Coming Soon 43

Coming Soon
I Octane - "Crying To The Nation" [VP Records]

1. Rules of Life
2. Help I Please
3. Vanity Will Come
4. Nuh Love Inna Dem
5. Puff It
6. No More Violence
7. System A Beat Dem
8. Zion Awaits
9. L.O.V.E. Y.O.U.
10. Missing You featuring Agent Sasco
11. Once More
12. The Master's Plan
13. Lose A Friend
14. All We Need Is Love featuring Tarrus Riley
15. Crying To the Nation
16. Still Holding On
Bonus* Space for All of Us featuring Alborosie

First up this week is definitely a very big chunk of news as VP Records finally chose to do the obvious by snatching up the forthcoming and potentially HUGE debut album from one of the most significant talents to arrive in Reggae/Dancehall over the last couple of years, I Octane. While "Crying To The Nation" was originally set to drop last month, it gets a new treatment and cover and we'll have to wait three months more, but it might just figure to be worth it as it now lines up to be the first BIG project of 2012 (2011's 'Most Wanted' becomes 2012's most obvious). I cannot fucking wait to get my hands on this thing . . . And I won't have to because Bredz already sent it to me.

Potential Rating: 5/5???
Releases on January 31
CD + Digital

I Octane - "Straight From The Heart" (EP) [Destine Media]


'Blood A Go Run'

Call it a bit of a warning shot but nearly two months ahead of the release of his full debut album which I just told you about, I Octane is releasing yet another EP which seems to be his most involved to date. "Straight From The Heart", on its own is a pretty big deal - linking together six big new(er) tunes from a variety of different sets (including Stephen McGregor) (biggup reader Stephen) - but it is now amplified with the forthcoming album release. But here, he maybe looking at 'EP of The Year'.

Potential Rating: 4.75/5

Releases on December 6

Digital

Kassah - "Serious Times" [Microkosmo Music]

Biggup reader LeClaire for going to great lengths to get me to take a listen to the work of Kassah recently and I've done as he's suggested and done so at a pretty good time because he's also set to drop (I THINK) his own debut album, "Serious Times". If I got it correctly, Kassah is from France but has his roots in Gwada and when I dig into his music one thing is clear: He definitely loves the music. You'll hear slight familiar vibes in here - a lot of old things in particular - and Kassah attempts to make his own imprint. The clips sound pretty good surely, but I'm well looking forward to the finished product. Check it out.

Potential Rating: 4/5

Releases on December 5

CD (I THINK) + Digital

Phenomden - "Eiland" [Rootdown]

We just dealt with Phenomden recently as he guested on "Unstoppable", the new album from Cali P and here he comes with his own LP release, 'Eiland". Of course, I don't know what the hell he is saying on most of these tunes, but I was well happy to see The Scrucialists involved on the project (the back of this album cover has about five thousand different logos on it), which means that the audio experience should be top notch.

Releases on December 2

CD + Digital

{Cool cover}

The Buss No Gun Riddim [Angry Stuff Records]

People are pissed off which could only mean that Sista Rosta and co. at Angry Stuff Records are back at work with their latest release, the HARD Buss No Gun Riddim. Just like the last time we checked in with them, for the Flame of Life Riddim, Angry Stuff has once again linked together an outstandingly VARIED cast of vocalists. Turbulence headlines a group which also includes an INSPIRED (biggup Cali P) Kananga and Rosta herself (who I'm suddenly starting to realize is . . . kind of attractive and she was always WICKED), a very impressive Asna and a FLAMING Straïka D who (still owes the world an album from 2010) sets flame to everything in sight on the DESTRUCTIVE 'Sufferah'. Big riddim.

Potential Rating: 4/5

Releases on November 26

Digital

The Speaker Riddim [149 Records]


Speaker Riddim Mix

And finally coming soon this week is another nice effort from out of France as 149 Records jumps in with the STERLING Speaker Riddim which, also, has a very powerful mix of vocalists. This beautiful Roots creation backs names like Anthony Que, Achis Reggae favourites Ras Mac Bean and Mark Wonder, the fun Wild Life on one side and then Jah Jah Yute, the wicked John Blazz, Positiv Young Lion and others on the other. This is just TOP NOTCH and while I haven't had an in-depth spin yet, I wouldn't all be surprised to see this one ranking as one of the better riddim albums of 2011.

Potential Rating: 4.5/5

Releases Today (didn't feel like changing it)

Digital

In Stores Now

Bazil - "Stand Up Strong" [Tiger Records/Zojak Worldwide]

And we were just talking about him a week or so ago with the release of his single 'Dem Fallin' and apparently the full album is out now. Product of Achis Reggae favourite, Tiger Records (who has now had a pretty good year in releasing two albums - from Diana Rutherford and now this, respectively) (had a good 2010 also with the best song I heard that year), Bazil comes in with "Stand Up Strong". I've still not made up my mind of what I think of Bazil's music, but I will say that, at least on the surface, he's very entertaining. His delivery is unusual and original and, as you might expect, Sherkhan and co. at Tiger push him in a few different directions (he kind of sounds like Gentleman or NiyoRah at times) because not only can he manage, but he seems excel with the more he's able to do. Also, I'm almost completely sure that 'Critical Situation' is the best song on this album, but also looking forward to a few others (like 'What You Gonna Do' & 'Walk'). Beat me to it and pick up "Stand Up Strong" from Bazil - In stores now.

CD [I THINK] + Digital

The Intensity Riddim [Chimney Records]


'Get Crazy' by Bounty Killer

The Intensity Riddim is (NICE!) the latest creation from the ever-present Chimney Records and while it isn't the furious Soca-ish creation you might expect, what it is, is an excellent 'forward thinking' composition. It plays wonderfully behind a stellar group which is headed by Beenie Man, Ele, I Octane, Tarrus Riley and a few others (such as an impressing Iyara). HOWEVER, they're all left to sift through the ash after Bounty Killer absolutely TORCHES the Intensity with 'Get Crazy'.

Digital

The Punch Riddim [Good Good Productions]

Okay and Kiprich and Merciless are going to end up clashing at Sting and everyone knows it and here they make tunes about on the ultra-aggressive Punch Riddim. Kibaki & D'Angel also join in.

Digital

The Reverse Riddim [Seanizzle Records]


'Reverse Di Ting' by Beenie Man

Who knows why this took so long, but FINALLY reaching the digital side is The Reverse Riddim from a few years back, by Seanizzle. The main attraction here is the fact that the riddim carried one of the most original and just BEST Dancehall songs since the turn of the century, 'Reverse Di Ting' by Beenie Man, but it also featured big pieces from D'Angel, Busy Signal, Spotlight . . . and okay yeah, maybe it was thin after that (no "maybe" - it was), but who cares? Fun riddim.

Digital

'International Farmer' featuring B.U.B.Z. by Teomon [BP Recordz/OMON Music]

LASTLY (!) just wanted to mention someone who had an excellent idea as Teomon and B.U.B.Z. (I hate typing words like that with all the ....... every other letter) recreate ONE OF THE GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME, 'International Farmer' by the legendary Peter Broggs and do a GOOD job at it.

Digital