Coming Soon Vol. 17

Coming Soon

NiyoRah - Feel Your Presence [Denkenesh Records/I Grade Records/Zojak Worldwide]

Uh ohhhhhhh! It had to be sometime in the early part of last year when I caught wind of the fact that the ridiculously talented singer/chanter from out of the Star Lion Family from St. Thomas by way of Dominica, NiyoRah, was back in the studio working on bringing forth his third official album to date (there was also Stolen Scrolls, a very strong and official mixtape). Well, we had to just about half of the next year to get it, but now it’s well loaded and Feel Your Presence is on its way and I CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on it. Reportedly, the album was largely produced in Jamaica and it just so happens to feature two potentially HUGE combinations - One alongside the legendary Sugar Minott and the other featuring none other than Jah Mason. I Grade is also back on board (and they helmed both of Niyo’s first two releases) so you know there is going to be some BIG ‘vintage’ NiyoRah as well. Hate to put on so much pressure, but I definitely have to say that I’m expecting the world from this thing (particularly following his last release, Purification Session, which will probably be declared a ‘modern classic’ before the end of 2010) and if it isn’t absolutely spectacular in every way, I’ll be THOROUGHLY disappointed. But I’m thinking it’ll come through.

Potential Rating: 10/5

Releases on June 15 (Digital, CD coming soon)

{note: Full review coming next week}

Romain Virgo [VP Records]

Romain Virgo. I don’t think I caught on very early in terms of Virgo’s talents. I think that, coming from his background (I.e. winning a recording contract on a television program, “Digicel Rising Stars”, back in 2007), I may’ve unfairly written him off as just a ‘TV artist’. But it was a year or two ago that you take a listen to what he was doing and . . . The youth (from out of ST. ANN!) CLEARLY has a MAJOR talent. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought so as VP Records (I believe his contract was originally with Greensleeves, which is now VP) caught on and began to push the youth towards his own debut long player which they’re now bringing forth. The album features tunes that Virgo made his name on the strength of such as (of course) ‘Mi Caan Sleep’, the HUGE ‘Who Feels It Knows It‘, ‘Love Doctor’ and ‘Wanna Go Home’ (biggup Penthouse) as well as new tunes that you should well pay attention to such as a big tune with Virgo going DJ on the riddim, ‘Customer Care’. Having extensively vibed this album, if you’re kind of leery about picking up, I should definitely tell you that to even my critical ear, it’s better than you think as VP has apparently just found ‘the new Sanchez’ in outstanding young singer, Romain Virgo (and I may even slap a review on it).

Potential Rating: 4.25/5

Releases on June 8 (CD & Digital)

Chezidek Singles [Kinyama Sounds]

Man of the moment right now, the BLAZING Chezidek (from out of ST. ANN!) is back with another pair of tunes to continue the hype following his MASSIVE new album Judgement Time. The two tracks, ‘Right Track’ and ‘Free Up The Music’ come via solid Swiss label Kinyama Sounds and are simply two more very strong pieces from the artist. The ROLLING ‘Free Up The Music’, in particular’ has caught my attention and I can’t wait to take the full song for a spin and hopefully we’ll see more releases like this from Kinyama, they’ve been around for a minute now and although I haven’t paid them the greatest of mind, hereto forth, I’ll definitely be watching (and listening).

Potential Rating (in full): 4.25/5

Both Release on June 14 (Digital)

Digital Acoustics [Necessary Mayhem/Zojak Worldwide]

Curtis Lynch Jr. and his Necessary Mayhem imprint continue to carve their path of destruction in the UK with crazy artists, crazy riddims, crazy remakes and just big tunes in general as one of the hottest labels in the world today regardless of regions. Having packed up with quite a few riddim releases, they now bring forth a hot general compilation in Digital Acoustics. Don’t let the title fool you into thinking that this is a stripped down compilation of some of their previous releases (although that would be cool as hell), what you’re getting here are the versions you’re certain to know. Making appearances are the usual ’who’s who’ from Necessary Mayhem, such as Mr. Williamz (and you’re going to get the MASSIVE ’Real General’ tune from him which may be a first I believe, the tune is HUGE), YT (who checks in with the delightfully old school ’Write Some Lyrics’, Million Stylez and of course Ziggi. And you’ll also grab up different artists like veteran Little John, the blazing Maikal X and even Brinsley Forde from Aswad. This thing is EXCELLENT (I already have it) (biggup Zojak) and I’d be surprised to see it not ranking amongst the compilations of the year come December.

Rated: 4.75/5

Releases Soon (Digital)

Corner Boy Riddim [Red Rose/Zojak Worldwide]

You just HAVE TO love this ‘whole digital thing’ which can just resurrect just . . . Just like anything at any time. The latest thing to have to caught my ears comes courtesy of Anthony Red Rose (and the beautiful people at Zojak Worldwide), the old Corner Boy Riddim. This thing wasn’t amazing and if I recall correctly it didn’t birth tunes which exactly lit up the charts, but it was BIG to my ears. None was bigger than the riddim’s title track which comes courtesy of Tanya Stephens, but joining Vivienne were the likes of Anthony B, Harry Toddler (alongside Red Rose), Mega Banton with Tanto Metro and Devonte, Zebra & Anthony Malvo, Kippo and Lexxus (big tune, ’Real Age’) and even Frisco Kid. Again, you probably won’t find anything here that’s going to necessary ‘blow your mind’, but what you will find over this crazy ‘dramatic’ riddim is straight forward dazzling Dancehall deejaying and that’s something which is becoming rarer and rarer these days unfortunately.

Rated: 4/5

Releases Soon (Digital)

In Stores Now

Jah Cure - Unconditional Love featuring Phyllisia [Danger Zone/Sobe Entertainment/Zojak Worldwide]

‘Unconditional Love’ is a song which made its rounds earlier this year and now finally hit’s the digital side (courtesy of Zojak Worldwide). The song took quite awhile to grow on me quite honestly and I’d just put it down after awhile only to pick it back up when I saw that it’d ran out digitally. It’s a VERY nice song. The Cure is joined by his label mate (I THINK), the increasingly cute Phyllisia (whose name is hard as hell to remember how to spell) who adds to the vibes and . . . I like it!

Lutan Fyah - Jail [Very Huge Records/Zojak Worldwide]

This one, Lutan Fyah’s ‘Jail’ from Very Huge Records, is a very similar situation to the one I just told you about from Jah Cure. The first (few) time I heard this tune, I honestly didn’t care for it very much and it really hasn’t been until the last couple of DAYS or so (before I actually got the tune, however) (thankfully) that the piece began to really hit me. I still don’t think that it’s one of his finer efforts, but apparently I’m not in the majority with that because it’s doing a big damage. Well, you can now pick it up digitally as well (again, from Zojak) (the similarities are endless) and decide for yourself. Even not at his best, the Fyah at 75-80% is better than what you’re going to get from most artists and judged in that manner, ‘Jail’ is a big tune.

Brighter Day Riddim [149 Records/IkaRoots Muzik]

I actually wrote about this one last one a week or two ago for UnitedReggae.com and have kept my eyes on it ever since, due largely to the fact that the Brighter Day Riddim potentially contained a FUCKING LETHAL tune from Achis Reggae favourite, Queen Omega. Having now successfully gotten my paws on the tune, ‘Last Days’, it is HUGE! This is one of the strongest songs that I’ve heard thus far in 2010 and it is spectacular. The Queen isn’t the only star on the riddim (although she would have more than sufficed), she’s joined by Ras Mac Bean from out of Guyana and his tune, which is the title track for the riddim, is another big one as well. And you can also forward to big pieces from Jah Rain, Jah Reuben Mystic and a mysterious guest in the form of Mary Lou with the ‘special’, ‘Good Bye’.

Vitamin & Highlight Riddims [Akom Records/Zojak Worldwide]

This piece is another lovely one as French label Akom essentially sticks both of its most well known projects, the Vitamin & Highlight Riddims together for one digital release. What they’ve also done is to manage to catch a crazy amount of attention with it from me (and now, if you’re smart, you also). Why? You push one project that has names Lutan Fyah, Natty King (more than once), Pressure Busspipe, Jah Mason (more than once), Black Dillinger, JAH MARNYAH (more than once) (“unda dem blouse and skirt, claim seh dem a big man, find out dem ah big pervert!), Anthony John and Lorenzo? I’m on it! Not only that, but the riddims, when they were originally released (at least digitally), were done basically in EP form, particularly the Vitamin, which just had four tracks. This packed piece checks in at 21 tracks, so there’s definitely something for everyone, so if you don’t like something on this release . . . Yep.

Zabiki - Bless My Soul [Henfield Records/Zojak Worldwide]

There was an album last year from Free Willy (also distributed digitally by Zojak, incidentally), from an artist by the name of Zahair, which was called Jah Instrument and for some reason this very kind of random and largely unknown piece from veteran Zabiki, Bless My Soul, reminds me of that piece so much. And it’s better. This album is by no means spectacular, but I should mention that when I got it in a batch, for some reason it caught my eyes immediately and I spun COMPLETELY through it before I listened to anything else in the lot. You may not be familiar with the nice singing Zabiki, but he’s been around from quite awhile and he’s been voicing a great deal of the old Henfield riddims as well. The result is this album which features him with tunes familiar to me like ‘None Shall Escape’, ‘Go Before Us Jah’ and ‘Zion Gate’ which are all very strong. Again, while it may not be a life changing experience for you, Zaibiki’s Bless My Soul is just a very strong and solid album.

Home Sweet Home Riddim [Swallowbird Productions]

I don’t know a thing about this piece and I haven’t even gotten my hands on it yet, so know that before you read this. You can look at the picture there and see every one who’s voicing on the riddim and you can read the names and everything, but I thought that I’d direct your attention to the center of the pictures to the gentleman in the black shirt. That, of course, Achis Reggae favourite, Prince Theo who voices the Home Sweet Home Riddim from Swallowbird Productions (incidentally, the man in front of him, with the blue shirt and white hat, is Jah Swallow, the producer of the riddim, who also has a tune). I’m always so happy when Prince Theo brings forth a new tune and I’ll definitely be grabbing this one up. Of course if you aren’t as high on the singer as I am . . . Well then just look at the other names, I hear that guy in red is a big artist . . .

Sylem - Soldjah [Disques Durs]

And lastly, consider this one a bonus because I’m still definitely playing with it. Sylem is another artist from out of Martinique and he definitely is well talented as is proven on (I THINK) his debut album Soldjah. To put it simply, everything I’ve heard from this release thus far (and again, I’m still working on it), is VERY impressive. So take a chance on it and who knows you may tune in here one day and see a review for it, because I’m thinking this one is EXCELLENT.