'Music From The Highest Region': A Review of "Cultural Vibes Vol. 1" by Various Artists

2010 - How sweet you’ve been. With just about a month and a half remaining in the year it certainly begins now a time of reflection of all the wonderful and not very wonderful moments that we’ve had and very shortly people like me will begin to compile lists of the most and less memorable moments of the year and people like you will begin to tell us how stupid we are. How beautiful! Of course, we’ll talk about things such as Artist of The Year (I-Octane) and Album of The Year ( ”Long Journey” by Naptali) and song of the year (’Cross Me Heart’ by Junior X) and so forth and another very critical declaration of 2010 will definitely be Reggae Label of The Year and ‘New’ or ‘Breakout’ Reggae Label of The Year. We speak so much about artist development that I probably overlook not only the roles that labels play in that very crucial process, but also the maturation process which occurs for the labels themselves. One thing that I feel is so important in said process, and perhaps even more so than in the case of the artists, is attracting attention and gaining a hype. As ridiculous as it sounds, such a thing is probably even more important than actually doing ‘good’ work (because “good” means something different to everyone) because labels oftentimes have such a presumably long shelf life that creating and continuing to gain attention for your projects, and doing so immediately, is almost immeasurably important in that instance. It certainly does help if you can do something “good” as well and attention does come from doing good work, but if we were to take these criteria and apply them to labels in 2010, while there are still the reigning big boys of the genre, we start to look in a few new and refreshingly different directions. Certainly not in the discussion too much in previous years, we begin to look at entities such as the UK based Necessary Mayhem and all of the good work done by Curtis Lynch Jr. and company as they now join the likes of Irie Ites (who’ve had another exceptional year) and Special Delivery and Pow Pow Movement and others as THE reigning class of Reggae music in Europe. And sneaking in right behind Necessary Mayhem we look towards a most fascinating label collaboration between two names from out of the suddenly Reggae RICH Netherlands, Jahsolidrock and Not Easy At All Productions who, together, have come up with an OUTSTANDING 2010.

Although the case could well be made (and I’ve made it quite recently) that the genre of Reggae music is one which is still largely focused on the production and promotion of singles, as opposed to albums, if you do what these two labels did in 2010, then consider the important step of gaining notoriety for your work to be a completed one. The first step, of course, was the MAMMOTH ”Judgement Time” by Chezidek which was both EXCEPTIONAL and attention-grabbing as well and just very recently (officially yesterday, I believe), the labels teamed up again for the first album since the turn of the century from former Israel Vibration front man, the much revered Apple Gabriel, ”Teach Them Right” (although reportedly Gabriel now has problems with that union) (more on that coming never). So, you have a potentially big thing going here and you have a Reggae label as well . . . What next??? Well, as was in the days of old (like four or five years ago), you really weren’t FULLY going as a label until you had actually managed to link together random, yet strong material to put down a full fledged compilation album. And while (I THINK) Jahsolidrock and Not Easy At All have released riddim projects in the past (be it together or as single labels), the “compilation” I’m speaking of is the multiple riddim, multiple artists and multiple vibes type of project which stands best as pretty much a showcase of your company’s output. And apparently they agreed with me which is way, at least presumably, they’re sending 2010 out on its ass with just such a compilation, ”Cultural Vibes Vol. 1”. Surely the title could use a bit of work (but that cover is very very nice), but I’m pretty sure that the same fans who were well delighted by the labels’ prior collaborative work (yours truly included) - Which was well highlighted by the fact that what it was, was just some SERIOUSLY beautiful and HEAVY Roots Reggae music - Will rather easily find something here which appeals to them on the same level (and I’m sure of that because some of that exact material is here as well). This release, does have a bit more in the way of colour and flare than the artists’ albums, which was to be expected with all of the different voices, but just listening through as someone who loves to analyze things like this, it’s so interesting when you take riddims with which I’m growing increasingly familiar and place them into unexpected or previously unheard ‘hands’ and I so much come away from constructs such as ”Cultural Vibes Vol. 1” with just a more open mind and, definitely, a mind on the lookout for some of these ‘newer’ talents. And while this release isn’t exactly LOADED with new and never heard before names, what it does offer is a more than healthy mix of familiar and more established names alongside newer faces and, given the fact that I tend to pay a really great amount of attention, I’d be willing to bet that most fans wouldn’t be as familiar with some of the names on the roster here (one in particular) (more on him in a minute) (four times), which would offer an even more intriguing experience, or potential experience, in my opinion. I’m not going to go as far as to proclaim this one as THE compilation of 2010 (still thinking about that one actually), but what I will say is that, specifically here, this release offers a very nice ribbon for what has been a big and noteworthy year for the two labels.

The way the album is situated is that is that it is split between four different riddims - the Collie Weed, Anybody, Paradise and United We Stand - with three or four tunes on each one and that’s a very good way to do things. I most certainly am no great fan of mixtapes, but this one has a kind of mixtape vibes to it and I’m not complaining in this instance.

First up on ”Cultural Vibes Vol. 1” from Jahsolidrock and Not Easy At All Productions is what is probably the most well known of compositions on the album and probably from either label, the Collie Weed Riddim which starts with not only its finest, but the finest tune to be heard on the whole of the album, the dazzling ‘Walk With Jah’ by Chezidek. Each and every time I listen to the ”Judgement Time” album I fall in love with another tune and it becomes harder and harder to make the point that this is song is also the finest tune there as well, but I’m still there right now and it’s one of Chezidek’s best, one of the best tunes, period, of the year and a wonderful way to get things going here. So if the best song is going to start matters, then next should clearly be the most visible artist on the album and that’s exactly what happens when Benaïssa reaches with the very strong ‘African Blood’. Okay - Benaïssa. This artist would’ve been the first experience I had with either label as, back in 2008 he released his debut (I THINK) album, ”Tables Turn”, which wasn’t exactly GREAT, but was decent and respectable enough. As good as his first tune, of four, is, it probably would’ve been better than anything on that album, with the exception of one song (more on that later). I took this one as dealing greatly with the Afrikan Diaspora and the way Benaïssa builds it is damn near brilliant lyrically and . . . It’s been awhile, maybe he’s getting better. Also interested in the globality of things is Wild Life who invites us all to his BLAZING ‘Ganja Yard’. This one is a pretty complicated (lyrically speaking) herbalist track as Wild Life, as is his usual, definitely goes outside of the norm to deliver a track which also appeared on his own debut (again, I THINK) album for Not Easy At All, ”Too Tuff” from just last year, which I’m thinking about going back to and giving another spin now. And the final vocal track on the Collie Weed riddim comes courtesy of an artist who, I believe, will also be dealing an album from the labels in the future, the most venerable Earl 16, ‘Fittest of The Fittest’. This gorgeous recording is one on which 16 may be going a bit too far, as he’s calling on a new LEADER and one of absolute legendary proportions (drawing on names such as Garvey, King and Mandela), but if He or She is out there (and they are) should they hear this tune, I imagine that his very lofty goal will IMMEDIATELY be fulfilled. The legendary singer from out of Kingston makes way for a dubbed out version of the riddim (which is almost a full minute longer than his tune), which has become a bit of a staple from Jahsolidrock and Not Easy At All in 2010 and appears for every riddim here. Excellent touch.

Next in are three vocal selections on a composition with which I wasn’t very familiar, the Anybody Riddim. The first tune, ’Anybody’, is the only one I did know ( ”Tables Turn” album) and it comes as the album’s first combination as Benaïssa (who I’m pretty sure actually produces with Jahsolidrock) teams up with Benjah (not to be confused with Benjai), who I know absolutely nothing about aside from the fact that he makes music with Benaïssa. This tune is a very nice lover’s piece and it actually took me a minute to realize that I knew it from somewhere and I’d imagine that if it’s your first time hearing it, you are REALLY going to like this very accessible tune. Another combination is next because teaming up with the aforementioned Wild Life is old (OLD) school veteran Junior Murvin who offers free ride on the bouncing ’Reggae Train’. This one isn’t going to grab you immediately as a tune which is anything more than adequate and although nothing tremendous is actually said (Murvin actually says the same thing like four times on one of his verses), it’s just a feel-good type of moment for the album and there’s nothing wrong with that. ‘Part of My Life’ unfortunately isn’t a remix of Achis Reggae favourite Sara Lugo’s tune of the same name, but it is an introduction to Lloyd De Meza, another friend of Benaïssa’s who appeared on his album. On this song De Meza sounds quite a lot like VI star Pressure Busspipe to my ears (Jahsolidrock, Not Easy At All - PRESSURE BUSSPIPE! Good artist) and it’s just another nice love song from an artist who I believe has a background in Hip-Hop and so does Benaïssa as well.

Again it is Benaïssa opening our next backing, the Paradise Riddim, with the same tune which opened his album, ‘Believe’. This song is just pretty decent. It’s nothing too special (especially considering his other three selections on ”CV”) but, again, I think it’ll sound much better to listeners who haven’t spent time with it already. So definitely check it out if you are such a person (and you are). Following Benaïssa we get our first and only taste of another up and coming Dutch artist to keep an eye out for, Joggo, who presents us with his idea of a ‘Strong Black Woman’ and this has to be one of my absolute favourite tunes here. This song just has a bit of star quality around it and I hear it all over this one as it speaks not only to the ultimate and immediate upliftment of the Black Woman, but also of the relationship and how she DIRECTLY fits into its survival on the big tune. And speaking of big tunes (and star quality) one of the two biggest on the riddim rolls in next as Chezidek shows off the gorgeous ‘In My Heart’, which was a single from ”Judgement Time”. I’ve spoken more than enough on the virtues of this future classic and I’ll continue to because it is BEAUTIFUL! And it is also worth mentioning to check out the riddim’s other GREAT tune, ‘Seven Miles’ which can be found on 2010’s greatest album thus far (and hopefully you were paying attention). The Paradise just may be my favourite riddim altogether on ”CV” and I wouldn’t at all mind if they passed it around even more in the future.

Finally, we get a couple of vocal selections on the United We Stand Riddim, the first being its best by the smallest of margins, just as it was on ”Tables Turn” as Benaïssa returns with another young Dutch artist, the fiery Ayya Ites, on a different sounding version of ‘Sodom & Gomorrah’.

“Inna Sodom and Gomorrah
Peer bad things dem a follow
Wah dat?
Di whole a dem ah seek fi di dolla
Yuh think it gone be better wid Obama?
Politician nah go dun di drama”

This one is screw face, ANGRY, head knocking type of Roots Reggae which makes its point well emphatically and does so to the tune of being easily one of the best songs here. Also, most surprisingly, testing out the United We Stand riddim with ‘Jah Jah Have The Handle’ is Achis Reggae favourite Mikey General. I can’t believe just how WONDERFULLY prolific the singer has become these days and we’re leading into his forthcoming album, ”Born To Rule” and a song like this is only going to get me more excited (if that’s possible) to get my paws on that release as the General continues his most expected excellence on that heavy one-drop.

“When I stop awhile and check
I see dem running Jah earth to a wreck
Wi ah give and dem a tek
Jah Jah bless di little bit dat we get
And the fortunate few
They’ll treat the unfortunate many
They have us fighting for food
And sometimes we nah get any
It seems as if it’s more than we can bear
Because of Jah mercy, that’s why we persevere
So keep our feet from falling Jah
I know You hear our calling Jah
Their system is so appalling
Take all and leave us with nothing
So keep our feet from falling Jah”

I love this tune more and more each time I hear it and if I wasn’t tired, I’d probably go back and change which tune I just called this riddim’s greatest.

As a bonus we also get a couple of tracks in ‘Praise Rastafari’ from the WICKED Zamunda from out of ST. ANN (!) and Jah Kente’s ‘Crops A Grow’, and I really like them both actually. The former, obviously, is a big praising song as Zamunda continues to impress at almost EVERY SINGLE stop, leaving more and more headscratchers wondering if his latest offering is the new Jah Cure tune. And for his part, Kente’s song is pretty captivating actually and damn delightful (over the same EASY riddim which backs Chezidek’s MASSIVE ‘Ganja Tree’ tune). So I love the ‘bonus’ attention and do keep an eye on these two as Kente appears to be a big artist and should Zamunda continue on his way, whether you pay attention or not, you’ll still be hearing about him.

Overall, besides ”Cultural Vibes Vol. 1” being an excellent excuse to look back at what Jahsolidrock and Not Easy At All Productions were able to accomplish in the year 2010, it’s also a very nice time to look ahead at what they’ll potentially do in 2011. As I alluded to, I’m pretty sure that I read that they were planning on working with Earl 16 and that should be really big considering how well the styles line up with the singer’s great work and I think it’s been awhile from he last had a studio album anyway. But even if that doesn’t materialize, just more REALLY GOOD music would be fine. Specifically . . . I mean . . . You know . . . Dutch labels . . . Ziggi . . . Smiley . . . MAKE IT HAPPEN! I’d even ‘settle’ for Maikal X! But just in general it’s going to be a very difficult act to follow what they accomplished in 2010. But, I’m definitely looking forward to it and maybe a year from now (if I haven’t completely tired of doing these things by then), I’ll be slapping up another review for ”CV2” with another year’s worth of top notch material. Well done.

Rated: 4.35/5
Jahsolidrock/Not Easy At All Productions/Heartbeat
2010
CD & Digital




Not Easy At All Productions
Jahsolidrock @ Myspace