Okay so, just wanted to bring to your attention a pair of recently released BEAUTIFUL tunes from an old favourite of ours, the well talented Jah Defender from out of Trinidad. Just last week he delivered a big set and, again, on TODAY, he's once again bringing the fire.
First up is a song that comes courtesy of D Rebell Productions, also from Trinidad, the GOLDEN 'So Long'.
"It's been so long Rastafari calling
So long King Selassie I been calling
SO long Mama Africa been calling
No one seems to be listening
Well everyone so b usy doing dem owna thing
No one's listening to the children
You see, they don't like the world that dem living in
And dem waiting on us to do something
You see we can't sit around and play
Man haffi work for a brighter day
Strength on to strength I saw
NO MORE DELAY"
You know what? 'So Long' is probably one of the best songs that I've heard from anyone in this young year so far. It has such an easy and comfortable vibes to it that it immediately caught my attention and, when I actually started to dig into it, the ideas behind it were high and provided a nice foundation to what my ears were enjoying on a very basic level. Take a listen for yourself.
"You keep on doing wrong
And think he gonna get away forever
You think you big and strong
Feel dem so wise and clever
A day will come-
When Jah Jah gonna change up dem weather
This is a judgment sound!
Fire!
FROM YOU WICKED
You ahgo feel it!
GRUDGEFUL?
Ahgo feel it!
ENVIOUS?
Ahgo feel it!
CARNAL MIND AHGO FEEL IT
Too much hypocrisy, too much corrupt
Everyone si di bullshit and not speaking up
Dem love susu pon yuh name
Mi nah play dem funny game
Outta fire and flames
Man a lion, caan tame
Caan hold mi wid dem chains
King Selassie lives and reign
High grade up inna mi brain
Righteousness must maintain
Fire burning red
Babylon dem coulda neva get away"
And just today (unless it takes me four hours to get this posted), Jah Defender links with the esteemed Austrian imprint, House of Riddim on the also top notch and SCATHING 'Feel It'. This one almost comes off as an anthem (stop reading this and go listen to that chorus) and it is a fiery one as the Defender takes aim at all sorts of negativity and the results border on brilliant. Jah Defender is someone who I probably should write about more frequently. I have dealt with his work a couple of times or so sense we came back from hiatus, but it's been relatively thin from when we took a look at his debut album, "Rastaman Rise", a dozen years ago. He's an extremely gifted individual and, so far, his 2025 musical campaign is looking extremely bright. Take a moment and get acquainted with Jah Defender if you have not already or become reacquainted... just thought I'd let you know.
"One Degree Hotter" by Machel Montano [Monk Music - 2025]
First up today (as I write this on, literally, THE morning of Carnival Monday), is Trini Soca superstar, Machel Montano, who returns with a brand new album for 2025, "One Degree Hotter" (very clever title because Montano received his degree last year). Anytime Montano reaches with... pretty much anything there is going to be a big response and, at least as far as albums go, I've been very happy to see the early attention being paid to "One Degree Hotter" has been very heavy. As usual, the project contains virtually Montano's entire season with maybe a song or two that either you haven't heard at all or that didn't get much run this year. All of his biggest efforts are here such as 'Home Is Where The Heart Is' with Bunji Garlin and Mical Teja, 'Bet Meh', 'Pepper Vine' alongside Drupatee & Lady Lava and Jus Now & DJ Private Ryan which netted Chutney Soca Monarch 2025 just last night (and is EXCELLENT), personal favourites 'Wave It' and 'Fallen Fetters' with Skinny Fabulous and Road March contender (and I may just wait a couple of days to post this, and come back to change this to RM Winner), 'Pardy' (YEP! He won). We got big names making Soca albums last year like Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons and Kes but 2025 figures to be a slow year with, EASILY, "One Degree Hotter" being the biggest shot thus far.
"Reggae Frequency" by Tiwony [7 Seals/Evidence Music - 2025]
A couple of years ago, longtime favourite of ours, Gwada fire breather, Tiwony, returned with what seemed like his first new album in an eternity, "Frequency" and now, seemingly to make up for lost time, the man is back with its nearly immediate followup, "Reggae Frequency". As the title would suggest, the new album focuses more on straight Roots Reggae music where its predecessor was more varied and you definitely appreciate the effort to make such a LARGE project, spanning a couple of years. The second half is FUN, featuring helping hands from the likes of Chezidek, King Kalabash, Bobby Hustle and others with standouts including the likes of the remix of 'Long Road' (with Chezi), 'The Plug' (with Bobby Hustle and Yung Tripp), 'Chrysantémes', the mad closer, 'Dread [Reggae Frequency]b and 'Lévé' with BadSam and Jahlia.
'Future' by Sizzla & Bushman [Lockecity Music/Kalonji Music Production - 2025]
Apparently, we're not too long away from the next album release from Reggae legend, Sizzla Kalonji. Over the past few years or so, that hasn't been a very attractive thing to say as Kalonji has put out his fair share of substandard sets but if ever there were a reason to be intrigued by the forthcoming "Scrolls Of Kalonji" (besides the title being REALLY COOL), there's this first single and, on paper, MASSIVE combination 'Future'. The tune actually has the nerve to pair Sizzla with big voiced veteran singer, Bushman which, I THINK, is a first for them and comes courtesy of Lockecity. Just that, alone, well had my attention well before I laid ears on the tune and, as it turned out, the results were pretty strong as well as the two team up to push a vibe uplifting the young people of the world. If this is any indication (and DAMN, I HOPE IT IS), "Scrolls Of Kalonji" just may have a good chance to reverse recent course which would be great because I could really go for a GOOD SIzzla Kalonji album in 2025.
The Middle East Riddim [Greatest Friends/Evidence Music - 2025]
Biggup Greatest Friends Records from out of France (a label I'm most familiar with for their work with Queen Omega over the years) for their latest release, a cut of the Middle East Riddim, featuring a VERY interesting trio of singers. Last year, GFR would drop "Holding On", a solid set from King Lorenzo (who, suddenly, seems to be VERY popular these days and good for him!), which carried a tune by the name of 'Let Them Try' ["It's a rock road when you ah exalt Jah name. Heavy load, but wi nah go shame"], his tune on the Middle East. Joining Lorenzo are the mighty Chezidek and the woefully under-recorded Zareb (just wish we heard more from him), with 'It's No Crime' and 'Can't Fight Me', respectively. All three are at least very solid pieces of work, with Chezidek taking top honours in my opinion with a SWEET herbalist anthem.
"Meditation" by The Nazarenes [I Grade Records - 2012]
You can definitely owe this one to "Strength & Resilience", the latest GOLDEN album release from Lutan Fyah, I Grade Records and the Zion I Kings. In doing some backgrounding (yep, that's a verb now too) for that review, I started going back through the relationship of artist and label and got back to this somewhat forgotten GEM of an album, the baker's dozen year old, "Meditation" by Eritrean bros. The Nazarenes. Lutan Fyah would feature on 'It's Too Late' (Akae Beka also makes an appearance), during an album which is just best described these days as SOLID. There wasn't a creaking plank to be found anywhere amongst the fourteen with the biggest winners being the likes of 'Mamy Blues'... I say there wasn't a weak tune on the album and then I start naming songs. Nope! The entire album was, basically, a highlight and I'm of the thinking that YOU may've missed this one. Be that the case, go and do something about that right now because I'm done writing for the day.
Bonded. You know that feeling that you get when you meet someone that you REALLY vibe with. You come into contact with a person and their line of thinking melds so perfectly with yours - there's a certain level of excitement that you get in thinking of the possibilities of what you two can do with one another, going forward. This can apply in just about any (hopefully positive) situation, be it in meeting a potential partner or even someone with whom you are going to be working... and you see where this is going. From the standpoint of strictly a fan looking forward to hearing great music, there're very few things more appealing than being able to observe such a relationship begin and develop. Examples are all over the place. If I were to tell you that, somewhere, there existed long lost recordings of Sizzla Kalonji made by Bobby Digital and you had even the slightest bit of knowledge of what that relationship has produced, you are interested. The argument could be made that together, Digital and Kalonji have come up with two of the greatest albums in the history of the genre (not to mention "Good Ways"). Clearly, they worked well together and got the absolute best out of one another, which just so happened to be some of the best music that anyone has ever heard. Sizzla would also find riches recording with 'homebase', Xterminator consistently (particularly early in his career), and we've also seen other very fruitful artist/producer relationships as well. Most fittingly, a very interesting one to look at would be Akae Beka & I Grade Records. Much like Kalonji, the notoriously [over]active Vaughn Benjamin recorded with a very large group of maestros but the chanter would register, consistently, with maybe three or four, with the work he did alongside IGR being some of the most obvious standouts (Fifth Son Records would also be in that discussion, in my opinion). Furthermore, while some of Akae Beka's albums would be out for a bit while being difficult to find and virtually un-promoted, the sets that came from I Grade Records were readily available and fans knew of their arrival weeks (if not more, on occasion) ahead of release date. We could also get into other links such as those between, of course, Anthony B and the once mighty Star Trail, back in da day, with Mark Wonder & Oneness being an extremely fine more current one as examples of duos who've made sweet music together... sorry, I could not resist.
2005
I'm thinking it may just be time to add another pair of names to this list as, TECHNICALLY, we now have the third display of an extremely high level of proficiency. Literally twenty years ago, a label by the name of Lustre Kings Productions released an album by the name of "Time & Place" by an artist by the name of Lutan Fyah from a place by the name of Spanish Town. The album was fantastic. It was one of the best.... fifty or so that I've ever heard and has been declared a Modern Classic on these pages. Lutan Fyah had also worked with LKP from as far back as 2002 when he appeared on the oft-mentioned around these parts, "Culture Dem" compilation, and he would also be present on both the second and third installments of "Culture Dem" in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Want more?? In 2008, LKP released "Know The Road", a very nice album from Norris Man which contained 'Nah Pollute Your Faith', an excellent combination featuring Lutan Fyah ["All dem bad vibes - leave it alone. ONLY A CLEAN HEART TAKE YOU TO MOUNT ZION ZONE"]; and I could keep going but I have two more of these to do but, just in case you're interested, in 2015, the Fyah would also pop up on 'Cold War' a tune on the LKP released "Order Of Distinction" by Jahdan Blakkamoore (which I should probably do a vault review of sometime this year). Another label, Zion High Productions, was also involved in the production of "Time & Place" (I have the disc, it's sitting right next to me. Their logo is on the back cover) and, since then, Lutan Fyah has also worked on a considerable amount of their output as well. Including, but not limited to, "Jah Golden Throne", a WONDERFUL compilation from ZHP in 2012 and "Therapeutic", two years on, an overlooked but WICKED album from Ziggi Recado (his appearance there, 'Guide Ova', was MAMMOTH). So he's had a very long and distinguished history of recording with the "Zion" and the "Kings", has Lutan Fyah.
2017
He's also got the "I" covered as well. As far as I can tell (which means I'm completely wrong) one of the first times the aforementioned I Grade Records directly crossed paths with Lutan Fyah was on what may just be THE single greatest compilation that I've ever heard, 2009's "Joyful Noise". I don't know if that album, officially, put things together, but "Joyful Noise" was a full-on production of one of the greatest collectives Reggae has ever seen (and that is the type of thing we need to say NOW, while they are around to appreciate it and not withhold such OBVIOUS acclaim until people start passing away. THEY ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST TO EVER DO IT. PERIOD) the Zion I Kings. Subsequently, the chanter would go on to do a number of musical works with IGR, working on albums for The Nazarenes, Pressure Busspipe ["LET ME OFF NOW!"] and Akae Beka along the way. ALSO, it should be noted that I THINK (pretty confident in this one) Lutan Fyah is one of only a couple or so of artists to have appeared on every single installment of the ZIK's Riddim Series, with the most recent edition being the Full Bloom Riddim from just last year. In early 2017, I Grade Records with the Zion I Kings would make things 'official' with Lutan Fyah by releasing a full album, the much anticipated "Music Never Dies". Again, that album was excellent and, unless I'm forgetting something really special, the Zion I Kings, in one way or another, have been responsible for two out of Lutan Fyah's three best albums to date (of course the other one is "Phantom War", but you already knew that). Or is it four out of five??? A few weeks shy of eight years exactly from the release of "Music Never Dies", the Fyah is back on board with the Tippy, Moon and Bain, the fine folks who make up the ZIK, for yet another sterling piece of work, "Strength & Resilience". I had no clue that this album was in the offering. I hadn't heard anything about it but, in my weekly or so scanning to see what was up and coming (the latest of which revealed something very interesting from these exact same people (that looks like it would be fun to write about) as well as new albums from Alpha Blondy and Glen Washington), I did come across it and a video for its first single came up not too long after that. I did think that it was getting time for a big album from the ZIK, however, and from the very first time I laid eyes on "Strength & Resilience", I knew that it would fit the bill. Even if you were to ignore alllll of that history I gave you (which I would hate for you to do, since I spent so much time on it), it's a new Lutan Fyah album for the Zion I Kings.... c'mon now... stop playing.
There is something TRULY RIDICULOUS at the head of Lutan Fyah's brand new album with the ZIon I Kings, "Strength & Resilience". It took me a minute to figure it out (actually took a lot of minutes) but when I finally was able to put it together, I was absolutely shocked. The first tune here is called 'Warning Dem' and it is, for all intent and purposes, PERFECT. There is NOTHING at all wrong with 'Warning Dem'. From the second it really picks with those beautiful and ever so slightly understated horns and remaining throughout, in being nearly word-perfect from the Fyah: 'Warning Dem' is IMMACULATE. It's one of the best done tunes that I've heard in a while and a GEM! The "truly ridiculous" thing about it, however, is that 'Warning Dem' is not the best song on this album and it isn't the second best either! I had crowned it and made a note that it would be the top ranker here, but let's see how this goes (and I would change my mind). I do HAVE to mention a particularly SWEET portion of the opener, from about 2:50 in through about 3:15. They just let those horns take over and it is delightful as Lutan Fyah uses to moment to tell all that things are not as bright as they may seem. You just listen to the riddim on the obligatory mama tune from "Strength & Resilience", 'Listen Mama', and you're well aware that something special is going on and that's even before we get into the words. On that end, it is what is expected, but Lutan Fyah has stretches where he dazzles in showing his supreme appreciation for the most powerful being to walk the earth. Next in is the MAMMOTH 'Leader Before Me' where Lutan Fyah FIRMLY plants his feet on the ground and delivers a praising tune of the highest caliber
"Held by grace and Jah gave I wings - HE saved me
The mission is on: No failure in it
It's a difficult time
This is it! This is it!
Have your own tactics and watch out fi di trick
AND BE WISE TO GET RID OF BADMINE PSYCHOSIS
Right there - stop, take a look inna di mirror
Find out you coulda paint a million picture
Most High say lead - I will follow"
There is a beautifully addictive BOUNCE that comes along with 'Leader Before Me' and I won't sit on this point too much (at least now for now, I MOST CERTAINLY WILL later) but it just so DAMN FUN to listen to. It is a very... full musical experience of a track.
It seems as if Lutan Fyah and the ZIK came to the conclusion that if you're going to add guest artists, that you should reach as high as you possibly can when it came to building "Strength & Resilience". There are only three of them but they are three huge names and all three show up in a major way [DUH!]. The first is the immortal Akae Beka, frequent spar of Lutan Fyah, who joins 'Just The Time'. I'll save you me verbally salivating all over this riddim (again, at least for now), even though it deserves it, and instead I'll focus on what I took away from this gorgeous tune. There's the idea of 'living in the moment' and dealing with what you have to deal with in life and, although it sounds simple as all hell, it's not actually something you hear sang about very often. It's always one side or the other - negative or positive. Here, Lutan Fyah & Vaughn Benjamin come together and, essentially, say that IT IS WHAT IT IS. No one is perfect, we all have problems and we have our good points as well. I am also contractually obligated to observe the moment when Benjamin LEVELS UP 'Just The Time':
"BUT I CAN FEEL IT NOW
MUSIC EFFECTING I CAUSE
AN UPFUL SPIRIT INNA HEART
STRIVING FOR BETTERMENT"
I mean.... what do you do with something like that. 'Just The Time' is spectacular. The second combination on "Strength & Resilience" is a bit 'tricky' (and I mean that in a good way), as the featuring artist wasn't named and I've even seen him billed as a "surprise special guest". When I first heard clips of 'Freedom Sound', I was certain it was Chronixx I was hearing and, for ONCE, I was correct. "LUTAN FYAH & CHRONIXX" -- on paper -- is golden. It's an incredibly attractive pairing and the two do not disappoint with one of the SWEETEST vibes on the whole of this album. There is a very free and open nature to this one (a typical strength of Chronixx') with the core of 'Freedom Sound' being precisely what its title says: That vibe! It is spiritually and mentally uplifting SOUND that resonates all throughout this set. I'm still wondering WHY they chose to have Chronixx go unnamed -- I would think "featuring Chronixx" would look very well attracted to "Strength & Resilience" -- but it's hard to question when the results come out sounding like this [and were you paying attention when Lutan Fyah said, "I took a selfie with Selassie and paste it on my wall"???!]. Finally (besides the other seven songs I have to tell you about, of course) is something by the name 'Days After Summer'. Hmmm. What to say about 'Days After Su- IT FEATURES QUEEN OMEGA! WHAT! As if need more of a reason to grab my attention, "Strength & Resilience" brings together a pair of my personal looooooooooongtime favourites and does so in a MAJESTIC way. The eco-friendly selection carries a theme of respecting Mother Nature and how important it is to treat the environment, because failure to do so can be disastrous (it isn't like we have a backup plan). There's a point here where Queen Omega really pushes her vocals. It's thrilling, it always is, and out of all the pairings that I have wished for over the years, here's one that I probably wasn't expecting anytime soon and I am so happy that the ZIK brought together. Also, and I could be wrong, but I don't think the ZIK has ever FULLY put their weight behind a project for a female artist and, while the brilliant Reemah would probably seem a more likely candidate (and I wouldn't complain about that), I think the Queen would be a PERFECT choice.
As far as I know, the album's beautiful title track is its official first single and you won't get very far into listening to it, AT ALL, before realizing exactly why that is the case. This thing has wings. It SOARS! Way up there with whatever else is up there is 'Strength and Resilience'. Somewhat broad on some level, the song is one not too different from the previously mentioned 'Just The Time', although this one is more about the struggles faced in life (but it isn't necessarily completely bleak ["I TURN MY WOUNDS INTO WISDOM"]) and how to progress in spite of them ["PUSH ON! PUSH ON!"]. There's also a certain serenity about this one. It's very chilled and, though there is emotion to it, the calm nature of 'Strength and Resilience' definitely prevails. While 'Strength and Resilience' isn't bleak, the tune which follows it, 'Pieces of Broken Soul' could certainly be labeled as such. Fortunately "bleak" doesn't mean bad because 'Pieces of Broken Soul' is sublime. It almost comes off as PERFORMANCE more than a song and what I mean is that, you get Lutan Fyah coming in and saying what he has to say ["There's a lot of hungry mouths to feed. Sleeping on the cold concrete"] and then backing off at one point and allowing the riddim to take the spotlight with him in the background a bit just helping things along the way. I REALLY enjoyed this and i have enjoyed similar stretches on other ZIK produced works. For me, things like that show that both artist and producer had a full confidence in the music they were working with to allow it to be given 100% to the listener and 'Pieces of Broken Soul' is better because of it. Then things go crazy on "Strength & Resilience". The real class of the album comes within a pair of back-to-back tracks in 'African Children' and 'Drain The Swamp'.
"Babylon ah search fi di trouble, worldwide massacre
Move fast - dem ah hustle and wi don't answer
If you cross dem, you end up inna hold dung so
Sometime mi caan bodda kiss mi teeth and say cha
Wah you mean when you seh you coulda cure cancer-
And liberate di poverty weh inna Africa
Just a talk, never mean it
DEM A WARMONGER
Still ah move like a backra master"
The former features Lutan Fyah absolutely blazing right out of the gate as he speaks on the childen of Africa dealing with oppression all around the world and how our persistence is mandatory for reversing things; and he continues burning everything in sight.
"If a brick-by-brick, wi ah build it back strong
No matta what it takes, now wi ah get a chance
Mek wi turn a page, meanwhile wi advance
No time to wait, no time to gallivant
Hey, let's clean up di palce and build railroads and bridges
School to educate and good, clean house to live in
SELASSIE AH DI BRACE WI AH PLACE FI THANKS GIVING
Di rules and di discipline rigid
Whoi, it's been a mess
Now Africa has reached crossraods
This time, wi have to refresh
THE MOTHERLAND NEEDS US NOW!"
Were you listening through this album and waiting for that kind of forceful, fiery moment, you got in the form of 'African Children' and if that need wasn't quite sated, check the absolutely FILTHY 'Drain The Swamp'.
"Too much biting ants, cockroach and mosquitoes
Full time to drain di swamp
See dem narcissist devil, they pack up inna di alligator pool
Drain the swamp!"
'Let's uproot corruption
No freaks tainting my soul
Let's set things straight, because wi need options, tell dem brave and bold
Mi nah feel safe inna babylon system
Mi nah join dem mind-control
WHEN DEM COME VIOLATE MY RIGHTS, OVERBOARD MI HAFFI THROW DEM
Kick di cover, full-time mi haffi expose dem
Nah stop, til di underbelly come down
Can take another day
Bun di fyah and dun
Cah dem love talk hard an dem ah tell wi untruth
Babylon yah foot too big for yah shoes
And you can keep yah brainwash in yuh schools
Cah mi no waan fi si none ah fi yuh daily news
Di people tired and they need something new"
Lutan Fyah gets grimy on this one! Getting into all of the nasty, dirty secrets of brutal society (even suggesting that people start checking ourselves as well) (your closet is most certainly NOT clean and neither is mine!) and bringing them to light. I'm not even going to mention how 'Drain The Swamp' ends, although I'm sure you can guess at this point, making for another magical point and, at least in my opinion, the single finest effort on the whole of "Strength & Resilience" (so long as my bias can prevent me from giving that distinction to 'Days After Summer'). While 'Drain The Swamp' finds the chanter exposing the hidden facts of certain members of society, on 'Secrets', he's doing a bit of work on himself. What I took from 'Secrets' (besides it just being a lovely song) is the significance of INDIVIDUALITY, uniqueness and privacy. Lutan Fyah welcomes everything in regards to himself, even his flaws but it's those things which make us different from one another and that, intrinsically, is powerful. It's one of the most powerful things we have because, in the absence of it, we'd all be the exact same, robotting our way through life. I think 'Secrets' may end up being a bit of a 'sleeper' on "Strength & Resilience", it well seems like the type to go a bit overlooked, but if you do give it a bit of extra attention, the reward will be well worth it, I assure you. 'Protect Your Energy' offered a delightful change of pace, stepping things a notch or two, with an infectious track behind it. The piece is a purifier! It's about keeping negativity far away from yourself and, functionally speaking, I think 'Protect Your Energy' is one of the furthest 'travelers' on the whole of the album ["Si no dark energies, mi nah let dem in. ALL NEGATIVITY BANISHED FROM WITHIN"] because I think it's so related. You probably know people who either spend entirely too much damn time complaining or they're just always in a bad mood and never happy for themselves or anyone else. I think THAT is specifically how this piece will hit most people who take it in. We can apply larger, societal/global themes to it but just for yourself, do your best to stay away from that type of a vibe. A VERY powerful tune here. Lastly, another winner in 'Tomorrow From Today' sends us on our way via yet another golden sound which is utilized in a major way as Lutan Fyah gets downright poetic at times during what is, surely, one of the strongest lyrical displays on the album.
"When life seems desolate
Sometimes confused and perplexed
Jah visit men inna dem own craftiness and like di Tower of Babel - men wreck
Searching fi answers and wi never get refreshed
PRESS DI RESTART BUTTON BUT WI STILL DISCONNECT
Caught up inna bottomless mess!
Not amount of saving can replace di things you just can't forget"
I considered 'Tomorrow From Today' as somewhat of an extension of 'Protect Your Energy' in its diretcion. Where that one focused more on preventing negativity, 'Tomorrow From Today' deals with more of what to do when you inevitably do encounter it - both from others and internally as well. The depths that he goes to in order to make the point are amazing and he does it, of course, tactfully as always. 'Tomorrow From Today' is yet another big highlight here and a fantastic way to end "Strength & Resilience".
OKAY! Because I alluded to it several hundreds of times and fought off the urge to do another few dozen or so (I literally just did it on both of the last two songs I talked about, ESPECIALLY on 'Protect Your Energy') (you go and listen to the last eighty seconds of that song!) the level of music/instrumentation... whatever you want to call it - PRODUCTION? ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF is EXTREMELY well done throughout "Strength & Resilience". And maybe that's redundant given that it is a Zion I Kings release and their work is always top notch but I was particularly impressed here, even by their ridiculously high standards . What goes with that, EASILY, is a full recommendation of this album to anyone with ears. If you LOVE the music or if you don't even know what a Roots Reggae is, I'm confident that you will find loads to enjoy on "Strength & Resilience".
Overall, I found a lot of it to enjoy, myself but I knew that would be the case when I learned of its existence a few weeks ago. "Strength & Resilience" is masterful. As I said, it instantly goes near the head of all of the albums that Lutan Fyah has had to date (and it has been billed as number seventeen) and the same goes for the catalogue of the ZIK, in my opinion, which is saying LOADS in both instances. I did also make a quiet connection between the new album and "Music Never Dies" and while the vibes are similar (of course they are), they don't feel like one giant project, they stand apart from one another; an idea which, I would think, the artist revels in. "Music Never Dies" ["Perfect storm. Selassie bring a perfect storm"], like "Time & Place" before it ["There's a fire in the barn!"] has set up these wonderful signature moments in my head that I always find myself going back to whenever they come up and I have no doubt at all -- "I CAN FEEL IT NOW" -- that "Strength & Resilience" is well on its way to doing the same. I've been listening to Lutan Fyah now for the better part of a quarter-century and have known him to vibe well with a number of producers but at this point it is crystal clear that the SOUND he creates with the Zion I Kings is, consistently, is to be rated amongst his very best work as the two mine musical gold, once again, for the first truly great Reggae album of 2025. OUTSTANDING!
Since he made his transition, I've been thinking about two related things in regard to the late Determine. The first is the fact that virtually every single article/tribute/mention that I've seen on the occasion has, in one way or another, noted that the chanter was "underrated" and/or "underappreciated". Typically, I find myself trying to drift away from such ideology because I think we as Reggae fans and people who write about the music cling to such things in the 'global' sense. The entire genre is underrated and underappreciated. We get it. In Determine's case, however, I think it is a fair and accurate distinction. There was a level of fame and stardom and recognition reserved for his peers such as Buju Banton, Sizzla Kalonji, Capleton, Luciano and Anthony B that he never reached and, you could even make the case that if you were to go to the likes of Jah Mason, Norris Man, Turbulence, Lutan Fyah, Chezidek and others, that Determine spent long stretches of his career releasing music that didn't even go to their levels in terms of notoriety due in no part to his own (more on that in a second). The other thing that I've been thinking about Determine that goes hand-in-hand with him being underappreciated is just how sad that is. I've been stuck on the notion lately of just how IMPORTANT it is to show people how much they mean to you in the moment and what they do for you. Sizzla knows it. He enjoys it, I'm sure. He'll live out the rest of his days with the knowledge that, long after he's gone, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE will be singing songs that he scribbled in his notebook decades/centuries before. Buju knows the same as does Capleton. I don't know if Determine knew that and I don't know if he got the opportunity to enjoy it while he was with us and, if he did not, that is such a shame!
Determine was clearly inspired by early 1990's Dancehall and he would, largely, bring that style into his brand of Roots music (sometimes, he would just make actual early 90's vibed Dancehall, as well). Furthermore, along with that characteristic delivery, Determine's glaring talent was his lyrical ability. The man could ride absolutely any riddim and do it with SENSE. He didn't chat rubbish on anything, there was a point or a message. HE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY and the way he went about saying it would place him in the absolute highest lyrical class of his era. He was every bit as naturally gifted with words as ANYONE who I've mentioned thus far. In honour of Determine, today we go back into our Signatures series and take a look at someone whose contributions we all should have done better at recognizing over the years. Signatures: Determine.
1. 'Kette Drum' featuring Beenie Man
Hear it sound. We start, like we always do, with what is likely the most well known of all of Determine's music, the now three decades old 'Kette Drum'. On the surface, it's relatively simple to see what might have attracted fans to the tune.... it just so happened to feature Beenie Man and did so in an atypical style given the nature of the song. That would be a big deal now, it was a big deal in 1995. The two had a beautiful level of musical chemistry, unsurprisingly, given the level of talent on both sides and the Bobby Digital produced 'Kette Drum' has become a bona fide, undeniable classic in the catalogues of both - all these years later.
2. 'Freedom Chant'
Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey! One of the crowning jewels on the 1999 album named for it, the impeccable 'Freedom Chant' EASILY sits here and you could well make the case that it is THE single finest piece of work the St. Mary native ever made. A social commentary at its core, the George Miller steered track touched every base from the tangible, to the spiritual, to the mental and everywhere in between and did so across a very oddly paced riddim, which Determine was very quick, as you would expect him to be, to make his own.
"Man ah fight for repatriation cause mi know seh dat mi Black
Everyting weh dem did take inna di first, mi want it back
All those days and all the lashing and the beating up on mi back
Nah go caught inna fi dem boobytrap"
3. 'Shaka Zulu'
Iron. Lion. "Signatures" is the name of this list/series but, in this case, it is a literal Signature in the catalogue of Determine as he also establish his own label as Zulu Productions. The actual song 'Shaka Zulu' would be carried by his debut set, "Rock The World", which would release in 1996 for VP Records (seemingly having attracted their attention with 'Kette Drum' from the year prior). 'Shaka Zulu' was equal parts education and entertainment as, on one end, Determine mentions the greats such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey, while just breaking out and celebrating Reggae music, in a very basic way, on the other. Existing somewhere in the middle was an incredibly infectious vibe; one which, CLEARLY, I have yet to shake.
4. 'Science'
Friendship. A good friend of mine who I've literally known since I was like.... six or so will tell you that 'Science' is simply one of the best Dancehall tunes ever created by anyone, EVER. Biggup Youstice. Determine utilizes a cut of the Mud Up to go over some of the controversies (and, at times, not even) surrounding some of his most famous musical peers at the time. Beenie Man, Ele, Anthony B, Sizzla, Merciless, Kippo, Vegas all get a mention in what is one of the most searingly creative (and, at times, HILARIOUS) rides that you will take in the Dancehall.
5. 'Perilous Time'
Godly inclined. Because it worked so fine the first time, Determine made another go on the Kette Drum Riddim the following year, this time with the helping hands of Richard 'Bello' Bell and Star Trail (the same cut that Anthony B would put to the sword with 'Fire Pon Rome') for 'Perilous Time'; and, again, with giant, lasting results. Determine wanted to make it known that a major change of the times was forthcoming and the way he put the message out was most impressive across that beautifully POUNDING riddim.
"Deaf man start to hear
Sight give back to blind
All evil people get Godly inclined"
{Note: There was a remix to this song with Lukie D and Determine had another tune on the riddim, 'Beat The Kette Drum' w/Frankie Paul]
6. 'Nuh Member Love'
Let's come together and live. This wonderful unity anthem has gone onto become, arguably, one of Determine's most recognizable pieces and with good and obvious reason. Another highlight from the "Freedom Chant" set, 'Nuh Member Love' was as powerful of a song of its type that you will have encountered. What stood out was the kind of local way Determine presented it. 'Nuh Member Love' was very much a song for Jamaica but it applied to everywhere where you'd find people with ears who may've lost their way. In the absence of love, you run into all types of ridiculous problems; but when you recall love and you SHOW it, maybe some of those issues go look for somewhere else to hang out.
7. 'Bun Dem Up' featuring Capleton
A must. Grrrr! While it was carried by a couple of different albums that I recall, this woefully underheard tune across the woefully undervalued and gorgeously chaotic Block Buster Riddim (tune named 'Hold Fi Get It' by Agent Sasco, was GENIUS on the Block Buster) never got the attention its quality levels would seem to warrant. 'Bun Dem Up' was good, early 2000's overblazing goodness! In arose in the era where literally EVERYTHING was subject to be scorched and the keeper of the biggest flames of them all, Capleton, ignited all over this one alongside Determine tossing fire at corruption wherever it may be.
8. 'Time Like This'
Never give it up. You may be more familiar with the Barry O'Hare licked MX-6 Riddim that underpins 'Time Like This' for Sizzla's MASSIVE 'Clean Up Your Heart' but if 'Time Like This' is completely new to your ears and eyes then it's well time you two became acquainted. Probably one of the most poignant (and just, generally well done) social commentaries of its time, Determine put nary a TOE wrong on this song, lyrically on top of a masterful delivery.
"This a one ya coulda reach all bout, to di hangman rope around di throat
Still ah fight fi human rights and justice, that's what it's all about
POISON DEM A SUPPORT - DI BINGHIMAN COME AS DEM ANTIDOTE"
And something else that HAS to be mentioned in regards to 'Time Like This' is its chorus. It may be the finest Determine ever did on any tune and you will find it INSTANTLY glued to your brain from the very first time you hear it.
9. 'Fake Badman'
Madman. Once upon a time, about twenty ridiculously short years ago, a man by the name of Steven 'Lenky' Marsden laid a significant claim to the kingdom of Dancehall when, as he still basked in the glow of the pillaring and plundering monster that was the Diwali Riddim, he was still dropping big riddims. His music was in the clouds somewhere as nearly every tune would feature some type of distinguishing mix from the one before it and it was, at least in my opinion, one of the most FUN eras in the entire history of Dancehall. One such a track was the Time Travel and though names like Bounty Killer, Ele and, most notably, Vybz Kartel (whose 'Send On' remains the riddim's most well known selection), would steer most of the attention, there was also 'Fake Badman' from Determine which, in terms of PURE QUALITY, rivaled the almost anything else the Time Travel had to offer ('Send On' was SPECIAL) as Determine told all to be careful with whom you spend your time as not everyone is everything they appear to be and did so with a damaging delivery.
10. 'Look Weh Tings Come To'
So much mess. When I started putting this list together, I had in mine this relatively obscure and downright SCATHING GEM from over a decade ago on Train Line's Swag Valley Riddim, 'Look Weh Tings Come To'. The song was a social commentary that.... bordered on being vicious at times as Determine, basically, just emptied his brain on a number of topics, particularly when it came to the music and its business side.
"Look weh tings come to
Unuh look weh tings reach
You caan be di top man if unuh bombaclaat bleach"
Not entirely dissimilar from another tune you'll find here, the difference between 'Look Weh Tings Come To' and that song is the vibe behind it. While the other can come across as some comical at times, 'Look Weh Tings Come To' is no laughing matter at all.
11. 'Israelites' featuring Terry Ganzie
Glorious things. In 2003, Brickwall Records released a combination album by the name of "Unity". "Unity" featured twelve songs in full, the first six were from Determine while the latter half featured music by Norris Man. These days, you're probably pretty unlikely to run into it but I do own a copy (looking at it now, still has that smooth new feel to its case) and have enjoyed some of the more difficult tunes that it contains over the years. At its head, without a doubt, was 'Israelites', this damn thrilling combination alongside talented grizzled veteran, Terry Ganzie across a classic Meditations BOUNCE of a riddim redone for Spragga Roots. 'Israelites' was almost an overkill in some respects, particularly during its first verse which featured a powerful back-and-forth type of delivery between Determine & Ganzie. As it settled (it did not settle) the knowledge crammed wordplay remained at a premium. You don't hear much about this song, you never have, but it's always been a favourite of mine and it is infinitely better than history, so far, has treated it. Let's do something about that.
12. 'Live Wire'
Full charged. Another one from the catalogue of Determine that fans are most likely familiar with, 'Live Wire' did some serious damage once upon a time and has aged quite well. The song was pure revolution message music and it was HEAVY! Everyone has a 'breaking point' where you cannot push them past before they react and, here, the chanter was suggesting that he (and many others) were just about there and it was time for some things to change in the world. It wasn't a WILD piece at all but what you heard on 'Live Wire' was a kind of an agitated warning, suggested that far worse was to come. Before that, however, Determine preached things like education, awareness and DETERMINATION in order to see change occur on more immediate terms.
13. 'Mi Lord' featuring Sizzla Kalonji
Chant Jah Rastafari. Unsurprisingly, my favourite Determine song ever is this absolutely BRILLIANT combination brought together by Bobby Digital, 'Mi Lord' with Sizzla. If you still doubt Determine's lyrical capabilities (you are not bright), definitely give several spins through this masterclass of a social commentary. The song actually appeared on Sizzla's all-conquering "Black Woman & Child" and if you are at all familiar with the quality on that album (and you are), you know full well just how height that thing goes. Very few songs there went above 'Mi Lord'. Sizzla's my favourite artist, it is the best album he's ever done in my opinion and 'Mi Lord' was not only the finest we've ever heard from Determine, but it was also WAYYYYYYYY up there for Kalonji as the two came together not necessarily to burn everything, everywhere, but to INFORM and to keep everyone, everywhere on top of what was really going on and what we could do about it.
14. 'Mi Go Through That'
Without food to eat. For everyone who has ever found themselves going through trying times in life (so pretty much everyone), you found an empathetic voice in Determine on the HEAVY 'Mi Go Through That', from Builders. The track was Determine talking about many of the things he'd experienced during his life that had helped to make him into who had become ["System rise up and mi slew dat!"] as a man, as the title suggests and it was a powerfully detailed and THOROUGH effort. Something very subtle that I think really stands out for 'Mi Go Through That' is the nearly ever-running CONVERSATION that existed behind the music. Determine (or someone else) was also going through their own experiences and though it never threatens to overtake anything, when you do notice it, it is such an impactful touch and something which definitely helped to make this one truly unique.
Something I just wanted to mention quickly, the list is over. In reading through some of the news in regards to Determine's death, it named his "long-time partner", one Paula Francis. In the liner notes for the "Freedom Chant" album, he thanks her. That album released in late 1999! He may've spent the last 30ISH years of his life with that woman. Rest easy, Determine. Thank you for all of the wonderful music and all positivity to Paula Francis and all of his loved ones.
