'Funky Comfort': A Review of "What About Love" by Sara Lugo

Do you ever just get that feeling? After you pry your collective minds from the gutters in which they certainly now reside, the feeling that I'm referring to arrives when you find yourself in the presence of someone or something which, for one reason or another, just seems to 'click' with you. Be it the strange way people talk after going on a first date with someone they think they really like, seeing a movie or buying a new car, when you get THAT feeling, you know good things are on the way. Of course, this also applies to music (thankfully, otherwise this may all not make sense) (and it still might not anyway) and when you can actually HEAR those vibes, it's just something so special about that, that it's almost indescribable - but surely I'm going to try anyway. When it happens to me, YOU, my wonderful readers, are going to hear about it and hear about it to no end, because I make it a personal task of myself to make aware any and every one who may stop here and skim through anything that this artist, this album, this producer, this riddim, this WHATEVER at that time, is doing damage for me! For example, coincidentally it was an album released in March of last year by the name of "Long Journey" which would have me singing its praises for the remaining nine and a half months of the year, before ultimately declaring it The Best Reggae Album of 2010. And while many didn’t receive that album in the same way I did or on the same level, for me, it was spectacular. The prevailing vibe of that project was so strong that every time you really began to tune into it, and this is still the case, it offered the listener something new in the way of a message or some other little wonderful aspect which you didn’t focus on previously. One of the most interesting developments to occur along that journey was a certain 'stop' made along the way which introduced us to a seriously and most curiously talented new acquaintance of its director, The Great Naptali, by the name of Sara Lugo. If you are even a casual observer of mine and you didn’t know who Sara Lugo was a year ago, then you undoubtedly do now because, essentially, I've been speaking highly of her and her music for a year. But, if all of that went completely over your head, the young singer has just made a move which will ensure that I’ll have company on that, and in a major way, in 2011.

Sara Lugo EP 2009

So what’s the big deal about Sara Lugo? There are many. First of all, the German based songstress (who is half Puerto Rican) specializes in a very unique brand of Reggae which is just nice and serene and laid-back that you almost picture her singing her songs in a hammock. And I'll dive into this more in just a bit, but despite the fact that she rarely seems 'agitated' in making her music, she has a near master's level ability to convey EMOTION without stretching herself to any degree (and that’s a fairly recent point that I've come to appreciate in her talents - It's somewhat reminiscent (although on a COMPLETELY different level) of what Natural Black is able to do when at his best - expressing a wide array of feelings without changing his style or pacing very much). The result is a musical style which is absolute audio candy and that’s even before you get into what she’s saying and the messages in her music. Lugo's music gives me "that feeling". It is absolutely beautiful as she almost seems to combine elements of Jazz (more on that in a bit) and all the 'aesthetical' brilliance which I appreciate in something like Zouk music and place them into the confines of Reggae. And I'm not the only one who believes so as she has become one of the more actively recording European artists that I follow over the course of the past eight months or so, working with some of the biggest European labels (including Pow Pow) and I’ve yet to hear a tune from her which I haven’t enjoyed and enjoyed on a large scale (any day now with the Gentleman combination Sara Lugo).

Meet Sara Lugo

So, apparently I wasn’t the only one dazzled by her unique abilities and that leads us to the point where . . . I mean . . . what about an album??? "What About Love" becomes one of the most anticipated sets in the brief history of this blog and probably one of the most significant debuts from a European Reggae artist in quite some time. The album is helmed by Sara Lugo’s ‘main’ producer and someone who, as I’ve come to find out recently, is very well respected, Umberto Echo (who, incidentally, released his own album last year, a Dub set, by the name of "Dub The World" which remarkably features Dubbed out efforts from the likes of the aforementioned Gentleman and Naptali, as well as Steel Pulse, Buju Banton, Jr. Gong, Sly & Robbie and others) (so check that out, it’s not too hard to find). Also attaching their names to this project are Soulfire Artists and the same Oneness Records who released the previously mentioned "Long Journey" album. It should also be mentioned that in 2009 Sara Lugo (with Echo and Oneness Records) gave a bit of a test-run with the release of a self titled EP which they didn’t wipe out and is still available and is fairly crucial because it contained (kind of) two tracks (one of which, 'Mother & Child' is unlikely to be found anywhere else to my knowledge) which are not on the full album. So, with all the intangibles having been managed and my fascination (and hopefully, yours also) having been well flamed, the only remaining question of value is whether or not Sara Lugo can continue to deliver on her full and formal introduction to the world. It doesn't prove to be a great uncertainty, however, as it becomes immediately apparent that she is more than prepared to do just that.

Last year we met an artist by the name of Toussaint who introduced the world to his 'Soul Roots' which was this sort of wonderfully constructed, but organic, amalgam of Reggae and more traditional Soul music and while, ostensibly, Sara Lugo does the same thing with Jazz, her style, at least to me, is even a bit more different (shockingly!) (sarcasm). With the exception of one song on the album, her music is very much Reggae-centric - She is a Reggae-Jazz singer and that's so even when she's singing something outside of the traditional scope of the music, because her main and NATURAL style is one which is clearly bathed, rinsed and repeated in Reggae music. So, while you may listen to the album superficially and take from it the sense of it being a project with 'mainstream' aspirations and it may very well be, even when it does go in that direction, it doesn’t go too far. I don’t think she could FULLY step outside of Reggae music even if she tried (although if someone wanted to send her . . . Oh I don’t know the Leggo Meh Riddim, for example, or some random Jab Jab set, just to see what might happen, I'd be more than willing to listen). So the initial and surface concern that most of Sara Lugo's fans, who’re likely to be Reggae fans, won’t be able to appreciate to fully appreciate the album, in my opinion, is unfounded.

"What About Love" - Album Snippet

Something which clearly does have a definitive anchor is 'What Happened' the first song from Sara Lugo's LOVELY new album, "What About Love" (an album which deliciously contains EIGHT (and a half) songs which I‘ve never heard before). In essence, this is the title track for the album and it features the singer outlining what I feel is the prevailing message for her music on this album.

“What happened to the people?
And what, happened to the love?
Everyday we’re growing colder
And we just can’t - Just can’t get enough”

The song is a social commentary with spiritual overtones and the Jazzy piece is probably one of the best written tunes that I’ve ever heard her do. It’s also one of the best tunes on the album, altogether, and an excellent start. Next we have a tune which is, arguably, even stronger, the GORGEOUS 'Maybe'. The riddim on this track is absolutely stunning (and hopefully someone slaps a name on it and passes it around, if they haven't already) and someone was smart enough to just let it play as an instrumental for the final forty-five seconds or so of the tune. For her part, Sara Lugo seems to tap out her voice to its most beautiful fullest with some of the best vocals I’ve ever heard her do and she also does so with somewhat of an 'interactive' background as someone, probably Jahcoustix (another impressive young German artist to keep an eye on), chips in from behind the scenes on a tune which I wouldn’t be too quick to categorize as simply a ’love song’ because, at least in my overactive brain, it has a greater reach than just that. My choice of the album’s second best tune altogether is in next in the form of a song I had been anticipating spinning from the first time I saw the album’s tracklist, the INTELLIGENT 'Soul Chaos'. Where do I start? Okay, what I take away from the message of this big tune (another very Jazzy offering) is that she’s attempting to convey a sense of personal conflict and confusion and basically losing one’s place in the world and becoming stagnant. Now, when you go back to what I mentioned before - Her ability to push EMOTION in her music - Although the tune isn’t differently sang than many others on the album, it does have more of a discernible edge to it in my opinion. Still, the tune pinnacles at a lyrical point:

“Infatuation rules the nation
In the blink of an eye, you’re in the sky
Like Lucy with her diamonds, so many times
Searching for your soul-purpose and asking the why’s”

Surely Sara Lugo must've realized the power of the brilliant double-meaning of the spoken "soul-purpose" (as it's written in the album’s liner notes) when she wrote it. It can be taken as "soul-purpose" in the place of the more terrestrial 'sole-purpose' which takes us in a slightly different direction. You'll forgive me if I‘m the only one thinking in such detail, but I love this song (and I’m a nerd).

'They Know Not Love' featuring Lutan Fyah

Of the remaining five (and a half) songs on "What About Love" which are new to me, my eyes were most focused on the album’s first of two official combinations, 'They Know Not Love' which just so happens to feature the lyrical wizard that is Lutan Fyah. The Fyah also joined Naptali (more on him in a second) on his album so while his presence on this project wasn’t a total shock, it was a DAMN good occurrence as two of my own personal favourites link up to create a big tune. Like the opener, the tune builds on the concept present in the album’s title (and is at least similar, conceptually and lyrically to the MASSIVE 'Bombs of Love' tune, Lugo's cut of Pow Pow's recent Everlasting Riddim). Another pretty good and unsurprising piece as that these two make a very fine duo and the tune is an actual combination, apparently it was recorded with the two together and the two obviously vibed well to the tune of making one of the finest songs you’ll here hear.

“Tell me what’s the real reason -
For the looting, and the shooting and the killing
Everyday, mi see peer blood spilling
Hey, tell me what are they fighting for
Innocent dying everyday in the streets
Youths caught in the crime while the guilty walk free
Dis yah betta know: Dem no care bout you nor me
To be poor is a crime
What a penalty”

-Lutan Fyah from 'They Know Not Love'

The tune which precedes 'They Know Not Love' on the album, 'Nothing To Worry', is just all around impressive. Sonically speaking, it is exceptional and when you mix into the vibes that the tune is about as infectious of a praising tune to the almighty that you'll hear recently, you have a real winner there and maybe a future single as well. HUGE tune. Later on we get the funky 'One Of These Days' which is another social commentary in somewhat of a gloomy vibes. Here we also hear Lugo rapping on the second verse and she manages quite well. This is a song for which I’ll tell you to spend a bit more time on to really take in. It’s kind of complex, but in the midst of it is a very nice track. The same cannot be said, however, for the album’s final effort, the DELIGHTFULLY SAD 'If Tears'. Apparently the song is a tribute to Sara Lugo's Grandfather who has transitioned and if you take the exact same song, riddim and melody and all, and just plug in new lyrics about pretty much anything - It's a completely different tune and we're speaking of it in different terms. I’m someone who, respectfully, has always made it a point to celebrate someone in their deaths and although I'm generally in the small and ever-shrinking minority, perhaps Lugo, at least partially, applies to the same train of thought because this is no sad song, an emotional one, but not just SAD and wherever Sara Lugo's Grandfather is, I'm sure he loves this song and is playing it right now. And finally (not really) is the tune I alluded to which is the one to actually fall outside of the arena of Reggae music, 'Locked Away'. It’s a traditional R&B song and while I may not list it amongst my top favourites on "What About Love", it’s not bad at all and it’s very catchy (so catchy, in fact, that I‘m SERIOUSLY considering going back in time, five seconds ago and actually calling it one of my favourites). Even this song should be able to be appreciated by Reggae heads as, like I said, even it isn’t such a far leap in term of being outside of the genre, nor is it a big musical leap for the singer in terms of stretching her own style, at all (still listening and liking it even more).

'Rock Steady'

While you could probably come up with a pretty fat EP full of songs that Lugo and Echo didn't choose to include on "What About Love", they did sprinkle in three (and a half) very familiar tunes, one of which is my choice as the best she’s ever done. Most interesting, however, might be (the "half") 'Familiar Stranger' which appears in an acoustic version on the album. The tune originally appeared on Oneness’ still increasingly lovely Soul Riddim (and Sara Lugo's EP) and while it sounds different here, it may even pick up a bit of steam with a beautiful new coat of paint on this set. There’s also 'And They Cry', the combination with Naptali. I’ve reviewed this tune at least twice, so I'll keep it brief here - The song is excellent, these two above any other pair I’ve ever heard Lugo (or Naptali, for that matter) apart of, just meld together so nicely with their equally laid back approaches. There’s also the foot-tapping and head-rocking 'Rock Steady' which is about as close to a 'dance song' as you’ll hear on the album (should you want to hear such a tune which is more uptempo, check 'Wine Now' alongside another Achis Reggae favourite, Cali P) and is kind of a veiled love song. If you’ve never heard it, you’ll probably be too busy enjoying it to focus on what’s actually being said, but you can come back, it's not going anywhere. And finally (I mean it this time) is my absolute favourite tune on the album and my favourite song from Sara Lugo's entire catalog, the DOMINANT 'Part Of My Life'. The song comes through over the Design Riddim from some label that I forget the name of but am looking up now . . . Greenyard Records from out of France. This one combines everything she does well and builds on it, making it an all around GEM of a song. Perhaps it also manages to sum up things even better than I can as, presumably, this album is about to make her quite a few new fans and she fittingly says now, having conquered your affections:

“You’re a part of my life
I’m a part of yours
We are Brother and Sister
That’s sure, that’s sure, that’s sure”

The song is just about bringing people together and doing so in more of a personal way, but it also has very broad connotations as well which clearly makes it even more relatable to people such as you and I. And it's a beautiful thing - Seriously, if you don't like this song, LEAVE. Leave and never come back. Ever.

I also feel inclined to mention just how nice it is and how Sara Lugo's career, in a sense, is a testament to the power of this wonderful music. As I've said in the past (I think), she certainly isn't someone at whom you'd look as being a singer of any type and much less a Reggae singer. It just doesn’t make very much sense on the surface, but the fact that this music, in particular, sought her out and brought her to the likes of you and I is just so profound and such a wonderful piece of evidence to the power of music in general, but Reggae music specifically and I really hope both she and her album do very well (and they both shall).

Sara Lugo

Overall, yeah, I knew a year that I’d like this album and to no small degree either - It's outstandingly done. As I said, I think Sara Lugo's talents are more Reggae-specific, but clearly this is one which is going to touch more ears than those attached to the heads of Reggae fans and because of that, I would well recommend this to someone as their very first Reggae album. Again, Lugo's music seems very natural to her and nothing she does, regardless of its musical direction, appears to be forced in any kind of way, which is rare for an album having 'mainstream' hopes. At its core "What About Love" is a delightful and poignant trip through the mind of an artist who I knew had the ability to bring such a project and even more. Here is the ground floor of someone who could literally be dazzling fans for decades. So, to the rest of you: Meet Sara Lugo. Oh . . . And I told you so! Excellent.

Rated: 4.50/5
Soulfire Artists/Oneness Records
2011
CD + Digital
Sara Lugo

{Note: Check out her cool site which is linked above and over there >}
{Note 2: Apparently the iTunes version of the album has a remixed version of 'Maybe' on it as well}

Completely Random Thoughts 30: It's Sara Lugo!

Earlier this week we received two packages from the disgustingly newly in love Bredz who . . . Yeah, it's nauseating. It really is. But big him up still. One of them contained something which was complete rubbish. I mean it was AWFUL (I did like one song, however) and two other nice things (biggup Demario) and the other only had a single item, but it's one which IMMEDIATELY cleared its own space on my players. It's the debut album from Achis Reggae favourite, Sara Lugo, "What About Love". And look! She even signed it!

If you can't read it (time for new glasses), it says:

Achis!
big up yourself . . .
and enjoy the music!

One love
Sara

I have a signed album from Sara Lugo! WHAT! She distinctly pointed out, it in a great detail, that she wanted me to "enjoy" the music and certainly I have. How much have I enjoyed it???

I'll tell you tomorrow.

{Note: Don't tell me how bad these pictures are. I don't care, I took them with my Wife's video . . . thing}
{Note 2: Please don't tell my Wife because I forgot to put it back}
{Note 3: Thank You}

April Artist of The Month: Shalli

Shalli

Hopefully you were paying attention yesterday when I told you about a delightful and sweet voiced singer who guests on the tune, 'Just Wanna Fly' on Tiwony's expectedly impressive new album, "Cité Soleil", by the name of Shalli. Often you’ll see artists who feature on albums and because you may not make too much of their talents or because you cannot find anything more in the way of information on them, your listening experience to them, essentially, begins and ends then and there. I’m thankful, however, that when I hear a pretty voice, I usually followup and having heard Shalli's incredibly pretty voice previously just a bit, I had every bit of persuasion and impetus I needed to go forward and learn even more and surely, I won't be the only one.

While Canada is a country which has one of the largest populations of Caribbean immigrants in the entire world and it is a very popular stop for some of the biggest names in Reggae and Soca, the country isn't exactly known as being a breeding ground for artists, itself. However, with names such as Tanya Mullings, Steele and others over the years, it has made a relatively nice impact on the music and should the greater world get a taste of Shalli in a big dosage, they'll make an even greater one. Shalli's voice is absolutely stunning and the Canadian native (daughter to Jamaican & Dominican parents), billed as "The Princess of Island Pop", has already reportedly made quite the dent on the Caribbean music exported from Canada. A quick look through digital releases would reveal her activity to have been quite high over the past couple of years with singles such as 'Show My Love', 'Shalli Sings' (and a couple of remixes) and 'All About Love' (all through Planet Rock Music). Also, unsurprisingly dealing with Tiwony, fans can also find tunes with songstress working in both French and Spanish (and we also stumbled upon a COOL remix of one of them 'Je Te Donne L'Amour' which features none other than . . . Tiwony returning the favour.

Shalli singles - 'Show My Love', 'Shalli Sings', 'All About Love' & 'Shalli Sings' [Remix] - All digitally available now

Shalli also has a very interesting brief history which involves her having performed extensively on the club scenes in some of the most remote corners of the planet including, but not limited to countries throughout the Afrikan continent as well as Asia and she’s also opened for some really big names in the music. Her own vibes, while clearly having Caribbean roots, are fairly 'wide-open' and she incorporates elements of traditional Pop, R&B and even a little Jazz, to my ears. On one of her biggest hits to date, 'Shalli Sings' (which also seems to be a nickname for the singer), is basically a sung spicy Reggae-fied Hip-Hop track (and an impressive one in statement of her arrival on the scene) on the KNOCKING Cussfix Riddim.

'Shalli Sings'

The selfish fan in me envisions Shalli going all Iwer George on the people and moving to Dominica full-time and becoming a Zouk singer (can you imagine!), but with her range - While she may not ultimately take that route (and she won't) - certainly doing a little Zouk doesn’t seem far off. Currently the singer can be found riding high with 'Feeling Inside', her cut of Madd Spider's Island Breeze Riddim. Her tune was one of the best efforts on a piece which also featured the likes of Sizzla Kalonji, Buju Banton, Wayne Wonder, [General] Degree, Gappy Ranks and others.

'Feeling Inside' Digital Single - Available Now

'Feeling Inside'

So definitely keep an eye and an ear out for the future works of the incredibly talented Shalli, an artist who has already made quite a significant contribution to this wonderful music and only figures to continue to make more and more.

Shalli Sings
Shalli @ Twitter
Shalli @ Myspace

{Note: Shalli probably has the HEAVIEST and most adorable speaking Canadian accent I've ever heard on a person of Afrikan descent}
{Note 2: Shalli . . . Yep. She's a CUTIE!}

'Sun Light': A Review of "Cité Soleil" by Tiwony

Damn I love surprises. Late last year I compiled a list by the name of "Most Wanted", which was a group of artists who I felt it would be really nice to hear from in the form of album releases in 2011, if it were all up to me. That list wasn’t merely a group of my favourite artists - It was a group of favourites of varying levels who I though that, through rumours in some cases or through a ‘sufficient’ passage of time in others ("sufficient" in my opinion, of course), were simply DUE to have albums this year - And I would’ve definitely appreciated it. Well, with the first third of the year now a thing of the past, my ‘wish list’ has been pretty well confirmed as one artist on the list, Ziggi Recado [#7], has delivered an album (the very impressive "Ziggi Recado") another name, Sara Lugo [#3] is set to release her debut set later this week, meanwhile, Saïk [#8], is apparently loaded and ready to go later this year with an album of his own in October. When you take all of that and combine it with the other nice things we’ve received this year, I can honestly say that, looking back and looking slightly ahead, 2011 has been an EXCELLENT year for Reggae album releases. As far as people who were fairly well known and didn’t make the list but have ‘chosen’ to make nice appearances this year, I’m definitely so pleased that we heard from someone like Danny I, whose "To His Majesty" set has still well carved out a place on my players. There was also the Uprising Roots band, with "Skyfiya", for which a mighty argument could be made as being THE best album of the year thus far and just yesterday Lion D brought forth his latest project as well. NOW, with all of that being said, I have to say that the single greatest bit of joy [mixed in with a tiny bit of shock] that I’ve received from noticing that a project was forthcoming was nearly two months ago when I saw that we were currently awaiting the third solo release from the DOMINANT Tiwony. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was because, despite the fact that he didn’t have an official album release last year, 2010 was definitely a big one for the chanter from out of Guadeloupe. He released more than one big single (including one which I’m going to tell you about shortly) and just experienced a general rise in profile. This was all following his OUTSTANDING album from 2009, "Viv La Vi", after which, I didn’t think we’d be hearing from him, in that form for at least three more years - Sometimes I love being wrong.

Why, exactly, was it such a festive moment for me to see that Tiwony had new material coming? As I’ve (hopefully) said in the past, Tiwony is simply one of the most talented artists that we have in Reggae music today. While he was missing on my previously mentioned list, he definitely secured a spot on a list of My Favourites in 2009 and, nearly two years own, he may even rank higher on such a list these days. Tiwony’s music is just SERIOUS! He always seems to bring something heavy and very well planned and thought out, so with the mere experience of vibing his music - It is surely something which takes a bit of commitment on the part of the listener. Also, I should well mention that Tiwony always seems to rhyme with . . . The proverbial ‘chip on his shoulder’. It’s not that he’s frantic or really angry, but there seems to be this kind of outward reaching confidence which seems to say that, ‘I have a point to make and you’re going to listen to it’, but at the same time he manages to remain humble. All of that results in an artist who, at his best, can be absolutely devastating and had you told me, at the beginning of the year, that he was bring us an album this year, very rare in even rarer company is the name for whom I would have been MORE excited to hear that about than Tiwony.

"Fly" - 2007

Enter the Sun City. Said album has now arrived in the form of "Cité Soleil" and, given his raised stature in the music that I alluded to previously, I’m hoping that THIS is the album to take Tiwony to an even greater audience and introduce them to one of the most powerful voices that our music has ever had. If it does attract that ‘next level’ type of attention, when those new ears come, what they’ll hear is a version of the chanter who seems to be more at ease and at peace than on both previous releases, the aforementioned "Viv La Vi" as well his debut, "Fly". This album is more laid back and less ‘agitated’, ostensibly than the previous two and while I found that a little disappointing on my first listen through (I, of course, came looking for the FIRE from Tiwony, but the fire was there, it was just in a bit more subtle type of a blaze), after vibing this album maybe three or four times, it kind of begins unravel, in terms of the uniqueness of it, right in front of your ears. So, clearly this is one which is going to be more appreciated by the more conditioned and initiated listeners - Those coming for the musical marathon and not so much of the musical sprint. And actually, for those types (of whom I am) (at least in my mind), if you are someone coming back to Tiwony’s music, what you’ll find is that "Cité Soleil" is not an album which is that far of a musical leap from the previous two releases, and in several ways, it’s a step forward over them both, which is . . . Ridiculous when you consider not only how ruggedly proficient he’s been, but also the fact that it was only 2009 when we last heard from him. Could he possibly have improved noticeably, in any way, in less than twenty-four months? It’s unlikely. What is more probable, however, is that this album just places Tiwony in a situation to show things which he hasn’t to this extent previously. Such as??? Let’s take a look.

"Viv La Vi" - 2009

Before we even got into the music, something stood out about this album initially. If you recall, the "Viv La Vi" album was billed as being from “Tiwony & Bredrens” and, subsequently and unsurprisingly, it had NINE combinations amongst its twenty tracks. While a strictly “Tiwony” release, this album also has NINE combinations and with two less tracks, in full, exactly half of it is combination tunes and judging from an interview I recently read of the artist, it isn’t a practice which he seems prepared to drop any time soon. With results like the previous album and his BIG new album, "Cité Soleil" from Blackwarell, that shouldn’t be a problem with most listeners and here, Tiwony links with some BIG and VERY INTERESTING names. In terms of all things current, the likely biggest piece (on paper) here is 'Love Gives You Wings', which happens to feature both Reggae stars Gyptian and Anthony B on the same track (!). Despite the very typical title, the tune quickly ascends into an absolutely lovely vibes and while I haven’t been too much of a fan of his as of late, following the release of his recent album, ”Rasta Love” (speaking of very typical titles), I do have to give credit where it’s due because Anthony B steals the show on the track and all three do well. Making an even greater impact is the legendary Winston McAnuff who joins in on the sublimely hard-hitting 'Tout N’est Pas Rose'. McAnuff’s voice sounds PERFECT on this track which is, essentially, a social commentary, but one of a grand and somewhat complex order. This is definitely one of my favourite tunes on the album and I’d suspect that, given the opportunity, it’ll be a future hit as well. And speaking of potential future hits, the very last track on the album (which is apparently hidden after the last track and is, thus, untitled) features a BIG row of artists on the same track. The tune, which is untitled, is probably called 'Stronger' and it features Turbulence, Kananga and Straïka D! Apparently Tiwony has been doing quite a bit of touring with Turbulence and I knew that going in so this link wasn’t so much of a shock, but the quartet comes strike gold with this MIGHTY tune. It almost goes in the direction of Drum & Bass at times which seems to fit all four artists completely, as they all serve up impressive bits on the inspirational tune which is not to be missed (Kananga is fire!).

Hopefully you’ll remember the name Speedy who is a label mate of Tiwony’s and featured on a pair of tracks on the "Viv La Vi" album. Unsurprisingly the singer has returned for ”Cité Soleil” on a cool and ’moody’ tune, 'Pas Même Un Adieu'. This one took a minute to grow on me and you’ll hear why as soon as you hear it, so spend a bit more time on it before passing your final judgment. Popular Zouk singer Medhy Custos (who has simply one of the coolest names in the world) checks in on 'Street Life' and, again, we have a tune with a ‘standard’ title which turns out to be pretty damn strong (especially later as Tiwony gets LOOSE and Custos does the same with his voice). 'Just Wanna Fly' is another of my favourite tunes on the album and it just so happens to feature an artist in Shalli who I don’t want to talk much of, but if you come back tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to her properly. Still, the tune is just GORGEOUS and it’s not the first time the two have linked. Apparently they’ve created a very nice bit of chemistry which is crystal clear ALL OVER this almost Zouk-like effort.

'African Whine' w/Da Brains

Before "Cité Soleil" hit shelves, it had already produced two winners and both of them are also combination tunes (told you there were a lot of them). The first to appear on the album is chaotically infectious 'Africa Whine' which features Tiwony alongside Senegalese Hip-Hop group, Da Brains. MAD! The intensity on this tune is almost Soca-ish, as if they were distinctly trying to create some dance, but what they managed to do, instead was to produce this tune which definitely has a bit of veiled poignancy to it as we’re really supposed to be thinking of something to unify all of Afrika and all of Afrika with the rest of the world as well (more on that in later). The ever increasingly popular Konshens guests on the song, which was the first that I heard which ended up being present on this album, 'Neva Give Up'. This is another song which has grown considerably on my tastes (although over a longer period of time here) and it’s now to the point where I think that it may be one of the better tunes from the respective catalogs of BOTH artists. It’s just so well done and it proved to be a nice sized hit for both as it went through. Still, one can be well assured that the most meaningful of all the links on the album for Tiwony - the most ‘special’, if you will - is 'So Special' which features veteran musician Vicky Edimo. When I first actually sat down and read Tiwony’s bio, it made a mention that he was the son of a musician from out of Cameroun - Vicky Edimo. And to my knowledge, it’s the very first time the two have linked professionally like such. If you were waiting for it, it was worth the wait as Father & Son come together and, fittingly, make a mighty song aimed at uplifting the family unit.

'Neva Give Up' w/Konshens

Yes! Those are the combinations on "Cité Soleil" (I told you there were a lot of them) (I still hope someone can put together a Tiwony/Bunji Garlin tune, however). There’re some really big tunes in there (most of them are “big”, actually), but a great deal of the actual class of the album, including its TOP moment, comes with Tiwony going alone. That distinction, in my opinion, doesn’t go to the album’s opener, 'Mon Continent' but this sprawlingly beautiful offering certainly isn’t far from it. The tune is another which speaks on unity in the world, and specifically Afrikan unity and, as we’ll see in just a second, it is this type of ideology which gives this album its biggest star of a tune (oh and the riddim on ‘Mon Continent‘ is sparkling!). Certainly we should mention 'Africa Is Calling' here which is a tune which brings a bit more of the FORCE from the chanter on a much more uptempo type of vibes. This is kind of snarled-face rugged Dancehall and on that vibes, it’s the second best song of its kind after - 'Guerrier'. HEAVY! Although the tune falls kind of in the realm of Hip-Hop which isn’t my favourite thing, you cannot look over a truly DOMINANT lyrical and vocal display by Tiwony as the WARRIOR on the vibes (biggup Little Guerrier). Tiwony also turns the intensity up on 'Ils Veulent Faya' to, again, an almost Soca-like degree. This is just another very fun tune like 'Africa Whine' and you could very well make the argument that it is the stronger of the two even (I think I still may favour 'Africa Whine' by the slightest of margins) (and you listen to this song and tell me Bunji Garlin joining in wouldn’t be MADNESS!). It also stands as a very fun demonstration of Tiwony’s extraordinary skillset.

'L'Union Fait La Force'

As for the remaining six songs on the album - They’re all pretty SPECIAL songs. The best of them is also the album’s best, the MASSIVE 'L'Union Fait La Force'. TEARS! Another unity anthem, this one takes it to another division of quality as it goes about setting itself apart from the rest of the album in that respect. Unbeknownst to me the song is also (apparently) the latest single from "Cité Soleil" and it’s very easy to see why. Something else - With about a minute remaining in the tune it switches from the STERLING Roots Reggae gem that it is into a full on Nyahbinghi chant. This one is no average song, it is a musical experience and one of the greatest from an artist who has already supplied us with so many. MAMMOTH! Not far from that (although clearly) is 'Ca Court Après' which is a HUGE praising track for the album. This one catches a powerful meditation type of vibes and, as it you get near the middle of the track, already TRYING really hard to follow along, you literally get LOST in the lyrics as Tiwony kind of melds his voice into the riddim. And then there’s the piece of madness which is 'Y Cho'. When the song begins it almost sounds as if it’s going to hit some version of the [Throwback] Giggy Riddim, but it quickly stops and goes in a wide variety of directions. It’s Soca, it’s traditional Kreyol music, it’s Reggae, it’s Dancehall, it’s a musical kaleidoscope of a song which pinnacles when the drums REALLY kick in.

Vicky Edimo - Tiwony's Father

And finally, I mention three tunes which have a bit in common, 'Rayon De Soleil', the title track and 'Pitit Toussaint' Tiwony has reportedly spent a great deal of his time doing and attempting to do charitable work for Haiti, following the tragedy there last year. The Cité Soleil is actually a very poor city in Haiti and obviously the final song is a tribute to the hard lucked island and its great hero Toussaint L’Ouverture, while the first of these three is simply a GORGEOUS song and one of the album’s best on an album full of “bests”.

Overall, as does tend to happen when I write such expansive pieces on particular albums, I do enjoy this one just a bit more than I did when I began to write about it. It’s even more colourful and vibrant than I had eventually planned on saying. I still wouldn’t necessarily go as far as to say that it’s as BRIGHT as the previous two albums (and I mean that in terms of the sound being more energetic and electric), but as I said, this is a project whose power comes more in the lyrics and in the subtleties of it. The version of Tiwony heard on "Cité Soleil" seems to be a more focused version and while I previously referred to him as seeming to have a ’chip on his shoulder’, this is a focused man on a mission! He has a great deal to say and that comes through in droves on the album. Is it his best work to date??? I don’t know if I can go that far just yet, but as 2011 continues along, I’m just SO happy the man gave me the opportunity to even ponder the question. Very, very well done.

Rated: 4.50/5
Blackwarell Sound Inc.
2011
CD + Digital
Tiwony @ Myspace
Tiwony @ Facebook
Tiwony @ Twitter

Big Tunes #53

WONDERFUL! That very strange week is dead and gone and it's Sunday (actually it's Saturday evening) which means Big Tunes. . . . Yeah! That's really all I have to say right now. Big week next week however - And we're nearing 800 posts. Good for us. This week we have three familiar names of varying degrees who all do quite well, even though we had to help one along a bit because we were lazy.

Okay! First we have our good friend Susan who sent us a song by Sizzla which we (and by "we", of course I mean Bredz) were supposed to upload somewhere, but Bredz (who 'officially' has a new girlfriend, so big him up) didn't do it and I . . . Yep. So, we'll get to her tune in a couple of weeks (no Big Tunes next week) (got stuff to do), so instead here's something I'm sure she'd support in one way or another. It's still Sizzla with 'Children Crying' on the Target Riddim from John John - Which, coincidentally, has been recently released as a digital compilation (also on board is Buju, Kartel and Capleton) (I want to say the riddim is from 2007-2008???) (and Ele was also on it). Pretty nice tune actually and biggup Susan [Hey Susan!].

Next we have Ben, continuing his streak of tunes from last week (and I may even put him on the next edition as well) and this week he strikes gold with simply one of the COOLEST songs of all time. Mikey Spice gives us 'Happy Hour'. If the man never sang another tune (and he did) (a lot of them), his legacy as a COOL singer would be secure from the power of this EXCELLENT tune. So biggup Ben, of course, and if you don't like this song feel free to forget how you got here.

And finally from my wonderful readers this week is the Queen of the VI, Deborah, who we haven't heard from in a minute [Hey Deborah!]. She actually did us a really nice thing because I didn't know this one even existed. Not only do we have the full new song from Tanya Mullings, 'Rescue Me' [produced by Dean Pond], but here's a video for it as well! Mullings (and her hips and ass) looks DAMN GOOD and the tune is LOVELY (and currently available as a digital single from Rymshot Productions and the magic workers at Zojak Worldwide). Deborah also left another very nice tune (which was actually for Big Tunes, this one she was just showing the video, but it fit here so wonderfully, I just had to) (and I just did a 'Video Drop' last week), so we should hear from her next time and biggup she and Callax every time.

As for me this week. Everything is nice and easy as I simultaneously look back and look ahead to next week. It's Achis Reggae favourite Tiwony alongside Profa with the HUGE 'Jah Is My Guide' from the "Viv La Vi" album.

• Two VERY LARGE reviews next week and one of them is from Tiwony. On the next - We drop bombs
• April's 'Artist of The Month' will be posted on Wednesday or Thursday
• Nothing planned for tomorrow