'Hold On' by Dezarie Phoenix [Dezarie]
Okay so, we have a couple of ANVILS this week and the first up is from someone who many would already deem a legend, the great Dezarie (who is, apparently, going by Dezarie Phoenix these days), who has struck with her first video clip EVER for the song 'Hold On'. The songs ranks as one of the biggest winners from her 2025 set, "Guardian". I actually remember a couple of other VI standouts, Vaughn Benjamin & Ras Batch, going fairly deep into their careers as well before doing a music video, so perhaps this comes as no surprise. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding its creation, the visual side of 'Hold On', unsurprisingly, matches the beauty of its audio. It's an amazing song with an amazing video from a very powerful human being.
'We Are One' by Arkaingelle & Fyahstone [Saj Moor Dub]
Next in is another big winner, courtesy a pair of old favourites of ours. The next [regular] review you'll read on these pages (there's an irregular one coming ahead of that) features work by Guyanese chanter, Arkaingelle who, as I have mentioned in the past, once made one of the greatest songs I have ever heard in my entire life (I'll remind you of that in the review). Now, Arkaingelle links up with a producer that we're well familiar with from out of Morocco by the name of Saj Moor Dub. You may recall his work on a label by the name of West Coast Studios, specifically (PROBABLY), with Ras Attitude. Back in 2014, WCS would set out the LOVELY Kif Kaf Riddim which would include offerings from the likes of Attitude, Perfect Giddimani and even Ras Indio. Also on the Kif Kaf was a tune called 'Rastaman Ah Chant' ["Kill dem wid di love, light shine so bright. Nyabinghi, no time fi no rewrite"].... from Arkaingelle, so this isn't the first time artist and producer have worked together and it doesn't sound like it from the level of musical chemistry we hear on 'We Are One'. Also present is gifted Trini veteran Fyahstone, with whom you are probably most likely to be familiar via his fairly recent work with Lion's Flow Productions, however (small world), about a decade ago, Fyahstone and the Arkaingelle made a song together by the name of 'Lion Can't Cool' so, again, to the surprise of absolutely no one given how well they sound together, the two vocalists on 'We Are One' also have some history with one another. Hopefully all three have some future together as well as 'We Are One' is excellent.
"We are all children of The Most High
Put away your sadness, don't cry
So stand up tall, be wise and use your third eye
Rastafari go before I"
The song is a unity piece and I do these things and attempt to place meaning into words but, delightfully, that is done for us here. Watch the video to the end and you will see the lovely message at its end. Hopefully there is much more activity from Saj Moor Dub as the maestro has relocated to California and placing himself amongst all of the seemingly never-ending Reggae activity in the area.
'Fling It Up' featuring Davido by Machel Montano [Monk Music]
Didn't take very long to get into the visuals for Machel Montano's 'Fling It Up' (which are exactly what you would expect them to be) before I... suddenly had no problem with it, despite it seeming quite random.The tune is probably coming up on completing its first year in existence and here's a video! Why? Who cares! The actual song, which features Davido, is CANDY, it is GORGEOUS Groovy Soca with a little KICK to it (check the surge about two minutes in) and from, arguably, still the biggest single name in the genre and on his own Monk Music label.
'Ginger' by Sean Paul [Dutty Rock Production]
Dancehall superstar, Sean Paul, may have a legit hit on his hands courtesy of his new tune, 'Ginger', which is outstanding and very OPEN as is Paul's tendency (at his absolute best, he's capable of making songs which fit entirely in Dancehall but are as accessible as anything that you will hear). 'Ginger' isn't quite there but I do expect it do some real damage. The video? The video for 'Ginger' is Ai'd to the gills and make no mistake about it: This video is creepy as hell.
'We Da Do It' by Boyzie [Wetty Beatz]
And lastly this week is a tune that is, easily, amongst the finest that I've heard from Soca in all of 2025, the delightfully over-chaotic 'We Da Do It' by Grenadian supernova, Boyzie. I've said it many times before, Boyzie is one of the 'best kept secrets' in all of Soca and that isn't true from the standpoint of actual fans of the genre but if you're more on the casual side, it's fairly likely, in my opinion, that you probably don't know who he is at all. Be that the case, now is a PERFECT time to become acquainted as he drops one of his finest efforts in years with 'We Da Do It'. Great workout song.
{Note: I don't know which label actually released this song. I know WB was involved, so I gave them the credit. Thank you and have a nice day}
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