'Show Me': A Review of "Holdin A Vibe" by Jah Nyne

I think that, normally, when we think of a 'musical presentation' or the concept of such a thing, we're typically driven into the direction of something more of a visual nature. When someone 'presents' their music to you, surely it's somewhat of a personal experience and something which is, obviously, best appreciated in a more direct format. This is done, usually, through concerts and videos, both of which definitely aid the music and in a very specific genre such as Reggae, these things (especially in the case of videos where, presumably, the experience is exactly or near to exactly what was crafted in order to represent a particular tune) both of these mediums can do a great deal of work in various situations. There's also the more literal presentation of music - i.e. presenting someone with a song or an album and everything that it carries such as an album cover and liners etc. - but what I'd like to talk about today is the actual audio experience we can have through listening to a particular artist. You'll forgive me (because I've been listening to a month of Soca music) for going in that direction, but I think that one of the greatest audio presentations or 'displays', to be found in all music is in Soca. That type of vibe is so powerful that it can transfer you mentally to a very visual place in your mind and really have an EMOTIONAL link to its listeners. In Reggae, things can be just as compelling. Someone who I feel has an excellent presentation of his music is Chezidek. Strictly speaking on how the album was, musically, displayed, his winner from last year, "Judgement Time", is probably one of the best albums of the past decade and the roll he has been on over the course of the past year or so is, in its own right, a vivid display of just how musically proficient the odd voiced singer can be. 'Oddly' enough, Buju Banton is someone else who has this skill (and that is precisely what it is) and to a grand degree. If you can remember (has it been that long), Buju, in his latest form and when at his best, made these very RICH Roots Reggae anthems which, almost inherently, set themselves apart from similar tunes from almost all of his peers. You could listen to the opening few seconds of a Buju tune on a riddim voiced by twenty other artists and IMMEDIATELY have an idea which was his tune. Mikey General would be another good example, as would a few others who have this wonderful ability to individualize their music, within a pack of many, based on how well their vibes are presented to the listener in the most basic form.

Someone who I'm now going to add to that list of venerable names is an artist who, hopefully, isn't completely unknown to you at this point, the wicked singing chanter from out of the Bahamas, Jah Nyne! Longtime readers of this blog are probably well familiar with Nyne because his was actually one of the very first features we did for a particular artist (he was actually fourth) and fittingly so - I've been very keen on the artist for years now and to watch his career (and his abilities) develop over that same time has been damn interesting. What really first struck me about Jah Nyne's music is something which I've previously characterized as being this very 'intense' command of melody, and it is a very NATURAL command as well. I don't know if Nyne has ever taken a formal musical lesson in his entire life, in terms of learning how to sing, but when he sings his wonderful tunes they really OPEN things up, as far as the basic POSSIBILITY of having a great melody in a song. When you take that and combine it with good music and then add to it the fact that he's turned out to be a very talented lyricist (more on that later), well at that point we're dealing with someone who has a 'next level' type of skill and, again, watching that skill come to fruition, as of late, has been very pleasing. What he's become is someone who can, very naturally and organically, 'give' his music to his listeners and have it come across so well that you know when you're listening to a tune from Jah Nyne.

Goldcup Records [did we really need to caption this???]

Still, I think that the one thing missing from Jah Nyne's musical résumé, to date, would have been a greater level of recognition within the Reggae world. There aren't too many voices in the genre from out of the Bahamas who do receive that type of push, but we have seen it in certain cases such as for Jah Hem, Jah Doctrine and of course veteran Reggae/Gospel act, Monty G and now Nyne has joined that group as he reaches the next stage of his career with his terrific debut album, "Holdin A Vibe". Of course, a presentation on an album is something which is actually the result of not only the work of a particular artist, but a particular label as well and here, Jah Nyne works with the same Goldcup Records from out of Italy which has, at least partially, been responsible for a great deal of his recent successes. I don't know how the link was made (although it should be worth mentioning that the same label has also worked with another Achis Reggae favourite, Aima Moses, from out of Dominica), but I'm very grateful that it was because it now brings forth an album that I have, literally, been waiting for, for years and after a most cursory spin, it was clear to see that they hadn't overstepped any boundaries of his vibes and the results would be fittingly big. I think that "Holdin A Vibe" not only becomes the debut set for Jah Nyne, but also for Goldcup - To date they've only released riddim albums, so it shows you exactly what type of confidence they had in this charge, that they chose to do their initial single artist album for him, in particular. Reading even further into that (because that's just what we do), one could also say that, presumably, this means that perhaps the popularity of Jah Nyne has grown to a point where a label who doesn't figure to be struggling at this point in its existence, would choose to feature him and assume that the project would do well. In either case, the album definitely figures to introduce the singer to a wider audience and those fans, particular those fans of modern Roots Reggae music, are almost guaranteed to enjoy what they find here. Goldcup links Jah Nyne with some big riddims over which to star and throughout this delightful album, that's just what he does. Let's take a listen!

Album Promo Mix

I think one of the very first things that I thought when I heard the music of Jah Nyne was just how similar he sounded, at least to me, to somewhat 'scattered' Jamaican vocalist, Bascom X. He still does, to some degree, but, as I alluded to, the Bahamian has absolutely no troubles in distinguishing himself, musically. The greatest example of this now comes in Jah Nyne's brand new album from Goldcup Records, "Holdin A Vibe", which gets started in a CORRECT manner ,with what seems to be a somewhat autobiographical selection - the album's title track. The song finds Nyne recounting an experience he had, while "holdin a vibes one day", which seemingly lead him to do music. This isn't my favourite tune on the album, but it is situated so perfectly in respect to the album that, it alone, almost makes it even stronger. What we have, essentially, is Jah Nyne telling the listener that he received an inspiration from The Most High to make the album that we're about to listen to! It's like a VERY involved intro, but it's accurate and one which sets the bar extremely high for what is to follow. Luckily, Nyne has no trouble maintaining the levels on the next track in, 'Take Control'. This one is a tune that I know quite well, actually, as it was featured on Goldcup's Eternal Riddim from a little while back. This biblically bedded track is just a CRYSTAL of a tune. Sonically speaking it is an utter joy to listen to as we continue to get a taste of just where the artist is coming from musically and an even further introduction to his vibes, for those who need it. The first two tracks on this album, particularly when taken in tandem with one another work so well. And it gets even better. Check the final tune of the opening quarter, the STERLING 'Jah Bless Us' (biggup Ras Indio). Without any qualifications or conditions whatsoever, this is one of the best songs on the entire album and one of the best that I've ever heard from Nyne.

"Jah blessing us and keeping us alive yay
Wi go dung on wi knees and wi pray oh
Anoint I & I head with oil
My cup shall surely overflow"

"Going out and coming in
Ask Jah fi protect us from temptation and sin
Upful it and a cleanly living, as long as life exists I will always be exalting The King
Jah bless me with a talent fi sing
Word, power and sound -
Pass it, mek mi put it pon riddim
Under the shadow of The Almighty wing
Inna HIM secret place:
What a joy it bring!"

BIG! I was nearly sure that I'd heard this song before, but as it turns out it is new (biggup The Magista). It just sounds so familiar and so COMFORTABLE and the tune rounds out and HIGHLIGHTS a mighty start.

Jah Nyne

With the way "Holdin A Vibe" is worked - it features a pretty nice mix of new[er] songs with more well known pieces (by my, almost certainly incorrect, count, it features six of each) - It's clear that SOMEONE took very good care of how the album was presented to the masses (and, speaking of presentation, the cover of the album is just COOL). As for the four remaining new (to me) tracks, they definitely feature a heavy amount of twists and turns. First is another of the album's genuine highlights, the swaying 'Zion I'. This is praising track which, on the surface and initially, seems fairly 'rigid' and basic, but the tune reaches a new level when you take a deeper listen. Somewhere in the early middle portion it becomes SUBLIME and just a real winning track (Luciano would be proud!) ("inna Mount Zion I, there's only day, there is no night"). There's also the album's obligatory ganja tune, the spicy 'Herbs & Spice'. On this song, Nyne deals with kind of Reggae-tradition of outlining all the wonderful usages of marijuana and its very odd persecution in many places around the world. He does drift into some of the more controversial topics (which appear to be unrelated), but I'll leave that to you to hear. The remaining two new tracks on "Holdin A Vibe" are a couple which figure to receive a great deal of attention because they are the album's two official combinations. First is 'Peace & Love' which features another staple of Goldcup Records, the Trini born fiery chanter, Ras Ijah. This is another MIGHTY track and, despite its title, Ijah manages to make his presence known in a way which isn't overstated. I really liked this one because it's another which really shines on a sonic level and it should go without saying that the message is very pertinent as well (even though I guess I just said it).

"Well mi ah tell dem bout peace
Tell dem bout love
It's a blessing from The Almighty, Jah
It was sent from above
Well, no time fi hate, no time fi grudge
Alright, no time fi smother your bredda inna di mud
Mi tell dem seh well -
Time fi share outta di one mug
Alright, then you greet your bredda with a blessed hug
Marcus Garvey tell us 'stop live like thugs'
Alright, then put down di slugs'
-Ras Ijah from 'Peace & Love'

And lastly from the new batch is the final tune on the album altogether which finds Nyne linking with someone who may be one of the next big thing from out of the Bahamas (also mind a big artist by the name of Irate Johnson), sweet singing Peter Runks. The same outstanding gentleman who used to send us tunes from Jah Nyne also mixed in the occasional piece from Runks as well and it was generally impressive. Here, the two make a predictably fine duo on the fitting closer, 'Unity Is Strength' which is not to be missed (and check out Runks' work, he also has a few digital tunes available).

'Hungry Pickney'

As for the more well known material that is to be found on "Holdin A Vibe", here we have, in my opinion, the real class of this album and, if you've been paying attention to the artist's career to date, some of the tunes for which he is most well known. I don't know if 'I'll Treasure You', the love song on the album, fits into either of the aforesaid categories very well, but it is just a SOLID track. It's also interesting because it finds Nyne borrowing from the same riddim Nesta uses on the classic 'Stir It Up' and I just like really kind of random things like - You can hear Nyne or someone else just thinking how nice it would be for him to voice that riddim and here is the respectable results of his/their efforts. Better known is Nyne's BIG social commentary cut of Goldcup's BIG Golden Riddim, 'Hungry Pickney'. It's too early to use such an adjective on a two year old song, but for people like me (all eighteen of us, or so), there will come a point where this tune is hailed as CLASSIC work. It's one of the most melodically gifted songs on the album - and that is Nyne's strength, so that's saying a great deal - and if you haven't realized it by now, it's also one of the sharpest tunes, lyrically, from someone who is also quite advanced in that department. Big tune. 'How Do You Feel' is another social commentary, this one of an anti-violence nature, and another across a big composition from Goldcup, the LOADED Mirror Riddim. Goldcup also backs the HUGE previous single 'Shoulder to the Wheel' which, even before this album was one of my favourite songs from Jah Nyne. You're going to have a really difficult time showing me how this isn't a SUPERB song in every respect! This song is beautiful and it really blends the tangible and spiritual arenas together so well - an unfortunately rare lyrical trait in all of Reggae music.

'Shoulder to the Wheel'

And lastly, how completely and ridiculously odd is it that I fond that the single finest tune on all of "Holdin A Vibe" was a song which I knew of, but (obviously) had yet to pay a proper attention to. 'Rise' is FIRE!

"Yah cyan enter Zion if yah heart, it no clean
IF YAH HAND DEM FILTHY, YUH FOOT CYAH GET IN!"

What?! The song was the BITE that I would have been calling for in the event of its absence. It is here, however, if you, like me originally heard it and thought it nothing special, have another, VERY INTENSE, listen my friends (even notice how the riddim, beautifully continues running after the final vocals).

Overall, it's a winner and I had no doubts that it would be - Even two or three years back. Also, after digging into the album for the sake of this review, I'm wondering if it isn't a pretty PERFECT time to release this album. There aren't a great deal of big named Reggae albums which are completely new at this point, but there are enough on the horizon (Warrior King, I Wayne etc.) to maybe draw an early interest in it from early arriving more casual fans who are likely to come across the nice cover. What they'll find, assuming that they're smart enough to have a listen is one of the year's best SOUNDING Reggae albums to date. The sonics on "Holdin A Vibe", in every respect, are just fantastic and all of that goes back to my initial point of Jah Nyne being so well capable of a PRESENTATION of his music. His vocals are clear, his lyrics are to the point and it's really easy to grasp his concepts (even for an over-thinker such as myself). He's also, clearly, every bit as talented as I thought and it's never been more obvious after thoroughly enjoying his debut set. Well done.

Rated: 4.25/5
Goldcup Records
2011
CD [I THINK] + Digital
Jah Nyne @ Facebook

Review #329