perhaps it's getting redundant to say how well Spragga performs here (BOOM!) but both reach similar grounds (high, WAYYYY up in the hills) on the inspirational/praising offering. Along with pushing names like the Rileys, Sizzlas and Cocoa Teas, of the world, Spragga also shines some light on some names that, perhaps, you should begin to get better acquainted with, such as that of the sweet singing Lucian, Ashley Skerritt. Skerritt has a VERY interesting voice it's... hypnotic... it's Sade-esque. She's very chilled but has an excellent way of conveying emotion in her tones and is just SO nice to listen to. She leands her infectious talents to a song which is a bit stronger than I originally gave it credit for being, 'You And I'. You already know what this one is about and in what direction it goes and I'm not going to blow it up and say that it's amazing and one of the album's best but don't just run through it thinking that there's nothing to see there because it's better than you're probably thinking. The other combination aboard "Endeavors" finds Spragga linking with a couple of his own artists, Bittah Sosicka & loooooooong time spar (who I THINK might be related to Spragga, actually) the talented Briggy Benz who all come together on a very intense (and clever) social commentary, 'Monsters On The Run'. You typically hear these songs in a done which is saying that it's best to change your ways before The Almighty comes but 'Monsters On The Run' goes on the attack (they literally say, "God may forgive you piece of shits but we won't") and it is a very nice change of pace from the norm because I was clueless as to what to expect from this one based on its title.

Quickly, I saw a clip of a review that Spragga Benz did to promote "Endeavors" and he mentioned that there were "no gal tunes" and the interviewer (who had done his homework), corrected him by saying there were a few (there're three, technically, if you include the aforementioned 'You And I'). It speaks volumes that Spragga forgot them and when get into them, 'She No Happy' & 'No Ordinary Girl', you see why. Both sound similar to one another, both are horrible and that's that. He didn't remember them and you shouldn't either.

Sans those two songs, while Spragga is on his own throughout "Endeavors", he puts on a strong show.... shit, pretty much the entire album is some kind of decent besides 'She No Happy' & 'No Ordinary Girl'. Check the towering opener, 'Mountain'. Despite its rather awkward beginnings, the tune hits its zenith fairly quickly and becomes something DAMN impressive. It's a dual meaning here with it kinda/sorta being a ganja tune of sorts but also one that serves as an inspiration (therefore, discussing two different types of HIGH-NESS). When I saw (heard) what was going on with 'Mountain' and the lumbering 'uniqueness' began to grew on me, the lightbulb over my head popped on and I realized that we had something special there. Lagging not too far behind at all -- figuratively and literally -- is the album's second selection 'Busy Like Bees'. There's something really GRIMY about 'Busy Like Bees' and though it does have somewhat of a dark edge to it, that isn't quite what I mean. The song never seems to FULLY consummate the marriage of riddim and lyrics (they just don't perfectly lock up) but it comes very close and the fact that they DON'T sync up is almost an attractive quality here. Spragga is enjoying his status and all that he has managed to achieve and, to some extent, in an almost ghoulish way, 'Busy Like Bees' seems to be a celebration of that. Spragga basically chooses to SING his way through 'Brotherly Love' and, by its end, it's clear that he chose properly. It isn't the first time he's done such a thing. On one of my favourite Spragga Benz tunes, 'Sleep With Angels' [TEARS!], he does the same thing and 'Brotherly Love' may not have a seat at THAT table, it is a very nice song that grew on me after awhile. Here, the artist openly wonders what has become of a certain way people used to treat one another and it comes through on a tune that has this GIANT sound that doesn't sacrifice melody or any general appeal (it's pleasant to listen to) that it has at all. Sizable of a different kind (only quality) (the most important kind), is later tune 'Them A Chat'. Hundreds of years ago, Spragga once had a song of the same title [basically] ("them" = "dem") on the Amharic Riddim, which was ridiculous in every single way and I mean that in a great way. This one isn't quite up to those lofty levels but it isn't lagging too far behind either. A swipe at jealousy and envy, 'Them A Chat' is on point, entirely focused ["All weh dem do is watch another doing what dem caan do. Chat people business from dem limited angle"] and it is ACTUAL DANCEHALL music. It's a Spragga Benz specialty and it's mere PRESENCE on this album makes "Endeavors" better, in general and far more fun as well. 

I don't love 'Best Friend' but, who cares what I think because the tune was actually chosen as the album's most recent single as far as I can tell. It's kind of an R&B song without the singing (in terms of its sound and subject) and though I don't dislike or think it bad (it is farrrrr better than 'She No Happy' and 'No Ordinary Girl'), it's just kind of average and I think that even if it was your goal to capture the attentions/affections of a non traditional Reggae audience, there was at least one better choice to be made (called 'You And I'). Finally (one of the easiest to write reviews I've had all year. I had started it a few weeks ago and put it down but just picked it back up YESTERDAY and here we are) is the title track (when's the last time that happened??) which might be another choice as a future single if you're looking at reaching a broader audience. 'Endeavors' didn't work for me initially so I poured some time into it (probably have listened to it more than any other selection here) and I never arrived at a place where I can say that I actually LIKE it totally -- the sound is kind of strange and it just doesn't work for me -- but LYRICALLY, it has its moments.

"Let's talk about manners

Some seh 'wah dat?' all dem know a just dollars

Love take hits and ah boast just for others

TAKE TIME, SCROLL FIND SOMEBODY FI FOLLOW"

I can appreciate something like that ^ anywhere I find it and even if I'm not crazy about the package that it's been wrapped up in (and I'm not), it is noteworthy as, again, Spragga Benz takes a look at those who have their priorities kinda fucked up.

Overall, I don't want to overrate this album and you can skip ahead to see the number grade I gave it to confirm that I am not but "Endeavors" is just an interesting and COLOURFUL release. If you do not love it, that's fine (neither do I) but I think most fans of Reggae will find something here that is enjoyable. For the most part, as I said, it catches its star in a fine form and, furthermore, Spragga has enjoyed a pretty good year in 2025. Earlier he reached with a tune by the name of 'Hallelujah' which did some damage for him and was probably one of his biggest hits in recent years. You would have thought it would have been on this album (would have made perfect sense) but even in its absence, "Endeavors" manages to hold its own. While you won't find Spragga Benz at the height of his esteemed powers here, "Endeavors" does showcase a talent still well intact after allllll these years and one well worthy of your time and respect historically and, clearly, presently. 

Rated: 3.25/5

Red Square Productions + LMR PRO Productions 

2025

Anthony B Has a Revalation!

We go months (and sometimes full YEARS) without hearing much from the extremely talented Revalation [Da Royal] from out of St. Thomas and here he is, just popping up with a big new tune, 'Militant' for Sipo Records, alongside none other than the great Anthony B. Who knows WHY or HOW such a tune came to be.... and who cares! Enjoy one of the biggest songs that I've heard over the second half of 2025 and, hopefully, it's a sign of what's coming from Revalation in the new year. FLAME ON!

Signatures Vol. X: Skinny Fabulous

If you think about it, it's actually quite rare that you take your core group of absolute favourite artists (or favourite anything, actually) and add to them with a new member. It doesn't happen very often and it shouldn't so, when it does, it's kind of a big deal. When it comes to Soca music, my stalwarts include the likes of Destra Garcia, Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons; and, unless I'm really forgetting someone (Patrice Roberts would also be in there but she was before him), the most recent addition to that group would be St. Vincent missile, Skinny Fabulous. Whatever form of the music works for you, over the course of the past fifteen years or so, Skinny has given you something to be happy about. HOWEVER, with that being said, he's also been one of the most consistent performers of Power Soca that the genre has... ever seen, producing some undeniable future classics of the TRAUMATIC variety. Today we take a look and honour the work of one of the maddest to ever do it and a personal favourite of mine: Signatures: Skinny Fabulous.

{Note: I intentionally didn't include 'Famalay' because it was on Bunji Garlin's Signatures}

{Note 2: I intentionally did not include 'Duracell' because I hate that damn song}

{Coming Soon: Pressure Busspipe, Destra & Randoms*}

1. 'Garn'

We bionic. Typically, I reserve the first slot on these things for the biggest hit and 'Garn' most certainly isn't that but it finds its place at the head because it has probably been my absolute favourite Soca song for nearly four years now (ridiculous how quick that time has gone). Wetty Beatz lent Skinny Fabulous their ridiculous One Piece Ah Riddim (Anime heads (of which I am not) should recognize that) and to them was returned a simply impossible to ignore tune in 'Garn'. Along with it being so catchy and infectious, whether you realize it or not, for what 'Garn' is, it is pretty strong lyrically as well and while I won't yet proclaim it my single favourite Skinny Fabulous song ever, it surely has a seat at the table. Quite possibly THE greatest workout song I have ever heard in my entire life. 

2. 'Come Home' featuring Nailah Blackman

I've been waiting. Lest you ever think that a certain level of CLASS and REFINEMENT is non-existent within the madness, there's a tune like this one. 'Come Home' featured the lovely vocals of Nailah Blackman who linked with Skinny Fabulous a POLISHED piece of chaos. There was melody and harmonies and all of that good stuff but there was also insanity. There were people bouncing off the walls and circus animals and big trucks without steering wheels. Unless I'm REALLY overlooking something, 'Come Home' is my choice as the best combination Skinny's ever done and another song which has a case to be made of being my favourite from him of all time. The song was a celebration of the full return of Carnival which was on 'hiatus' for a while but returned to us all in grand fashion.

3. 'Head Bad'

We not leaving. In what would be the first of five (or six) Soca Monarch victories, Skinny Fabulous would walk higher ground with the MAMMOTH shot that was 'Head Bad'. This is one of those songs that finds its footing and the core of its GREATNESS in the ridiculous, chaotic madness that is Power Soca but... you also hear a melody in there, don't you? You hear it in there somewhere and it is beautiful! It's also kinda overwhelming and COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS... but it's beautiful and you know it!

4. 'No Other Way'

Weapon of party destruction. I made a rule that I'm trying my best to adhere to: That I won't let these things go above fifteen tracks and after my final review for this one, I remembered that I had forgotten 'No Other Way'. I had to remove 'Mental Home' (WHICH I LOVE) but it had to go. 'No Other Way' was a damn onslaught. It was unrelenting and it was SPECIAL. There's a point in this song where Skinny's bombarding the riddim (the lovely Tribe Riddim from Precision) with the chorus and it's TOO MUCH. It just is... BUT WHO CARES! It had to be on this list. There simply is no other way. 

5. 'Godzilla'

Destroying everything. Along with Wetty Beatz and Stadic, Skinny Fabulous took the concept of "destroying the road" to new, LITERAL, levels by channeling the legendary King of The Monsters, Godzilla, almost a decade ago. I remember one of the first times I heard this tune thinking that.... well, I guess you can just make a damn Soca song out of virtually anything and I was right about that (he also has one which barely missed this list called 'John Wick', because why not). The song carrying the title, as you would expect/hope, is a monster. It's heavy, it's fiery, it's kind of lumbering and it musically presents the type of pandemonium one might expect from being in the presence of a.... giant, pissed off lizard... dinosaur thing.

6. 'BTW'

I'm behaving the worst. I'm behaving the worst. I'm behaving the worst. I guess by Skinny's standards, you could actually call 'BTW' a Groovy song and that's fine. You're also going to call it brilliant. Sounding more like something out of the catalogue of someone like Machel Montano, the tune was a gorgeous laidback (compared only to everything else you'll find here) masterpiece and, RIDICULOUSLY [!], over a decade later (how on earth is this song eleven years old??!), it has not lost a glint of its lustre. One of the best songs Skinny Fabulous has ever made. 

7. 'Flatten'

FLATTEN. FLATTEN. FLATTEN EVERYTHING! Random, decade+ old tune. Didn't make much of an impact if I recall correctly: Why the hell is it on this list? If you didn't play the video then that is a viable, reasonable question. If you did, then you are not asking it. Flatten everything, everywhere. Nothing and no one is safe; not me or you. 

8. 'Act Normal'

Love this feeling. I took a song that I really like (called 'Going Off') off this list in order to make room for 'Act Normal' because it just might be the single COOLEST song that Skinny has ever done. The Prince Pronto produced tune was (and still is) Groovy Soca BRILLIANCE. This style of music has a different type of appeal to it. It can hit you in a piece joy and just accentuate the hell out of it. As opposed other songs you'll find here which're going to concuss you, wait for you to get up (or not) and then do it again, 'Act Normal' made its impact with a feather and kinda got the same results.

9. 'Pieces'

Soooooooo long we've been waiting. 'Pieces' now holds some type of significance as it (prior to #2 on this list) was Skinny's reaction to the end of the pandemic and the return of Carnival. It's another of the type of songs that might not get the credit it fully deserves for being as clever as it was but I would implore you to REALLY listen to what's going on with this song and just how wonderfully put together it was. 

10. 'Soca Defenders'

Everything gonna crack. Clearly Skinny will take his inspiration from anywhere he can get it and as you can see from 'Godzilla' (he also has a song literally called 'John Wick'), movies are fertile ground for him. For the Xpert and Wetty Beatz licked 'Soca Defenders', he would Socafy Marvel's Avengers and do the actions films more than justice. 'Soca Defenders' is one this list because it offers you nary a place to sit down and catch your breath and it is done with such quality that it was impossible for me to ignore. He has DOZENS of similarly vibed pieces and, ostensibly, this one does nothing in its sound to set it apart from those but what you hear on this damn song probably represents one of the strongest and in most infectious choruses on the whole of this list.  

11. 'The General'

Bomb ah drop. 'The General' burned a big ass hole in taking St. Vincent Soca Monarch way back in 2013 and, surely, the memory of that has something to do with its being here but... listen to this thing (and if you have already, then go back and listen to it again). 'The General' is VILE! It is nasty, grimy Power Soca but it's also kinda pleasant, isn't it? Don't you hear a hint of sweetness within all of that chaos? Take that drop of whatever it was and combine it with a song which, inherently, promotes crowd interaction on a massive level and you have a tune seemingly constructed for a brilliant performance and on one night in July a dozen years ago, Skinny Fabulous delivered one for the ages with 'The General'.

12. 'Monster'

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'MMA MONSTA! 'Monster' was a song that almost didn't make this list. When I got to narrowing things down (and decided that I wouldn't go over fifteen) I took it out and put it back in several times before finally settling on it being here. What changed? Well, while I was fleshing this out, I wasn't actually listening to anything (besides 'Garn', of course) and when I got around to actually listening to the Homebase production, nostalgia sunk her claws into me. Now over a dozen years old, 'Monster' wasn't THE maddest song Skinny Fabulous has ever done, nor was it the sweetest but it was BEAUTIFUL blend of both flavours and though you will find a piece or two which does better at blending them than it does, that unforgettable bounce which helps to propel 'Monster' along also pushed it over the edge for me.

13. 'De Beast Lehgo'

DANGEROUS! 'De Beast Lehgo' is another STERLING example of Skinny doing what Skinny does best and finding some beauty within the madness. The tune, which would net him his second overall and consecutive Vincy Soca Monarch crown way back in 2009, also started his monstrous fascination (as shown in this list with 'Godzilla' and 'Monster') and remains amongst his very best. If you really tune in 'De Beast Lehgo' what you'll notice is that, at its absolute heights, it rivals just about any song he's ever done. The pinnacle of it is EASILY some of the best work Skinny Fabulous as shown which is why  would include it on the short list of not only his best but the BEST of his best. 

14. 'Scary'

EVERYTHING TEAR DOWN! Perhaps the hardest kick in the head that Skinny has ever delivered, the utterly RIDICULOUS 'Scary' from a decade and a half ago hasn't aged well in terms of popularity and is fairly obscure these days. Just because so many have overlooked it though, it hasn't diminished even slightly in my eyes and ears. 'Scary' is an action movie with no plot at all. It's two and half hours of just.... fights and... blowing shit up. It is violent. It is vicious. There is no point of it. It is just a pure adrenaline rush of music.

15. 'Fyah Anthem'

We have ignition. Compared to a great deal of the other songs here, you could well make the case that 'Fyah Anthem' registers as nearly obscure to a degree... but I don't give a damn. What it does share with many of his greatest work is that 'Fyah Anthem' was, essentially, Skinny Fabulous clunking us all right over the head. He punched us, we fell, concussed, and when we got up we asked him to do it again. There is a countdown here (which has pretty much nothing with Skinny) which is SO DAMN COOL that it likely has a lot to do with why this song is here. 'Fyah Anthem' was scalding, it left bruises and I'm not complaining. 

UNDERSTOOD!: A review of Upliftment by Derrick Sound

Convinced. Back in da day such an occurrence was all the more frequent. You'd have a very Reggae-centric situation where you'd have twenty artists jump on one riddim and some of them would get lost in the proverbial cracks IMMEDIATELY and then you'd do some sifting of your own, whether you realized it or not. My delightfully nostalgic point of reference takes me through names such as Hollow Point, Jagwa, Zumjay, Calico, Desperado.... Alley Cat... Icecold [!] and a number of others who'd have songs on tracks which would go consistently overlooked. They weren't amongst the biggest names in the genre and, barring the occasional hit, you might not pay much attention to their work. Still, they were popular to a certain degree (and most of them are probably still at it) and, obviously, favourited by producers of a certain era of Dancehall. There was also some serious talents in there as well. Desperado had a very interesting LOUD quality to him and, at his best, Hollow Point was literally off the charts with what he was capable of (and he still is). So, who knows what we may've missed out on (some of those people should have been much bigger stars than they were... but that's a different discussion that I'm sure I'll have one day) through not paying as much attention as we probably should have been. The point here is that, regardless of how good something (or someone) may be, even if you are attentive and are proactive to go out outside of your usual patterns, you can't keep up with EVERYONE. It may take some impetus to help you get started in giving someone a chance and for everyone that I named, I could name others who you did give a shot. The vouching of someone by someone who you respect can go a long way. Baby Cham, for example, had the backing of an actual GENIUS in Dave Kelly driving his career and was able to develop on some of the finest production the genre has ever seen. Vybz Kartel had a similar run across Don Corleon's riddims and maybe Spragga Benz lifting up Assassin gave him a solid basis to start out on (and I bring up those instances, specifically, to stick with the times that I had previously started into with my initial examples). Were those not the cases, who know! Maybe we'd be looking at Baby Cham or Sasco as talented underachievers (I don't think so, but it's possible). There are any number of things that can get you to open that door for the first time and MAYBE never closing it.

Maybe even an album would do it.... but then again, maybe not (it might take two of them). Today we're going to take a look at someone who just, all of a sudden, one day seemed to pop up and whose music I've written about, fairly consistently, without truly digging into what they were actually up to. Perhaps (no way), we may even get into addressing WHO THE HELL IS DERRICK SOUND? Again, I can search these pages and find myself writing about them, directly, as far back as a couple of years ago now in regards to working with longtime favourite of ours, Cali P. HOWEVER, a bit of research reveals that the players at work behind Derrick Sound, Mr. Nico & Inspecta Derrick are the same ones behind the ULTRA familiar Evidence Music from out of Geneva, Switzerland, whose releases I've been writing about for about a dozen years (dating all the way back to the Dancing Machine Riddim) and that shine you see coming from this page is the lightbulb going off over my head (... and don't even get me started on Little Lion.... who knew!).

2024

"THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!". "MIND BLOWN!". Evidence Music has pretty much worked with everyone. Along with a few of the wonderful people we're going to talk about shortly, they've also done work with the likes of the incomparable Queen Omega, Tiwony, Micah Shemaiah, Addis Pablo, Skarra Mucci and a mightily impressive line of others. They've had their hands in many pots over the years and continue to these days. Why I'd never known the specifics is probably because I was content to enjoy the music of Derrick Sound in the fairly frequent times that it popped up on my radars and I had yet to actually review one of their projects. This was due to POOR planning as, in early 2024, they gave me a RIPE opportunity to do so via what stood as one of the year's strongest compilations by its end, The Fight Again Riddim. As I said, I'm going reserve the heaviest of my ammo for this new project but the Fight Again was CRUCIAL and carried contributions from Cali P, Shemaiah, Tiwony, LMK [BOOM!], even Hollow Point (remember him??) alongside Chico and it was just a GORGEOUS composition with a very light sound but strong core to it. The Fight Again got up everyday and did its crunches! Derrick Sound made it nice and easy for me and I should have reviewed the Fight Again Riddim album (and its beautiful cover) but I didn't... because I'm old as hell and tired but they're giving me another shot! 2025 now brings us another compilation which I cannot keep my eyes off of, "Upliftment". When I saw the tracklist for this one and saw what else they had forthcoming (more on that in a second), Evidence suddenly got my WHOLE, ENTIRE attention for the last part of the year. ON PAPER, we had what amounted to a potential compilation of the year contender and just a DAMN RIDICULOUS collection of vocal talent aboard "Upliftment". The compilation appears to be built with tracks from, primarily, 2025, although I did find one or two which date back to last year or year before (which is just fine) and it stands a powerful display and catcher-upper to exactly what Derrick Sound has been up to. Let's take a look! 

I have to say something about that cover (I am contractually obligated to do so). When I first saw it, I thought it VERY cool in a lovely, nostalgic, old school kinda way and I was delighted to see in the press notes that it read: 

"With Upliftment, Derrick Sound delivers a true homage to the reggae of the late 1990s and early 2000s, a pivotal period that also marked their beginnings as DJs. The project recreates the energy and atmosphere of those years, drawing inspiration from legendary producers such as Fatis Burrell and Bobby Digital"

They absolutely NAILED it with that cover and its early 90's feel. It goes on to talk about paying homage to the golden age of Reggae music and, when you get into it, they're doing SWEET on the musical end as well. Perhaps none are sweeter than the opener and title track which brings together a favourite of Evidence's, Bugle, and the brilliant aforementioned Agent Sasco. 

"Nuttin no negative, so wi no deal wid minus

Wi blessed and multiply, so they cannot divide us

Oh yes, wi give thanks to di blessings dem weh Jah provide us

Whoi! Dem cannot stop wi cause a Jah ah guide us

AND YOU CAAN DRAIN WI ENERGY, GO DRAIN YUH SINUS

You no si - badmind ah get dem, yes, dem catch di virus

Di crab dem inna di barrell, dem no waan you climb up

MI POSITIVE OF DI FACT NEGATIVITY TIME UP"

I can recall when "Assassin" was coming up and it was him and Vybz Kartel being compared to one another, they were 'classmates', in terms of time. Kartel was a martian. He had lyrics from outer space and he had so much HYPE based on his skill that it was reminiscent of very few people the Dancehall had ever seen prior to him (thinking of someone like Papa San) (Papa San can probably still just rhyme ALL DAY LONG if he wanted to). Assassin was different. He was far more straight-forward and there was more of a... development to him. He didn't start from so far along but what this man has become lyrically is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING and he puts nary a damn syllable out of place on 'Upliftment'; destroying his initial verse, only to return later and say some shit like:

"Yeah di massive, ah si positive

POSITIVE INNA WI NOUNS, WI VERBS AND WI ADJECTIVES

REAL & GENUINE SO NO PRESERVATIVES, NO ADDITIVES"

HUH?! WHAT?! Not to overlook Bugle's contributions to the finest tune you'll hear on the album named after it but Agent Sasco absolutely burns the place to ash in the name of positive with a simply PERFECT performance. Given the most unenviable task of following the opener is someone who is up for and capable of the task, as the highly skilled Lutan Fyah makes the first of his two HUGE appearances on "Upliftment" with 'Blessings'. If you want to  hear a song that does absolutely NOTHING in the way of breaking new ground and is pure and simple, straightforward Roots music but is EXCITING and thrilling to listen to, hear 'Blessings'! The Fyah is joyous for what he's received in his life and for the opportunity he has to praise His Majesty and I won't write them out because I just did it on the previous song but he drops some BEAUTIFUL lyrical gems here, as is his norm... like this one.

"Late at night, before I rest, Jah is my company 

SELASSIE I. NOT PERHAPS OR PROBABLY!"

BOOM! That being said, perhaps you could make the case that Lutan Fyah goes even harder on his second track on the album, 'Bla Bla Bla', his cut of the previoulsy mentioned Fight Again Riddim. It was one of the best songs on that riddim and it's one of the best songs on "Upliftment" as well. Lutan Fyah is tired of hearing the bullshit and 'the company line' over and over again and he's found a SWEET way of making that known. As one of two artists to appear here twice, Lutan makes the most of both opportunities with powerful displays of his considerable skills. Speaking of "considerable skills", if everyone on this album were at their absolute best, I think the CONSIDERABLEST is the star of 'Jah Is Always Near', Sizzla Kalonji. He hasn't been in a fine form over the past few years, however, which makes it all the more interesting and noteworthy when I do hear something good from him and his offering here, though not on even the same planet as his best, is decent. The song is done in that kind of odd wailing that Sizzla used to get dual criticism and praise for. I've never felt much for it either way but it works on this song which is, obviously, a praise. There're other points where he changes things up (like a really nice one at around 2:20 in) and moments like that helped this song grow on me. Also of note is the beautiful riddim underpinning 'Jah Is Always Near', which is allowed to shine on its own at times as well, making for a very well done complete musical display (and I just finished writing that at the exact same time the tune ends!). Have some more! Chezidek is also here with a tune I know quite well from earlier this year, the GORGEOUS 'Jah Is In Charge', which finds the singer relying on the Highest strength in existence ["All mi troubles and mi fears, Jah Jah cancel. Obstacles inna mi way ah get  trampled"] when he needs a helping hand. There is something SO appealing about the way 'Jah Is In Charge' is sung. Chezidek has an unusal voice and that's often the focus when you listen to him but have you ever notice how VERSATILE his delivery can be?? He can pull it back slightly or tone it down more and when he does you get GEMS like this one, delightfully registering somewhere between singing and chanting - and excellent on both fronts. A huge tune. Let's have a quick conversation about a guy named Turbulence. Many years ago, Turbulence seemed to make shift where he found joy and some success making love songs and since then (literally, like the last TWENTY years!) he's been far too focused on them.... and they aren't very good for the most part, in my opinion; and it's kinda pissed me off to be honest. Turbulence's combination of legit TOP FLIGHT singing voice with several different styles of impressive chanting can make for outstanding Roots (and even Dancehall, at times) and who knows what we've missed out on over the years with him pursuing his obsession with love songs (check a recent piece of Roots, from a few weeks ago, called 'Who Are We'. It's outstanding). HOWEVER, given the fact that I've been critical (heavily sometimes) of him for making love songs, then I should be the first one to give him credit when the planets align just perfectly and..... Turbulence makes a love song that is actually good!

'Knock Knock' caught me with my hands down, chin in the air and off-balance. I'm used to these things. I've been here probably hundreds of times at his point (and will probably be there a hundred more) but it rarely (if ever) sounds like this. It doesn't SOUND like it at all but in terms of how its written, 'Knock Knock' is somewhat similar to Junior Kelly's classic 'Love So Nice' where Turbulence is addressing an ungrateful former flame. The chorus is lovely and infectious and will glue itself to some part of your memory, it's beautifully sung and it has a point to it. You can't ask for more than that and I have no problem at all calling it amongst the greatest of its kind that Turbulence has EVER done. 

coming soon

Okay and now let's talk about another guy, named Eesah, who is the other artist featured on "Upliftment", along with Lutan Fyah, to have more than one tune.... and he also has something else going on with Evidence Music in a few weeks. His first is the poignant social commentary 'Change We Want', going exactly where you think it is. Take a deep listen to 'Change We Want' and you'll notice how well it goes as it reaches a point, at its second verse, where it levels up. It becomes even stronger (after a start that isn't bad either) and blooms into something kind of explosive at times.

"You haffi give up the good fi the great

A wise man will change his mind

And a fool will never si di sign

Look like seh di government blind

So wi, seek knowledge and break dem chains

Until yeah, wi start si change

Eternally fyah gwan blaze

Try fi open yuh ears

Let's si Reggae music free di mind of di people 

Evidence nah go deliver dem evil

Have a voice so wi speak to di people

Step forward: In the ground

Or take ten steps back, into safety

Every four year wid di same plan and trick politician dem come to play wi"

Grrrr. Eesah's second tune is also the album's second and final combination. 'Badda We Badda' features UK stalwart, Brother Culture in a very open and just COOL style. With that being said, however, the main attraction here is the sickening chorus. It is "sickening" in the same way that eating too much candy is sickening... meaning it will make you feel bad for enjoying it so damn much. For example: I was writing this review and had 'Badda We Badda' on repeat. I took a break to wash some dishes and what was going on in my head the entire time I was doing the dishes? Yep! The chorus for this song. 'Badda We Badda' is catchy as hell and it will plant a flag in your brain that you will not be able to remove, no matter how far you dig in there. In other news, Eesah and Evidence Music have other works in the pipeline as his sophomore album, "Success" is set to release in just a few weeks from writing this review. Both 'Badda We /Badda' and 'Change We Want' are included on an the album that MIGHT prove to be the final big Reggae album of 2025.

The remaining list of names present on "Upliftment" represent a tremendous run of names and top talents. The album's oldest tune (I THINK), comes from the late Peetah Morgan as his cut of the Indian Casino Riddim, 'Can't Break Our Souls' is here. We lost Morgan in early 2024 to a rare disease but he, along with the rest of the members of the famed Morgan Heritage, left a powerful legacy. 'Can't Break Our Souls' is a beautiful track from 2014 where Peetah speaks to the indomitability of the children of His Majesty. This song, probably even if you don't care much for it, is going to make you smile and feel good! It brought a smile to my face and it also has points where it sounds like Peetah Morgan is smiling while he's singing (if that makes any sense. Sometimes you can actually hear a smile) which is always a fascinating sound on a tune. Biggup Peetah Morgan and biggup Derrick Sound for including him here. Given the description from the press materials that I quoted for "Upliftment", I'm going to presume that Derrick Sound got ALL they wanted and more from the legendary Luciano when he blessed them (and the rest of us too) with 'Old School Rule'. The Messenjah pays homage to those who came before on the tune and teaches all to follow course in not only honouring those individuals but the ideas and methodology of the times as well. This version of the tune is billed as the 'Extended Mix' which comes with an ending where the clean riddim is featured and allowed to do its thing. As I've said in the past, I think this can be a very nice touch to add on and it was a really good notion had in this instance because this riddim, for as simple as it most certainly is, is also a DIAMOND and we get it for nearly a minute and a half completely sans vocals. CAPLETON (I told you the lineup on this album was crazy) is all fed up and also tired of the bullshit on his 'Tired Of The Drama'. Supposedly, Capleton was set to launch a new album in 2025 (would have been his first in a century or two), "Heights Of Fire". Coincidentally, that album is/was also an Evidence Music release so hopefully we get that in the new year but until then, the King of Fire is building... and he's building with very strong material such as the common sense saturated 'Tired Of The Drama'. Jah Mason EASILY has one of the strongest offerings on "Upliftment" with his scathing 'Rumours Of War'.

"Nuclear weapons are deployed

And dem ready fi destroy

Wid dem weapons of destruction

Get yuhself employed, whether girl or boy

Dem ready fi go start up di action

Who will survive?

Tell dem a di fittest of di fittest

Set up yuh grounds, mek sure that you legit

Sorry for those who just can't resist

LIVING INNA ZONE WHERE DEM DON'T HAVE NO LIMIT

Mi nah know how it start, so how it ahgo finish?

Should be making that paper

Stocking up yuh spinach

If a war dem come wid, a no my image

NO, DEM CAAN GET MI TIMID!"

The Mason absolute scorches on this anti-violence set. Hopefully it does not go overlooked on this album because 'Rumours Of War', is also one of his best tunes in recent times in my opinion. "Upliftment" also ends on a very high not in the form of Fantan Mojah's 'Double Standard'. Mojah poses the question, "Why is there a place for you but not for me?" to the powers that be in the midst of serving up a lyrically impressive social commentary and SIZABLE ending to this album. I also have to mention the riddim on 'Double Standard'. It is SO GOOD! The version on "Upliftment" is the 'Horns Cut' and you hear the horn come in initially right before the three minute mark and just generally enhance what was already a fantastic piece of music.

The only critique I have of "Upliftment" is that I wish Derrick Sound would have gotten a tune from Queen Omega... or any other female.

Overall, EXCELLENT. As i said, when I first took a look at just who was involved with "Upliftment" my expectations of what I was about to hear went square through the proverbial roof. In an era long gone, even if I were to see such a lineup on some random riddim it would have been very impressive (at such a time where it happened at least semi-regularly) and i is even more the case in a format such as this one. Also, a big, full credit goes to the producers and players of instrument who work their magic so finely. When you have a more typical compilation such as this one (meaning one without the same riddim on every song), you have an opportunity (when you do it well) to really impress musical, particularly when put in the hand of such gifted vocalists. "Upliftment" is FUN Roots music that sacrifices nothing in the way of hitting its marks, ideologically, in the name of boosting the entertainment value. So, while it may've taken me an embarrassingly long ass time to make the connections of exactly who Derrick Sound was, with what I hear on "Upliftment", there isn't a chance that I'm going to forget anytime soon. THE BEST REGGAE COMPILATION OF 2025. 

Rated: 4.75/5

Evidence Music

2025