Just like any music fan, I’m sure, if I could build an even remotely ‘tangible’ bridge tying together my various favourite genres and subgenres of music, I would be one happy individual. Don’t you, right now, have in your mind some pair of artists who may be related musically or may be absolutely nothing like one another who you would so absolutely LOVE to see do a combination together and the very fact that they aren’t is kind of bothering you? I know I do (biggup Baby Cham & Assassin and about a dozen or so others) and the more and more I listen and find new and newer artists, that list most assuredly continues to grow. Also growing, thankfully, are the amount of times, seemingly without ‘warning’, these type of combinations and I think that the nature of Caribbean music, as an aggregate, lends itself to these type of situations, unlike other forms of music which may actually entail bringing almost completely different ‘worlds’ together and having a set of conditions and circumstances where such a thing may occur (almost by ‘luck’ in that respect). When your music is simply one brand of vibes playing in a very specific region and a next artist’s music is playing and doing damage, one would think that the unity is only a natural thing and thankfully, as I said, things are beginning to look like such. Last year, there was a very strong release by the name of Coming Of The King from a wonderful new artist by the name of King Cephas. Besides the fact that the album was OUTSTANDING, it also marked a very small but nice occurrence as Cephas, a Jamaican artist, linked with the venerable Tuff Lion, a producer/musician/artist from out of St. Croix and the piece definitely managed to bring together Jamaican Reggae (which we typically just call ‘Reggae’) with that well identified Virgin Island Reggae sound and the results, as I said, were very good. Similarly (and VERY fitting in this case), also last year was a decent release from a label by the name of Rasta Pasta Rekords (I didn’t make that up), the A Bitta World Riddim which brought together some of Trinidad’s finest artists like Khari Kill and Jah Bami, with Jamaican standouts Lutan Fyah and Chezidek. And while the results on that one were a bit uneven, in my opinion, there were definitely some big tunes (the biggest being Lutan Fyah’s ‘Lonesome Fyah’) and I believe the riddim did quite a bit of damage in running its course. And, of course, I don’t need to bring up the countless go-betweens within Soca and Reggae, which is one of a very few ‘cross-genre’ type of situations where bonafide superstars collaborate with each other on a REGULAR basis.
Another fine example of this occurred just earlier this year also, when Tiwony, a STAR Reggae/Dancehall artist from out of Guadeloupe, linked with Ras Zacharri, from out of Jamaica, on the BIG tune, ‘Pagan Eyes’. The combination (which you can find on Tiwony’s most recent album Viv La Vi), was simply one of the most recent examples in an increasingly long line of projects featuring Jamaican artists comprehensively alongside their French Caribbean and French counterparts. Last year was the VERY big tune Hustla from young Gwada superstar Krys, which featured BOTH Dancehall stars Vybz Kartel and Aidonia as well and that was (as you might imagine) a VERY big deal. Well, wonderfully, we’ve now located something to well keep the vibes going as the label Blasta Records now puts itself within the same framework with their HUGE Reggae Resistance: Supreme Riddim project. I didn’t rightly know how all of this came about and up until a little while ago (when I learned that this piece was forthcoming) I thought that I had never heard of Blasta Records and I also don’t know (however I do suspect as much) whether or not ‘Reggae Resistance’ is a running series from the Martinique based label. I was wrong on one case, however. As is often the case with some of the smaller Caribbean labels (although apparently Blasta is quite the big deal) I had heard of them as the label was the author of one of my favourite French releases from the last year or so, Stone J’s Sensations La Vi and in doing my research for this review, I also discovered that I had heard a few of their other works as well, without actually making the connection. Regardless of their past and my past interaction with Blasta Records, BIG RESPECT is in order for now bringing the Supreme Riddim, which has quietly become one of my more anticipated releases of the second half of 2009 and it certainly didn’t disappoin
t. Sticking on the topic of blending the two subgenres, Blasta has amassed a RIDICULOUS group of artists to voice the riddim! Artists who would otherwise not be given the opportunity to voice the same riddims and thus, almost be closed (especially in terms of the French artists) off to a fan base who has already proven to like the style of music they make, which is incredibly unfortunate. And even if you are an English speaking fan who doesn’t want to go through having to learn another language (or two), you’ll still be able to appreciate the passion some of these artists push into their music, as well as their CRAFT and SKILL on a whole. Back to the artists, although the aforementioned Tiwony is nowhere to be found (and neither is the seemingly ever-elusive Lady Sweety), Blasta has captured a GREAT DEAL of my favourite names in French Caribbean Reggae still. The artists here (even some of the ones with whom I’m not so familiar with) have shown themselves to be of a certain skill level and I swear my eyes must’ve lit up when I first saw who had voiced the Supreme. AND the Jamaican artists? Two of them are literally of the jaw dropping variety that they are here (especially on in particular) and the other three, although somewhat ‘expectable’ (in terms of their prolificacy), they’re all much respected names and one of them is DEFINITELY one of my favourites, and they all do BIG work also. The results rather easily go to compile one of the best riddim albums of 2009, without question.
t. Sticking on the topic of blending the two subgenres, Blasta has amassed a RIDICULOUS group of artists to voice the riddim! Artists who would otherwise not be given the opportunity to voice the same riddims and thus, almost be closed (especially in terms of the French artists) off to a fan base who has already proven to like the style of music they make, which is incredibly unfortunate. And even if you are an English speaking fan who doesn’t want to go through having to learn another language (or two), you’ll still be able to appreciate the passion some of these artists push into their music, as well as their CRAFT and SKILL on a whole. Back to the artists, although the aforementioned Tiwony is nowhere to be found (and neither is the seemingly ever-elusive Lady Sweety), Blasta has captured a GREAT DEAL of my favourite names in French Caribbean Reggae still. The artists here (even some of the ones with whom I’m not so familiar with) have shown themselves to be of a certain skill level and I swear my eyes must’ve lit up when I first saw who had voiced the Supreme. AND the Jamaican artists? Two of them are literally of the jaw dropping variety that they are here (especially on in particular) and the other three, although somewhat ‘expectable’ (in terms of their prolificacy), they’re all much respected names and one of them is DEFINITELY one of my favourites, and they all do BIG work also. The results rather easily go to compile one of the best riddim albums of 2009, without question. As for the Supreme Riddim itself: While it changes (mostly in terms of its intensity) the riddim is a predominately JOVIAL type of vibes to my ears. It is also LOVELY, which definitely helps in almost any direction in which it may go, and serves as a more than solid backdrop to this very skilled vocalist. Perhaps not the most skilled (but perhaps so), but DEFINITELY the most accomplished of the artists voicing Blasta Records’ Reggae Resistance: Supreme Riddim is up first as none other than the INCOMPARABLE Max Romeo (of all people), brings forth the opener and one of the most impressive tunes on the album altogether, ‘Players In My Life’. There’s a strong horn section on this tune which isn’t exactly present on every tune on the album, but it’s absolutely BREATHTAKING (yes, I just said that). Still, the strongest portion of the tune is, of course, Romeo himself. I was kind of confused by the tune’s title, but it isn’t musically related and instead deals with people who aren’t of a serious character and Romeo’s desire to keep such a person out of his life (essentially saying ‘I have enough of my own damn problems anyway’). Big tune. Holding the unenviable task of following up Max Romeo is one of the artists on the Supreme riddim of whom I’ve never heard, Lord Pol, with his interesting ‘Vivre Est Un Combat’ [‘Life Is A Struggle’]. This tune is pretty well done, although I do hear a bit of room for improvement within Lord Pol’s vibes, but this is exactly what I mean when I say you have artists who may have otherwise been “closed off” to a fan base. I do like this tune and who knows when or even if I would have heard Pol’s music had he not appeared here (and then been able to DIRECTLY associate his name with the tune). No such worries with the next tune (at least not on my end, maybe on yours), as one of my favourites, Straïka [D], comes through with the BIG Faut Que ça Aille. The veteran singer/chanter from out of Martinique is seemingly always at his best (when I’m paying attention) and his effort here is well one of the best altogether on the riddim.
Speaking of “the best altogether on the riddim”, unsurprisingly, my allegiances in regard to that title (in its absolute form) lie with the MASSIVE inspirational tune, ‘Our World’. This three dimensional piece is just the typical BRILLIANCE we’ve come to expect from LUTAN FYAH these days. On one hand, he speaks of generally giving thanks for what we have, but he also ‘goes green’ in effect, by dealing with the environment and reminding all that HIS will is tied into the health of HIS world. By its end Our World just leaves you shaking your head, speechlessly impressed. Joining Fyah on the Supreme Riddim, of his Jamaican peers, is definitely an interesting group. After Max Romeo is Max Romeo’s artist Jallanzo who brings in ‘Faya Affi Burn’, a LARGE effort from his well received recently released debut album, Reggae Rockin Tonight. Also on board is Konshens, who seems to be popping up everywhere these days. Here, his HUGE inspirational vibes on ‘One Foot’ rise to the class of the Supreme Riddim (sounding like the late Eloquent with that flow) as definitely one of its finest outings. And lastly, closing the album out is Turbulence who delivers ’Mama’, one of the best tunes from the artist I’ve hear in awhile (Mama just happens to be one of his best topics, also check the WICKED ’Mama Is Here’ from the Rising album). The tune is LOVELY and finds Turbulence offering one of THE lines of the album when he says, “Mi sorry, but a one question mi need fi ask you: How yu tek di hungry belly pickney dem around you? Di amount of tears wi cry, yow mi tink it woulda drown you”. Big tune by its end. Amongst the Frenchies? Well, if you read me with any type of consistency, you’ll see this tracklist, for me, as absolute GOLD. Still, despite some of the bigger names, the most interesting for me is young veteran from out of Martinique, Little Sista, whose ADDICTIVE ‘Fire Babylone’ is easily amongst the best material I hear on the riddim DEFINITELY(good luck getting through that one without singing along with it!) (it ain’t happening!). Also don’t be too quick to skip over Pablo U-Wa’s very nice Afrikan affirming ‘Je Chante Pour Elle’, which is BEAUTIFUL and gets the horns back up and blaring (yet another big artist from out of the Ivory Coast). And then the big guns roll in, five tunes in succession. First up is the aforementioned Stone J (who may actually be a Blasta official artist (as might Straïka for whom they released his most recent single, the very interesting ‘Machines, Robots’) who nearly DESTROYS the Supreme riddim with his BUBBLING tune for the strong women of the world, ‘Lioness’ and hopefully the tune might appear on a forthcoming Stone J release from Blasta which I’m looking forward to now. Even Saël is on board with a nice tune which missed his recent album Témoignage (which is a typically SPARKLING effort from the Martinique chanter), as is the increasingly big deal that is Mighty Ki La. His effort, ‘Elle’ (see all the boys slowing things down and singing tunes for the ladies here) finds a VERY WELCOME laid back version of the generally fire breathing DJ and maybe we can see such a version of the artist more and more in the future (never abandoning that firebrand, however). Recent find of mine, Supa Lee [aka Blenda] is already back and popping up on the Supreme riddim following his wicked album Operationnel. There's also the well underrated sweet singing Valley who closes things out (for the French artists) with the very nice 'Folie Que Tu As'.
And yes, UNFORTUNATELY, Blasta forgot to give the clean version of the riddim which would have been almost certainly SPECTACULAR in the case of the Supreme. . .
Overall, this one has WINNER written all over it. Even the tune or two I didn’t mention (such as ‘Don’t Look Back’ by Djool (whoever the hell she is)) are very good and I just like the general production and the HIGH QUALITY of the vibes coming from this one. Back to the ‘mixing’ concept of the review: I also really like the quality of the artists. How in the world you get Max Romeo just to voice your riddim all of a sudden is HEAVY and you just know that he must’ve heard this riddim and just been so impressed that he had to go on the project (either that or Blasta gave him a stake in the company). And then to follow him with a very high level of artists on today’s scene and then do the same with the French artists, I mean I’m REALLY impressed. I’m stuck with this one, trying to wrack my brain to find something which CLEARLY trumps the Supreme and I just can’t do it. Therefore, I say with a small a bit of hesitation (but I’m saying it still), that when you decide to pick up Reggae Resistance: Supreme Riddim, with it you may just be picking up the finest riddim album I’ve heard in 2009 altogether.
Rated 4.5/5
Blasta Records
2009
No comments:
Post a Comment