Bonded. You know that feeling that you get when you meet someone that you REALLY vibe with. You come into contact with a person and their line of thinking melds so perfectly with yours - there's a certain level of excitement that you get in thinking of the possibilities of what you two can do with one another, going forward. This can apply in just about any (hopefully positive) situation, be it in meeting a potential partner or even someone with whom you are going to be working... and you see where this is going. From the standpoint of strictly a fan looking forward to hearing great music, there're very few things more appealing than being able to observe such a relationship begin and develop. Examples are all over the place. If I were to tell you that, somewhere, there existed long lost recordings of Sizzla Kalonji made by Bobby Digital and you had even the slightest bit of knowledge of what that relationship has produced, you are interested. The argument could be made that together, Digital and Kalonji have come up with two of the greatest albums in the history of the genre (not to mention "Good Ways"). Clearly, they worked well together and got the absolute best out of one another, which just so happened to be some of the best music that anyone has ever heard. Sizzla would also find riches recording with 'homebase', Xterminator consistently (particularly early in his career), and we've also seen other very fruitful artist/producer relationships as well. Most fittingly, a very interesting one to look at would be Akae Beka & I Grade Records. Much like Kalonji, the notoriously [over]active Vaughn Benjamin recorded with a very large group of maestros but the chanter would register, consistently, with maybe three or four, with the work he did alongside IGR being some of the most obvious standouts (Fifth Son Records would also be in that discussion, in my opinion). Furthermore, while some of Akae Beka's albums would be out for a bit while being difficult to find and virtually un-promoted, the sets that came from I Grade Records were readily available and fans knew of their arrival weeks (if not more, on occasion) ahead of release date. We could also get into other links such as those between, of course, Anthony B and the once mighty Star Trail, back in da day, with Mark Wonder & Oneness being an extremely fine more current one as examples of duos who've made sweet music together... sorry, I could not resist.
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| 2005 |
I'm thinking it may just be time to add another pair of names to this list as, TECHNICALLY, we now have the third display of an extremely high level of proficiency. Literally twenty years ago, a label by the name of Lustre Kings Productions released an album by the name of "Time & Place" by an artist by the name of Lutan Fyah from a place by the name of Spanish Town. The album was fantastic. It was one of the best.... fifty or so that I've ever heard and has been declared a Modern Classic on these pages. Lutan Fyah had also worked with LKP from as far back as 2002 when he appeared on the oft-mentioned around these parts, "Culture Dem" compilation, and he would also be present on both the second and third installments of "Culture Dem" in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Want more?? In 2008, LKP released "Know The Road", a very nice album from Norris Man which contained 'Nah Pollute Your Faith', an excellent combination featuring Lutan Fyah ["All dem bad vibes - leave it alone. ONLY A CLEAN HEART TAKE YOU TO MOUNT ZION ZONE"]; and I could keep going but I have two more of these to do but, just in case you're interested, in 2015, the Fyah would also pop up on 'Cold War' a tune on the LKP released "Order Of Distinction" by Jahdan Blakkamoore (which I should probably do a vault review of sometime this year). Another label, Zion High Productions, was also involved in the production of "Time & Place" (I have the disc, it's sitting right next to me. Their logo is on the back cover) and, since then, Lutan Fyah has also worked on a considerable amount of their output as well. Including, but not limited to, "Jah Golden Throne", a WONDERFUL compilation from ZHP in 2012 and "Therapeutic", two years on, an overlooked but WICKED album from Ziggi Recado (his appearance there, 'Guide Ova', was MAMMOTH). So he's had a very long and distinguished history of recording with the "Zion" and the "Kings", has Lutan Fyah.
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| 2017 |
He's also got the "I" covered as well. As far as I can tell (which means I'm completely wrong) one of the first times the aforementioned I Grade Records directly crossed paths with Lutan Fyah was on what may just be THE single greatest compilation that I've ever heard, 2009's "Joyful Noise". I don't know if that album, officially, put things together, but "Joyful Noise" was a full-on production of one of the greatest collectives Reggae has ever seen (and that is the type of thing we need to say NOW, while they are around to appreciate it and not withhold such OBVIOUS acclaim until people start passing away. THEY ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST TO EVER DO IT. PERIOD) the Zion I Kings. Subsequently, the chanter would go on to do a number of musical works with IGR, working on albums for The Nazarenes, Pressure Busspipe ["LET ME OFF NOW!"] and Akae Beka along the way. ALSO, it should be noted that I THINK (pretty confident in this one) Lutan Fyah is one of only a couple or so of artists to have appeared on every single installment of the ZIK's Riddim Series, with the most recent edition being the Full Bloom Riddim from just last year. In early 2017, I Grade Records with the Zion I Kings would make things 'official' with Lutan Fyah by releasing a full album, the much anticipated "Music Never Dies". Again, that album was excellent and, unless I'm forgetting something really special, the Zion I Kings, in one way or another, have been responsible for two out of Lutan Fyah's three best albums to date (of course the other one is "Phantom War", but you already knew that). Or is it four out of five??? A few weeks shy of eight years exactly from the release of "Music Never Dies", the Fyah is back on board with the Tippy, Moon and Bain, the fine folks who make up the ZIK, for yet another sterling piece of work, "Strength & Resilience". I had no clue that this album was in the offering. I hadn't heard anything about it but, in my weekly or so scanning to see what was up and coming (the latest of which revealed something very interesting from these exact same people (that looks like it would be fun to write about) as well as new albums from Alpha Blondy and Glen Washington), I did come across it and a video for its first single came up not too long after that. I did think that it was getting time for a big album from the ZIK, however, and from the very first time I laid eyes on "Strength & Resilience", I knew that it would fit the bill. Even if you were to ignore alllll of that history I gave you (which I would hate for you to do, since I spent so much time on it), it's a new Lutan Fyah album for the Zion I Kings.... c'mon now... stop playing.
There is something TRULY RIDICULOUS at the head of Lutan Fyah's brand new album with the ZIon I Kings, "Strength & Resilience". It took me a minute to figure it out (actually took a lot of minutes) but when I finally was able to put it together, I was absolutely shocked. The first tune here is called 'Warning Dem' and it is, for all intent and purposes, PERFECT. There is NOTHING at all wrong with 'Warning Dem'. From the second it really picks with those beautiful and ever so slightly understated horns and remaining throughout, in being nearly word-perfect from the Fyah: 'Warning Dem' is IMMACULATE. It's one of the best done tunes that I've heard in a while and a GEM! The "truly ridiculous" thing about it, however, is that 'Warning Dem' is not the best song on this album and it isn't the second best either! I had crowned it and made a note that it would be the top ranker here, but let's see how this goes (and I would change my mind). I do HAVE to mention a particularly SWEET portion of the opener, from about 2:50 in through about 3:15. They just let those horns take over and it is delightful as Lutan Fyah uses to moment to tell all that things are not as bright as they may seem. You just listen to the riddim on the obligatory mama tune from "Strength & Resilience", 'Listen Mama', and you're well aware that something special is going on and that's even before we get into the words. On that end, it is what is expected, but Lutan Fyah has stretches where he dazzles in showing his supreme appreciation for the most powerful being to walk the earth. Next in is the MAMMOTH 'Leader Before Me' where Lutan Fyah FIRMLY plants his feet on the ground and delivers a praising tune of the highest caliber
"Held by grace and Jah gave I wings - HE saved me
The mission is on: No failure in it
It's a difficult time
This is it! This is it!
Have your own tactics and watch out fi di trick
AND BE WISE TO GET RID OF BADMINE PSYCHOSIS
Right there - stop, take a look inna di mirror
Find out you coulda paint a million picture
Most High say lead - I will follow"
There is a beautifully addictive BOUNCE that comes along with 'Leader Before Me' and I won't sit on this point too much (at least now for now, I MOST CERTAINLY WILL later) but it just so DAMN FUN to listen to. It is a very... full musical experience of a track.
It seems as if Lutan Fyah and the ZIK came to the conclusion that if you're going to add guest artists, that you should reach as high as you possibly can when it came to building "Strength & Resilience". There are only three of them but they are three huge names and all three show up in a major way [DUH!]. The first is the immortal Akae Beka, frequent spar of Lutan Fyah, who joins 'Just The Time'. I'll save you me verbally salivating all over this riddim (again, at least for now), even though it deserves it, and instead I'll focus on what I took away from this gorgeous tune. There's the idea of 'living in the moment' and dealing with what you have to deal with in life and, although it sounds simple as all hell, it's not actually something you hear sang about very often. It's always one side or the other - negative or positive. Here, Lutan Fyah & Vaughn Benjamin come together and, essentially, say that IT IS WHAT IT IS. No one is perfect, we all have problems and we have our good points as well. I am also contractually obligated to observe the moment when Benjamin LEVELS UP 'Just The Time':
"BUT I CAN FEEL IT NOW
MUSIC EFFECTING I CAUSE
AN UPFUL SPIRIT INNA HEART
STRIVING FOR BETTERMENT"
I mean.... what do you do with something like that. 'Just The Time' is spectacular. The second combination on "Strength & Resilience" is a bit 'tricky' (and I mean that in a good way), as the featuring artist wasn't named and I've even seen him billed as a "surprise special guest". When I first heard clips of 'Freedom Sound', I was certain it was Chronixx I was hearing and, for ONCE, I was correct. "LUTAN FYAH & CHRONIXX" -- on paper -- is golden. It's an incredibly attractive pairing and the two do not disappoint with one of the SWEETEST vibes on the whole of this album. There is a very free and open nature to this one (a typical strength of Chronixx') with the core of 'Freedom Sound' being precisely what its title says: That vibe! It is spiritually and mentally uplifting SOUND that resonates all throughout this set. I'm still wondering WHY they chose to have Chronixx go unnamed -- I would think "featuring Chronixx" would look very well attracted to "Strength & Resilience" -- but it's hard to question when the results come out sounding like this [and were you paying attention when Lutan Fyah said, "I took a selfie with Selassie and paste it on my wall"???!]. Finally (besides the other seven songs I have to tell you about, of course) is something by the name 'Days After Summer'. Hmmm. What to say about 'Days After Su- IT FEATURES QUEEN OMEGA! WHAT! As if need more of a reason to grab my attention, "Strength & Resilience" brings together a pair of my personal looooooooooongtime favourites and does so in a MAJESTIC way. The eco-friendly selection carries a theme of respecting Mother Nature and how important it is to treat the environment, because failure to do so can be disastrous (it isn't like we have a backup plan). There's a point here where Queen Omega really pushes her vocals. It's thrilling, it always is, and out of all the pairings that I have wished for over the years, here's one that I probably wasn't expecting anytime soon and I am so happy that the ZIK brought together. Also, and I could be wrong, but I don't think the ZIK has ever FULLY put their weight behind a project for a female artist and, while the brilliant Reemah would probably seem a more likely candidate (and I wouldn't complain about that), I think the Queen would be a PERFECT choice.
As far as I know, the album's beautiful title track is its official first single and you won't get very far into listening to it, AT ALL, before realizing exactly why that is the case. This thing has wings. It SOARS! Way up there with whatever else is up there is 'Strength and Resilience'. Somewhat broad on some level, the song is one not too different from the previously mentioned 'Just The Time', although this one is more about the struggles faced in life (but it isn't necessarily completely bleak ["I TURN MY WOUNDS INTO WISDOM"]) and how to progress in spite of them ["PUSH ON! PUSH ON!"]. There's also a certain serenity about this one. It's very chilled and, though there is emotion to it, the calm nature of 'Strength and Resilience' definitely prevails. While 'Strength and Resilience' isn't bleak, the tune which follows it, 'Pieces of Broken Soul' could certainly be labeled as such. Fortunately "bleak" doesn't mean bad because 'Pieces of Broken Soul' is sublime. It almost comes off as PERFORMANCE more than a song and what I mean is that, you get Lutan Fyah coming in and saying what he has to say ["There's a lot of hungry mouths to feed. Sleeping on the cold concrete"] and then backing off at one point and allowing the riddim to take the spotlight with him in the background a bit just helping things along the way. I REALLY enjoyed this and i have enjoyed similar stretches on other ZIK produced works. For me, things like that show that both artist and producer had a full confidence in the music they were working with to allow it to be given 100% to the listener and 'Pieces of Broken Soul' is better because of it. Then things go crazy on "Strength & Resilience". The real class of the album comes within a pair of back-to-back tracks in 'African Children' and 'Drain The Swamp'.
"Babylon ah search fi di trouble, worldwide massacre
Move fast - dem ah hustle and wi don't answer
If you cross dem, you end up inna hold dung so
Sometime mi caan bodda kiss mi teeth and say cha
Wah you mean when you seh you coulda cure cancer-
And liberate di poverty weh inna Africa
Just a talk, never mean it
DEM A WARMONGER
Still ah move like a backra master"
The former features Lutan Fyah absolutely blazing right out of the gate as he speaks on the childen of Africa dealing with oppression all around the world and how our persistence is mandatory for reversing things; and he continues burning everything in sight.
"If a brick-by-brick, wi ah build it back strong
No matta what it takes, now wi ah get a chance
Mek wi turn a page, meanwhile wi advance
No time to wait, no time to gallivant
Hey, let's clean up di palce and build railroads and bridges
School to educate and good, clean house to live in
SELASSIE AH DI BRACE WI AH PLACE FI THANKS GIVING
Di rules and di discipline rigid
Whoi, it's been a mess
Now Africa has reached crossraods
This time, wi have to refresh
THE MOTHERLAND NEEDS US NOW!"
Were you listening through this album and waiting for that kind of forceful, fiery moment, you got in the form of 'African Children' and if that need wasn't quite sated, check the absolutely FILTHY 'Drain The Swamp'.
"Too much biting ants, cockroach and mosquitoes
Full time to drain di swamp
See dem narcissist devil, they pack up inna di alligator pool
Drain the swamp!"
'Let's uproot corruption
No freaks tainting my soul
Let's set things straight, because wi need options, tell dem brave and bold
Mi nah feel safe inna babylon system
Mi nah join dem mind-control
WHEN DEM COME VIOLATE MY RIGHTS, OVERBOARD MI HAFFI THROW DEM
Kick di cover, full-time mi haffi expose dem
Nah stop, til di underbelly come down
Can take another day
Bun di fyah and dun
Cah dem love talk hard an dem ah tell wi untruth
Babylon yah foot too big for yah shoes
And you can keep yah brainwash in yuh schools
Cah mi no waan fi si none ah fi yuh daily news
Di people tired and they need something new"
Lutan Fyah gets grimy on this one! Getting into all of the nasty, dirty secrets of brutal society (even suggesting that people start checking ourselves as well) (your closet is most certainly NOT clean and neither is mine!) and bringing them to light. I'm not even going to mention how 'Drain The Swamp' ends, although I'm sure you can guess at this point, making for another magical point and, at least in my opinion, the single finest effort on the whole of "Strength & Resilience" (so long as my bias can prevent me from giving that distinction to 'Days After Summer'). While 'Drain The Swamp' finds the chanter exposing the hidden facts of certain members of society, on 'Secrets', he's doing a bit of work on himself. What I took from 'Secrets' (besides it just being a lovely song) is the significance of INDIVIDUALITY, uniqueness and privacy. Lutan Fyah welcomes everything in regards to himself, even his flaws but it's those things which make us different from one another and that, intrinsically, is powerful. It's one of the most powerful things we have because, in the absence of it, we'd all be the exact same, robotting our way through life. I think 'Secrets' may end up being a bit of a 'sleeper' on "Strength & Resilience", it well seems like the type to go a bit overlooked, but if you do give it a bit of extra attention, the reward will be well worth it, I assure you. 'Protect Your Energy' offered a delightful change of pace, stepping things a notch or two, with an infectious track behind it. The piece is a purifier! It's about keeping negativity far away from yourself and, functionally speaking, I think 'Protect Your Energy' is one of the furthest 'travelers' on the whole of the album ["Si no dark energies, mi nah let dem in. ALL NEGATIVITY BANISHED FROM WITHIN"] because I think it's so related. You probably know people who either spend entirely too much damn time complaining or they're just always in a bad mood and never happy for themselves or anyone else. I think THAT is specifically how this piece will hit most people who take it in. We can apply larger, societal/global themes to it but just for yourself, do your best to stay away from that type of a vibe. A VERY powerful tune here. Lastly, another winner in 'Tomorrow From Today' sends us on our way via yet another golden sound which is utilized in a major way as Lutan Fyah gets downright poetic at times during what is, surely, one of the strongest lyrical displays on the album.
"When life seems desolate
Sometimes confused and perplexed
Jah visit men inna dem own craftiness and like di Tower of Babel - men wreck
Searching fi answers and wi never get refreshed
PRESS DI RESTART BUTTON BUT WI STILL DISCONNECT
Caught up inna bottomless mess!
Not amount of saving can replace di things you just can't forget"
I considered 'Tomorrow From Today' as somewhat of an extension of 'Protect Your Energy' in its diretcion. Where that one focused more on preventing negativity, 'Tomorrow From Today' deals with more of what to do when you inevitably do encounter it - both from others and internally as well. The depths that he goes to in order to make the point are amazing and he does it, of course, tactfully as always. 'Tomorrow From Today' is yet another big highlight here and a fantastic way to end "Strength & Resilience".
OKAY! Because I alluded to it several hundreds of times and fought off the urge to do another few dozen or so (I literally just did it on both of the last two songs I talked about, ESPECIALLY on 'Protect Your Energy') (you go and listen to the last eighty seconds of that song!) the level of music/instrumentation... whatever you want to call it - PRODUCTION? ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF is EXTREMELY well done throughout "Strength & Resilience". And maybe that's redundant given that it is a Zion I Kings release and their work is always top notch but I was particularly impressed here, even by their ridiculously high standards . What goes with that, EASILY, is a full recommendation of this album to anyone with ears. If you LOVE the music or if you don't even know what a Roots Reggae is, I'm confident that you will find loads to enjoy on "Strength & Resilience".
Overall, I found a lot of it to enjoy, myself but I knew that would be the case when I learned of its existence a few weeks ago. "Strength & Resilience" is masterful. As I said, it instantly goes near the head of all of the albums that Lutan Fyah has had to date (and it has been billed as number seventeen) and the same goes for the catalogue of the ZIK, in my opinion, which is saying LOADS in both instances. I did also make a quiet connection between the new album and "Music Never Dies" and while the vibes are similar (of course they are), they don't feel like one giant project, they stand apart from one another; an idea which, I would think, the artist revels in. "Music Never Dies" ["Perfect storm. Selassie bring a perfect storm"], like "Time & Place" before it ["There's a fire in the barn!"] has set up these wonderful signature moments in my head that I always find myself going back to whenever they come up and I have no doubt at all -- "I CAN FEEL IT NOW" -- that "Strength & Resilience" is well on its way to doing the same. I've been listening to Lutan Fyah now for the better part of a quarter-century and have known him to vibe well with a number of producers but at this point it is crystal clear that the SOUND he creates with the Zion I Kings is, consistently, is to be rated amongst his very best work as the two mine musical gold, once again, for the first truly great Reggae album of 2025. OUTSTANDING!
Rated: 5/5
I Grade Records
2025
Great album
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