Sometimes I’ll get an album which will downright confuse me by either the actual sound of it or even the situation surrounding its creation. I might feel that an artist isn’t particularly capable of carrying an album at that time or maybe even the album’s producer isn’t capable or something totally different like linking genres or such but something about it will render me nodded to one side, scratching my head feverishly. Generally it tends to be the case with the more active artists as seeing Sizzla or Anthony B and the likes, either voice for someone CLEARLY not talented enough to support them or someone else who has maybe exhausted their cache of riddims (on the other artists, no less), thus leaving the listener with an album almost destined to be completely boring. But sometimes it happens in more significant and singular moments where you just get an album come through which . . . doesn’t seem quite right. Such a case would have been back in 2001 or so when a then MIA Tanya Stephens showed up out of nowhere to release the almost infamously unforgettable Sintoxicated through a European major label (and not like Germany or France or even Holland, it was Sweden). The premise of the album seemed just as odd as the actual music itself as it sounded like something you might expect to hear from a Fiona Apple or Macy Grey and the likes and DEFINITELY not a (especially at the time) hardcore Dancehall artist like Stephens, making it one of the biggest WHAT THE HELL moments in recent Reggae memory. Definitely not as such of ‘one-off’ as Sintoxicated, given his previously mentioned activity level, but if you’re honest you’ll confess to be vexed at least a little when you saw that OF ALL PEOPLE, famed Hip-Hopper Dame Dash had chosen to link up Sizzla Kalonji for his own label (as if Luciano, Mikey General and Chezidek were unavailable at the time) and eventually release the rather strange Overstanding album, which just made virtually no sense at all. Similar would have almost certainly been the legendary Super Cat’s never released album with the Neptunes which was apparently in the plans a few years back but never (at least not yet and probably not ever) materialized: Thankfully. You could also mention (VERY comparable in this case) Harry Toddler, who released the first album of his long career earlier this year, Info, which found the longtime Dancehall figure linking with the typically Roots Reggae oriented Down Sound imprint. Then you have far more ‘familiar’ various pairings which just didn’t turn out very ‘accurately’ in terms of actual sound such as most recently (and disappointingly) Lutan Fyah and Rastar on African Be Proud, the countless artists who made attempts to crossover into the mainstream with major releases and whatever that was Chezidek did for Xterminator back in 2005 under the ‘guise’ of Rising Sun. They’re all very strange surprises for one reason or another but; luckily “strange surprises” aren’t always bad necessarily.
I think I even remarked at the time how odd it was that Info wasn’t a COMPLETE musical failure given the fact that not only was the musical combination quite strange but (and more importantly) Harry Toddler would rank very low (I.e. NOT AT ALL) on a list of my favourite Dancehall artists (named Harry) (with blond hair) (from Scare Dem). The album itself was a little better than average in retrospect (even still), which was quite surprising. Now, if that wasn’t strange enough, apparently the fine people at Itation Records from out of the state of California and veteran Dancehall DJ/producer/engineer/writer/personality Delly Ranx are attempting to outdo Toddler and Down Sound. Unlike the ‘Blond Ras’, however, Delly, who has been around for pretty much FOREVER doesn’t make his debut here: That came a couple of years back with Break Free which found him going Japanese, like so many of his peers, with JVC. The Break Free album was okay in full ultimately but unspectacular. As in the case of Toddler, I’ve NEVER been the biggest fan of Delly Ranx. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a detractor (read - HATER) of his but I’ve always kind of considered him to be kind of unexceptional and just average as an artist and actually, throughout the years, a far better producer. I do, however, retain an open mind and when I saw that one of my favourite international labels, Itation Records, had obviously been so impressed by his talents that they were going to be releasing an album from Ranx as well, his sophomore effort Good Profile, I figured it was a ‘risk’ worth taking. Itation, to my knowledge, is still a fairly young label as far as releases and they haven’t released an album for an artist up until this point, with three ROOTS riddim albums to their credit, which makes it all the more perplexing that they would have chosen DELLY RANX to make the jump with! Not some of the other (seemingly more fitting) under-recorded artists that they’ve recorded in the past such as Natty King or Army or even Batch (who made their first riddim, the WICKED Higher Meditation, more on that in a minute) nor any of the up and comers such as Kali Blaxx or the WICKED Ras Indio. No. They chose Delly Ranx. And you know what? They did right. Good Profile is not amazing, it’s not the best album I’ve ever heard and it most likely won’t make any best of 2008 lists but it is a SOLID and VERY INTERESTING Dancehall album which seems to be a soon to be extinct species these days. The album also isn’t what it may appear to be on the surface but has a kind of a ‘compilation’ style to it as not only is Itation producing but Delly Ranx himself and others also which means that you don’t have to worry about getting a Dancehall artist going on eighteen Roots track here. What you will get, however, is a very interesting trip through the mind of Delly Ranx which, actually, has been one of the more creative and definitely colourful in the Dancehall and Reggae, in general, within the last few years or so.
Apparently Good Profile has been in the works for quite awhile. I would point to the fact that, by my count, Delly Ranx is one of only three or four artists who have appeared on all three of Itation’s previous riddim releases; the Higher Meditation, Show Love and World Go Round, respectively. So maybe the powers that be had their eyes on Ranx for quite awhile. What you’ll have your eyes and ears on firstly should you pick up Delly Ranx’ new album, Good Profile, is what is reportedly the album’s first single and definitely one of its best efforts, Wish Good. Unsurprisingly, Itation has chosen one of its own productions to get the ball rolling here as Wish Good was Delly’s cut of their most recent riddim, the World Go Round. This tune is quite strong and nice and straight forward and it kind of speaks to Delly’s ability at this point to be more than just in the Dancehall (a quality which would have definitely made him more favourable to Itation) with his experience level but he still very much delivers in that cadence on the very nice opener as he, without a care, wishes his enemies well despite them CERTAINLY not returning the motion. Well done. Seemingly not wanting to ‘waste’ all three big Itation tunes at the beginning of the album, up next is the nearly EXCELLENT Past The Worst which is even stronger than Wish Good (although kind of similar actually). I do remember this tune from around late last year I think and it was nice back then as much as I listened to it (which wasn’t much) and it sounds very nice on Good Profile as I start to think that maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Sending on the opening of the album is Delly’s own production, Murder across the Gold Mine riddim which he did for Buju’s Gargamel label. The riddim is BIG! It’s an old school tinged ADDICTIVE piece of nastiness which Delly uses on Murder to deliver a nice anti-violence tune which is straight deejaying SKILL and HOPEFULLY you’ll be able to sift through the Gold Mine to get to the message here as Delly goes in about Dancehall deaths, apparently right after famed dancer Ice was slain late last year. The tune wonderfully completes a surprisingly STRONG opening.
Of course, you’ll quickly find both other big Itation riddims represented on Good Profile in the form of Don’t Burn The Fields and Hold Me Close. Neither of these two are my favourites (nor were they on their respective riddim albums) but Don’t Burn The Fields (on the Higher Meditation) is the stronger of the two, where Hold Me Close (Show Love) features veteran singer Fiona who actually outshines an over animated Delly (over that BIG riddim). And you’ll also be drawn to, I’m sure, Delly’s take on the CLASSIC Ice Cream Love alongside Johnny Osbourne which is DECENT and probably if it isn’t as familiar to you, you’ll be able to appreciate it that much more (I’ve literally the original 7.2 billion times at this point) but Delly’s flow on the tune is pretty nice still. And, if you were waiting for something to go COMPLETELY wrong here (and I was) it happens on track #5, Working Class which finds Delly channeling Buccaneer (who’s still on the planet as far as I know) crossing opera with Dancehall, Main Street style, circa 1997 (I can’t stand it but my wife loves the song, take it for what you will). The Good? Normally I’d allow the more mature (and jaded) listener in me to prevail and choose Past The Worst as Good Profile’s best tune but Caah Get Me Out is FUCKING RIDICULOUS! Playing over Fleximus Prime’s (Dutchie!) insane Royal Crown riddim, the tune comes through on EPIC levels (Jah Mason also had a big tune on the riddim) as it not only hits hard as hell but it also manages to maintain a clear and nice message as well which makes it the ’goodest’ of this Good Profile to my ears. The Delly Ranx you’ll hear on Lady Of My Dreams is the one who should’ve been on Hold Me Close, as this one is far more in command and aware of the vibes of what proves to be one sweet tune. Another highlight of Good Profile steps in next with the BIG Rasta Nah Bow, another Itation creation which gives Wish Good a run for his absolute finest to my ears because Rasta Nah Bow is absolutely SPARKLING! Chico has to be at least thirty nowadays but he still sounds about twelve and he serves as a nice sparring partner for Delly on the very nice I’m Going Crazy, another pretty good up-tempo lovers piece ran by Delly’s own Pure Music. The swinging one drop of Do Good is frustratingly familiar but the tune itself is very well done (albeit a bit clichéd) and one of the better pieces you’ll find here. And then there’s the very different Don’t Choose For Me. I don’t know if anyone has EVER addressed the concept of kind of overbearing parents and that’s exactly what Delly does with this brilliant tune (and it features the line of the album: please don’t choose for me, this is not NBA draft) about a person having to cross their own roads and their own mistakes and choices for themselves. As Delly Ranx’ Good Profile winds down it still leaves a couple of nice surprises (as if it need anymore). The first of those is the BIG and somewhat hilarious Things Friend (“PEOPLE please beware of badmind”) which speaks about those ‘friends’ who come around when you have something but follow that “something” and leave when you no longer have it. World Need Love is kind of sappy and it’s kind of odd that it would sound like that because if you take a listen to other songs on Good Profile of a similar vibes (like the first two), it’s crystal clear that Delly can do this much better. And at the end of the day, seventeen tracks deep, I was well ready to turn Good Profile off and walk away and when I heard the kind of techno jumbled beginning of Sensi Ride from Chimney I was secure with writing some lame ass ending for this review (like, “and the tune caps off a nice album” or something like that) without offering any real detail but as I sat there stretching and doing whatever else, it started to grow on me like immediately, so if you hear the beginning of that tune and decide to leave it out (and you will) don’t be so quick to walk away. Do be so quick, however, to grab up Delly Ranx’ Good Profile.
Overall, the strangeness continues: If you listen through Good Profile then maybe you, like me, will notice how EVERY SINGLE SONG is interesting to some level, even if you don’t like it. Go and listen to Working Class and tell me that’s not an interesting tune. Virgin Wine, as AVERAGE as it most assuredly is, I still listened to it several times (and keep an eye out for J.R. who has been appearing alongside Delly on a few tunes as of late) and the same for Pleasure Pain. Delly Ranx’ real talent may be just that, much in the same fashion as someone like Natural Black, where ANYTHING he touches is worth listening to, it may not be the greatest (and in some cases it ma be), but it’s worth listening to. While I’m recommending Good Profile to Dancehall fans, if you’re the type of fan who loves someone like T.O.K or Voicemail then maybe not you but the Dancehall fan who can appreciate the Sizzlas, Capletons and ESPECIALLY the Chuck Fendas of the world, then Good Profile will be a VAST piece of vibes for you and big respect goes Itation for proving me wrong. I wonder who they’ll work with next, maybe Bounty Killer, maybe Tanya St. Val, maybe Iwer George maybe Bunj. . .
Rated 3.75/5
Itation Records/Zojak Worldwide
2009
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