Discography: Ziggi Recado

It's been a little while, but today we once again take a look back at the existing catalog of an artist who has already made such an outstanding contribution to his era of Reggae music. The former Ziggi, now Ziggi Recado, made his official entry into the music back in 2006 (although it seems like so much longer ago) with Rock 'N Vibes and with that label he would produce three very memorable albums before heading out on his own recently. In that time, he would also become one of the most successful talents on the European scene and, whether you realized it or not, one of the most talented artists from anywhere in the world making Reggae music and his has been a career which has seen him recording with some of the genre's most skilled maestros as well and deservedly so. Today we examine Ziggi's music up to now as we anticipate the genius which is sure to come. Discography: Ziggi Recado

{Note: Normally we don't include EP's in these posts and although we did exclude one here, "Same Difference", we did include two others and with good reason} 

The music of Ziggi Recado

"So Much Reasons" [Rock 'N Vibes - 2006]

In transit. Although my title here would go on to be the title of Ziggi's sophomore effort, it was very much an applicable designation for his debut piece, "So Much Reasons", as well. For what it was and when it was, this album was pretty well regarded and although I didn't like it as much as most at the time, I will say that I probably enjoy it more today than I did at any point previously. The title applies because this record, largely, was very much not only more of a Dancehall and Hip-Hp oriented offering than the artist's subsequent work, but it was also a display of someone who was clearly still developing as an artist and not at the height of what would go on to be a truly monstrous talent. The results, as I said, were still enjoyable, a point largely driven by the MASSIVE 'All Obstacles' which was on this album, but only a 'small' (on an album which had 400 songs on it) sampling of what was to come. Elephant Man, Turbulence (on a remix of his hit 'Notorious') and others made appearances. 

"In Transit" [Rock 'N Vibes/Greensleeves Records - 2008]

Destination: Wicked. Remember all of that stuff I said in reference to the first album and Ziggi, at the time, being someone who had yet to reach his prime, essentially? Well you can feel free to forget all of that stuff at this point. A couple of years on from "So Much Reasons", Ziggi and RNV would return with "In Transit" which was a largely flawless album and an absolutely devastating display of what and who he had become. They also were not alone as, by that point, Ziggi had also attracted the attention of Greensleeves Records who would also come on board to deliver what would prove to be a massive album and a future classic in my opinion and one more Roots-inclined than its predecessor. Bonafide superstars in Gentleman, Ce'Cile, Anthony B and even Admiral T would make guest spots here in the midst of an album which, in my opinion, stands as one of the most 'attractive' predominately Roots sets of the modern era. There were other vibes well mixed in (as you might be able to come up with on an album featuring Gentleman and Anthony and then Ce'Cile and the basically overly-skilled Admiral T), which certainly helped its case, but between songs such as 'Shackles & Chains', 'Fight This Struggle', 'Need To Tell You This', 'Good Over Evil', 'A Better Way' and, certainly, 'Cry Murdah', the reigning highlight of this project, was one thrilling Roots album and one which remains Ziggi’s opus. 

"Ziggi Recado" [Rock 'N Vibes/VP Records - 2011]

A new day. After the "In Transit" record and before his next album release, three years later, Ziggi would become "Ziggi Recado" (presumably to further distinguish himself in the Ziggi[-y/ie] happy genre of Reggae) (good idea) and his new name (which I believe he would 'officially' debut on the "Same Difference" EP from the year before) would go on to become the title of his third LP which well fulfilled the lofty expectations set by its extraordinary most immediate predecessor. Looking back now, "Ziggi Recado" was an album which very much had a varied sound. Not as much as on the first album on this list, but it definitely did some genre-melding and while that typically isn't something I favour, I still can find very little to complain about from this project and I love the fact that it's go on to enjoy a very large amount of success in its year and a half or so of existence. It was sublime, so what it has done can come as to no surprise at all. Joining Ziggi were Tippa Irie & Omar Perry (on the same song) and "Ziggi Recado" would also feature 'All My Life', a winning combination alongside Reggae star, Etana ["if I lose you, I lose everything"], and 'This Year', the much anticipated linking of Ziggi with his RNV label mate, Maikal X. Big, big album. 

"Liberation" [Dredda Records - 2012] 

Rising. In case you weren't paying attention (and shame on you if you were not) Ziggi actually did produce a brand new studio album in 2012, in the form of "Liberation", which was a twelve-tracked project spread across two EP’s (which is why I chose to include it/them here), the original from a few months back and the recently released "2.0" - both via Dredda Records. Ziggi is someone who has consistently and constantly worked with a wide variety of labels (including, of course, Necessary Mayhem), but this was the first time he'd done a venture of this magnitude with anyone besides his longtime home, the well aforementioned Rock 'N Vibes, from whom he reportedly split last year. And while I'll never be the one to speak ill of that union, change can be good and if "Liberation" is any indication (and it is), the present and the future can be just as impressive as the past. While I did favour 2.0 here, the original definitely brought in its share of big tunes such as 'Rising', 'More Than Sometimes" and "Green Medicine", the second and third of which were vibed by Achis Reggae favourites, Oneness Records. For its part, 2.0 may just ultimately prove to the finest Reggae EP of anyone this year. Six big tunes punctuated a most interesting 2012 calendar year for Ziggi Recado which figures to continue get even more interesting moving into the coming years.  

Ziggi Recado