It's Not Too Bad: A review of Too Too Bad by Buju Banton

Lineage? It is a beautiful thing that each and every case is different, as my expectations and anticipations going into every album that I listen to are never the same. Some are the realization of years and years of waiting; while others get here before I even knew they were on the way. TIME definitely helps to build hopes. Maybe that particular individual hasn't released a project of any type for quite awhile or, if they have, maybe the latest creation is with a certain producer who they haven't worked with in a long time or is of a certain style that they haven't touched in some time. As of right now, the last review that I wrote was of an album by the name of "Heights Of Fire". "Heights Of Fire" was the first album Capleton had done in SIXTEEN years. Absence definitely does make the heart grow fonder. Another thing that might help the water boil is a little thing called TALENT. Once upon, not long ago, Sizzla Kalonji and one or two of his peers would release three (and sometmes FOUR) albums in any given year and... I REALLY looked forward to each and every one of them. Every. Single. Time. Sizzla was my favourite (historically speaking, he still is) and I'd been thrilled by his work enough to the point where I had no problem sitting through and sifting through some of his less than stellar work because the golden carrot of a generational type of release was always out there for him (and, at his best, he rewarded me for my loyalty). Also, given Reggae's hesitancy for promoting itself, something else that tends to catch the eyes and ears is when you actually do come across a release that has a solid amount of publicity behind it. This can work in a few different ways: You can have the unthinkable, which is an actual label doing their job and propping up an album and giving it a nice buzz prior to its release; you can also have the more usual word-of-mouth type of hype surrounding an album which, obviously, will exist both and ahead and well after its release date. Take all of these things and you have a situation where I'm struggling to wait to wrap my brain around a record an... you could even throw in something like... oh, I don't know... maybe even the album's title will make me eager to hear it as well. Any one of these things can do the trick (I'm not too hard to please). 

2006

Now, hypothetically speaking, what if we had an album which, in one way or another, actually checked off every one of those categories? It hasn't been a very long time sense Buju Banton last released an album. Three years ago was "Born For Greatness" and three years prior to that was "Upside Down" (there was a decade-long gap between it and "Before The Dawn" just ahead of it but let's not talk about that today). So he's been fairly active and productive. HOWEVER, we're going to back TWENTY years for the last time Buju pushed a project that was billed as a full, heavy Dancehall oriented set. It was very well regarded and is probably best remembered for carrying 'Driver A'; while also featuring GEMS such as 'Hey Boy', 'Try Offa Yuh', 'Your Night Tonight', 'Jig' (which I just listened to for the first time in who knows how long and I do not recall it being THAT good) and personal favourite of mine, the absolutely slaying 'Til It Bend'. Oh yeah... that album was called "Too Bad". 

Time-X. 

Anyone sitting down to read a review of this length is probably going to be familiar with Buju Banton's work to some degree so I will not stress just how talented he's been but I will say that it is COMPLETELY fair to make the point that his has been one of THE biggest names in all of Reggae music (and I would even go as far as to say in all music made by people of African descent) for the better part of the last THIRTY-FIVE YEARS or so. The industry has responded accordingly and his albums are uniquely promoted. They tend to land, in my opinion, somewhere between some big international release (think Sean Paul, Shaggy etc.) and the aforementioned Capleton or Sizzla at their best (think "More Fire" or "Da Real Thing"); his releases seem to simultaneously grab an appreciable level of respect from both music scribes and mroe hardcore fans (and, in Buju's particular case, he seems to get quite a bit of respect within the Hip-Hop community as well). Evidence of this can best be found in the fact that Buju Banton has been nominated for the Reggae Grammy Award for Best Album on SEVEN occasions, having won it in 2011 for "A New Dawn".  Buju's also worked with a number of big labels; most recently his work has been released through a relationship with VP Records and his own Gargamel Music. (and I just mentioned "More Fire" & "Da Real Thing": Both are VP projects). who've done a find job in getting the word out for his new albums.

Talent-X. Publicity/Word of mouth-X. 

Enter "Too Too Bad" [Album title-X]. I want to say that it was maybe later on in 2025 when I first got word that Buju Banton was coming with a new album (it may've been earlier, actually, but it was definitely before 2026 began), which was definitely good news on its own. As the information developed and we got an official title, "Too Too Bad" was hyped as basically a sequel for the aforementioned 2006 killer, "Too Bad", and not just in title, alone. Like its elder sibling, "Too Too Bad" would be a heavily Dancehall-centric release, featuring the handiwork of such respected maestros as Di Genius, Supa Dups, Ricky Blaze, the great Suku from Ward 21 and others and... that was it for me! I was COMPLETELY sold! The few early bites we got from the forthcoming meal were also legit and seemed to signal that, indeed, a worthy followup to "Too Bad" was in the offering. Not to dwell on it too long because you probably know the story to some degree but (much like Capleton, actually) Buju got his start in the Dancehall, where he was also one of the biggest names before shifting to more Roots focused material. (Also like Capleton) He has found HUGE successes working under both spectrums and, typically, his albums may lean one way or another but they'll feature elements of both subgenres. His most recent work, 2023's "Born For Greatness", also carried a bit more of a varied and open sound and it wasn't his best piece of output and, ahead of that, was 2020's "Upside Down", for which pretty much the same could be said. For me - if you want to hear the last TRULY GREAT release from Buju, we go back to "Rasta Got Soul" from 2009 (and I'm skipping over "Before The Dawn" from 2010 which won him his Grammy), so it's been awhile (again, respecting that decade where he was... not releasing albums) but, going into "Too Too Bad", I was FULLY expecting that trend to come to a halt. Does it??? 

Nope! It most certainly does not. While I can report that "Too Too Bad" is pretty good, I don't think that I can honestly call it a GREAT album. That's awful after all of that^ buildup and anticipation and I will try my damnest to make sure I don't make it seem like it's bad at all as, in the end, it proves to be a good, fun time of a Dancehall album. A PRIME example of my feelings of Buju Banton's new album "Too Too Bad" can be found on its very first track, 'We Nuh Play'. I think I was expecting something a little... maybe on the harsher side of things in terms of the sound but this tune, which checks in over a cut of the Diseases Riddim and is aimed at bullies and people who think they can intimidate and threaten their way through life, is far more lyrical and DEFINITELY has its moments ["To breathe in and out, dat a my daily trod. To survive these streets and no get no toetag"]. 'We Nuh Play' is also THE baddest moment that I found on "Too Too Bad"... but I don't know that I LOVE it, necessarily. The kind of bitterness that I was anticipating on the opener is found in spades on the second tune, 'FAFO'. An acronym for the increasingly popular (or maybe it's already peaked) "Fuck around and find out" saying, 'FAFO' definitely is more on the harsh side of things, although in a minimalistic way (that riddim has a golden simplicity to it) but it's almost not even there! Coming in at just over a couple of minutes, 'FAFO' probably could have been a bit more! What is here, however, is very solid and serves up a bit of an early BITE for the album. That vibe continues (pretty much everywhere) on the next tune in, 'Eye 2 Eye', but in a different way.  This one is a 'gal tune' and it's... okay but the star of that show, without question, is the infectious riddim courtesy of Silent Addy & Disco Neil. It should also be mentioned that 'Eye To Eye' is COMPLETELY in a rush or something because it's not even TWO MINUTES long. Speaking of riddims, the world famous and CHILLY WYFL Riddim (that thing is ICE COLD!) underpins one of the best tunes on the whole of "Too Too Bad", the KNOCKING 'X-Rated'. This one? You won't get a damn thing out of me in reference to. It is original "Too Bad" quality, EASILY, and likely the best song on the runback not named 'We Nuh Play'. Biggup collective producers, DJ Mac & CrashDummy for what they did on the mightily ambitious WYFL. It seems like it's been a long time (because it likely has) since someone has done such a project in Dancehall and it worked out (even got PAPA SAN involved!) (WHAT!) [BOOM!]! And SINCE I'M HERE.... I might as well mention 'Good Pum Pum' (not in general. it's an actual song title), a song that is MUCH better and more detailed than I was thinking it would be. 

The tune is a... just not what I was expecting and, to that end, I suppose it's actually better. It comes across FAR stronger as a kind of a relationship piece rather than a sex song which is what I (and You) were thinking it would be. And while I won't call it one of the BEST selections on "Too Too Bad" its simple curiosity angle is definitely amongst the highest here. 'Like You', despite its thinness, on the other hand, is EXQUISITE. Let's talk about this one for just a second. If you take away the little 'lead-in' portion and the 'let-off' at the end... there're probably 80-90 ticks worth of actual lyrics in 'Like You' in full. That's it! It's all over SO damn quick that it's almost jarring. However, as I said, Buju makes the best of the moment (as tiny as it is) and delivers a real winner across a damn colourful track via DreDay. Longtime Buju Banton par, DJ Khaled unsurprisingly makes an appearance on "Too Too Bad" as he lends his services to the very familiar 'Wild Woman' (and TECHNICALLY Notch is also here) (biggup Notch). This one has an inherent extra interest to it given that 'Wild Woman' is a kinda/sorta remake but it's just okay. I did like the sound (biggup Tony Kelly) and it is definitely good time though. Considerably better would be 'House Call'. Having just covered Tony Kelly, 'House Call' actually sounds like something out of Dave Kelly's catalogue (it has GRUMBLE to it which has convinced my ears and brain that 'Boom Boom', a tune by Baby Cham and Rihanna, is about to break out) but it is a BEAUTIFUL creation of Di Genius, actually. 'House Call' is both the type and quality of song I was expecting throughout "Too Too Bad" and I was damn happy when I came across it. I'm going to ahead and pull up the similarly licked 'Heavy Hitters'. I'm not too fond of the beginning of 'Heavy Hitters' and the chorus is a bit awkward. EVERYTHING else about it, ESPECIALLY the delivery, is candy. It is delightfully old school Dancehall pitched and, when I sift through it all, a potential gem of an offering rests within. 

The balance of "Too Too Bad" is on somewhat of a different vibe and, within the four tracks, they register with varying levels of success in my opinion. Check the almost Stephen Marley-ish 'Be Good'. I do not love 'Be Good' but I do enjoy it quite a bit more than I did initially. Early on, I think that I was trying to overcomplicate it and attempting to draw something out of it that was too damn hard to find (because it wasn't in there) (I'd still be sitting here looking for it, wondering why I couldn't find it). Taking it on a more surface level (not COMPLETELY but more than I was), 'Be Good' is simply nice to listen to and it brings a lovely message. It's pretty easy to be good to people and when you find that it's hard to be good to someone - maybe it's time to move on. American Soul singer, Ari Lennox, has a name that I don't think that I've come across before and she does have a very nice (and INTERESTING) voice to her which she puts on display via 'Satisfy Me'. Unfortunately this is my least favourite song on this album; I don't like it at all. It's harmless, standard R&B fare and it just doesn't do anything for me in pretty much anyway. 'Butterflies' most certainly does do something for me. The previous single is a large standout on "Too Too Bad" and obviously Buju and co. knew precisely what they had on their hands with it. 'Butterflies' is all sorts of compelling and not just because it's a beautiful song. It's also unusual in being somewhat of an aggressive love song and it's gone on to provide "Too Too Bad" with something of an early signature. 'Butterflies' is worth every bit of acclaim that it's gotten and will get in the future. Lastly, Buju taps another frequent friend of his, the venerable Gramps Morgan, to join in on the festivities with 'Power'. Try as I might --and I tried and tried and TRIED-- I couldn't get into 'Power'. Certain aspects of it sound like a vibe; like it was created on a spur of the moment but the sound is STRANGE. It never really accelerates or takes a step back. The song plateaus fairly quickly and it just kind of stays there. Full credit on that riddim, however. That thing is excellent musicianship. 

I have a ton of things on my mind before I close this out and I'd like to take a look at one or two of them, quickly. The first is definitely the LENGTH of the album. "Too Too Bad" has thirteen songs which, collectively, take just THIRTY-FIVE minutes. That's it. From the time you start 'We Nuh Play', to the end of 'Power', it's just over half an hour (and they knew it, I think, because the physical disc has another couple of songs on it). OF COURSE I wanted much more, even if "much more" in this instance would have meant tacking on a few other (likely short) songs, I would have been happy with that. Secondly, despite the fact that it is so short, I really wanted to spend time listening through this one intently because, as I said (or at least I think I did. I don't feel like going back to make sure), I wasn't thrilled with where my opinion was headed in regards to "Too Too Bad" and I REALLY wanted to LOVE it. Having scrutinized it now even more than I usually do and seeing my thoughts of certain songs and aspects go up and down, I think I've arrived at a place where I'm most comfortable about how much I truly like this release. 

Overall, I've used the word before, surely, "Too Too Bad" is FUN. It is most definitely a good listen and damn entertaining; a suitable followup to the original "Too Bad". How good it is actually is another question. Unsurprisingly, fans have reacted very well to it early and the impressions (for the most part) have been positive but I can't help but to feel that it could have been even better. This will not be the last Buju Banton album and I don't think it'll be the final Dancehall album he makes either; they'll do this again but I think that if you come here looking for that landmark next release, you will not get it. What you will get is a set that is compelling from beginning to end and ACTUAL DANCEHALL MUSIC (which is both always fun and increasingly rare as hell) from one of the greatest we've ever seen after a buildup that forecasted something SPECIAL might've been in the offering. "Too Too Bad" isn't quite special but you also don't want to miss out on what is going on here. 

Rated: 3.75/5

Gargamel Music + VP Records

2026

FANTAN MOJAH!

"The Most High Jah deliver me"

Your work is done. Rest now, Fantan Mojah

Elevation by Ziggi Recado!

"Elevation" by Ziggi Recado [Oneness Records]

Let's talk about Ziggi Recado for a little while today. I used to consider myself a pretty big fan of the Statian born dynamo. I reviewed a number of his albums and even deemed one, "In Transit", to be a modern classic. I go back in my head now and I'm thinking of crazy records that Ziggi did that are still stuck in my head to this day like 'Need To Tell You This' ["GIRL I NEED TO REALLY TELL YOU THIS!"], 'Cry Murdah' ["SOMEBODY GET GUNNED DOWN IN THE STREET LAST NIGHT!"], 'Mary' ["ME AND HER CONNECT INNA PASSIONATE WAY!"], 'New Day', 'Masquerade', 'I'm Blaak', 'Guide Ova', 'All Obstacles', 'So Much Reasons'... I'm literally going through his albums and recalling just how much fun these songs were and how they went so far in making a fan out of me and this is going back... maybe fifteen, TWENTY years at this point. He started out making more Dancehall/Hip-Hop geared material and, as he matured, Ziggi would become a damn powerhouse of modern Roots to the point where he grabbed the attention of the mighty Zion I Kings, who produced a fantastic album with him by the name of "Therapeutic", a dozen years ago now. 

Somewhere along the line, however, I kind of lost touch with Ziggi's music. He'd made a few singles that I didn't particularly enjoy (which is nothing. You won't like EVERYTHING anyone is making; that's normal) and... I don't know what happened really. Maybe he was a little inactive (maybe not) or maybe I just wasn't doing a good enough of a job in paying attention but Ziggi was making music and I wasn't completely noticing and that's a problem. 

Here's a problem solver. On the third day of the second half of 2026, one of my favourite labels in the entire world, the brilliant Oneness Records from out of Germany has just released a brand new, seven-track EP from Ziggi Recado by the name of "Elevation". Ziggi had been dropping singles for the label earier this year and you figured a full project of some type was forthcoming and here it be! You already know what's going on here but let's take a look at it anyway, mini-review style. 

I'm sitting here thinking what my response would have been, years ago, had you told me that Ziggi was working with Oneness. That would have made my day.... my year, even. That is HUGE news around here even on a single but I get seven of them? THANK YOU! The first is the sublime 'Wheels Keep Turning', featuring the highly interesting Rik Jam with whom I have a bit of indirect history. Rik Jam had an album come out last year by the name of "The Genesis" that I kept meaning to get around to digging into and possibly reviewing but I never did. I've still not written the review for it (thinking about doing it now though, actually) but I have heard quite a bit of "The Genesis" andddddddddd.... it's kinda spectacular. So I was curious as to how Jam might beautify "Elevation" and he does so with an appearance on one its strongest efforts. 'Wheels Keep Turning' is a damn DIAMOND of a tune saying that judgment, whatever it may be, is coming and there's nothing that can be done stop it. Excellent start! Next we have a well recognizable 'Boom Meditation'. I've THOROUGHLY enjoyed this song from the first time that I heard it... but it may be even finer than I was giving it credit for. First of all, the riddim is GORGEOUS; that is next level infectiousness and musical intoxication. Furthermore, am I going too far in declaring it to be, PERHAPS, one of the finest vocal performances of Ziggi's career?? Forgive me for being blasphemous but some of what he does here almost sounds.... Cure-ish?? I'm hesitant to compare anyone to what is probably the single greatest voice ever given to a human being, EVER, but respect goes to where it is due and it is DUE all over 'Boom Meditation'. Oh, and the song is really good too if I haven't said that exactly just yet. 

Remember when I talked about losing touch with Ziggi's music earlier. Well, one of the tunes I fucked up and missed out on was called 'Don't Stay Far'. I'm 99.9% sure I've never heard this song from a couple of years ago at all. Like never! I'm going to call 'better late than never' and give credit to Oneness for bringing it to my attentions here because this thing is CANDY for your ears. What a sweet love-ish kind of tune this is. 'When She Loves' is somewhat similarly themed as 'Don't Stay Far' and not trailing too far behind. This is an older tune that I actually had come across at some point and I remember, largely, on the strength of that RIDICULOUS riddim. That thing is... in the stars somewhere, seriously. The song also has a nice and fairly unique message to it as well and is just solid, all the way around. 

I heard a bit of 'One Step Forward' and didn't get very far into it at all before I knew that I was hearing something special and it hasn't moved at all. This is THE best song altogether on 'Elevation' and I'll leave it at that. It is absolutely fantastic. 'Nice Ting' is the obligatory ganja tune here and it, fittingly, is a slow-burner. You may enjoy this song the first time you hear it -- you probably will -- but the.... fifth or sixth time you go through it should be even better. What changes (at least what changed for me) is the fact that this very subtle but damn lovely melody begins to develop more and more as you listen to it. The chorus, in particular, the first time I heard it, I thought it to be impressive but now.... it'd damn near special and very catchy. Finally, wrapping up "Elevation" is another tune from a few years back that I missed for some reason, 'X Amount' and it is all kinds of fun. 

"X amount ah try keep up but dem can't catch mi speed

X amount nah waan listen when mi proceed

X amount a lyrics, dem ah flow like stream 

X amount ah try stop mi but dem neva succeed

X amount a gal ah run mi dung like stampede

X amount of loving coulda never exceeed

X amount a hungry vampire waan feed

X amount of bloodsuckers, none a dem heart no clean

X amount nah like wi, that's why dem face lean

X amount a power, mi seh x amount a steam

Natural to di music a so wi keep it real 

A so wi keep it real"

"Tell dem call fi assistance 

Cah wi nuh bow down, wi putting up resistance

And if fem fire, then wi fire back in response

Ready fi spark it, ready fi blaze it inna instance

And wi no matta bout di distance

Mi fire travel wid the Almighty guidance

And this a musical fire, mi nah violent

Yes this a musical fire mi nuh....

That's why mi keep badmind in the backa mi

Burn all\ di wicked, no pardon or apology

Nah tune in to none a dem psychology 

Til I'm laid to to rest, i know they'll never get the best of mi

Well nuff a dem no rate mi and mi no rate dem

Through mi deliver nuff musical statement

But nuff love ina mi heart so mi nah hate dem

BUT MUSICALLY NOW MI AHGO TERMINATE DEM"

While 'X Amount' does have substance to it (clearly), it's REALLY just a good time. It's a celebration of music and of an extremely high level of ability. 

Overall, I think it's time I got back in the rotation and starting keeping track of what Ziggi's working on. While not the full Ziggi:Oneness Records link that I would have hoped for, "Elevation" is definitely the next best thing and it's just VERY GOOD. Yes, I took a break in recent years but looooooooooongtime I have been singing the praises of both artist and label in this case and, together, they are everything you expect them to be. Musically, "Elevation" lives up to its name; it's in the stars somewhere up there and add to it someone as capable as Ziggi Recado and I really can't see how anyone who is a fan of Reggae music in its current state won't find something here to enjoy immensely. 2026 has been very impressive so far and here's another big winner. BOOM! 

Father Fire: A review of Heights Of Fire by Capleton

Forever. I think that longevity in absolutely anything can be a very tricky thing to understand. It can involve and incorporate an endless amount of factors and this is magnified when you begin speaking about things like entertainment and, specifically, music. On one hand, you can have someone make one song which'll carry them for the rest of their lives. You can make a tune in your twenties and find yourself performing it half a century later to a crowd who still loves it and loves you for it. Maybe most of them couldn't even name another song you've ever made (maybe they could) but you can be sure that they will never forget your name. On the complete opposite end of that would be someone who manages, ridiculously, to stay at or near the TOP of their craft for decades. That's something you cannot do via single hit. I don't give a damn how great that one song was. That is something that requires numerous amounts of hits AND, perhaps most impressively, managing to make your sound in a way that it can cross generations. You'll end up making fans out of fathers and sons (maybe even grandsons in some cases) despite who drastically different their tastes may be. This is special and it requires something greater. Of course, things such as general appeal and maybe even a story or two (controversies included) would help in growing your legend and maintaining it but I like to think that at the source of a legendary level of longevity is a teeny little thing that I like to call TALENT. ABILITY. SKILLZ! When you have actual, world class, capabilities and you combine it with things like appeal (if people like you and are interested in you, they're likely to remember you and history will probably be kind to you as well) and a compelling background, now you are legitimately talking about what has the possibility of becoming legendary. Although people like me are notorious for overrating things and making them seem bigger and more important than they usually are (if only just because it's more fun to write) we are fortunate to currently be in the present era of a number of ACTUAL living legends in my opinion and today, for the first time in a very looooooooong time in this capacity, we get to talk about him. 

Do not be blinded by the fire. When you think about Capleton, you probably think about fire. Like his most noted peers, Sizzla and Anthony B, a chunk of Capleton's career has been greatly and appropriately associated with the tendency of modern Roots Reggae to use fire, lyrically, as a cleansing ingredient for all things wicked. HOWEVER, even more so than Kalonji and 'The Original Fireman', Capleton has embraced it to the next degree. He is the "King Of Fire" and that moniker has not only come via his music (more on that in just a second) but also his... actual fire. Capleton also might just be THE most energetic and FORCEFUL Roots artist that the entire genre has ever seen and he also has a most interesting backstory, complete with a mid-career shift, an international run and a very public spat with one of his biggest peers, once upon a time. So, one could conceivably get caught up into things that aren't DIRECTLY musical when it comes to Capleton and, to some degree (I guess... you can listen how you choose to), that's fine. HOWEVER [!], when you really begin to dig into his work, it becomes crystal clear that this fire has smoke; it is not a pot of boiling water. There is char, there's a few INSTITUTIONS that have been burned down in its wake and none of us are truly safe from the immense gifts that Capleton possesses.

For examples of what he is capable of, I'll point to a trilogy of albums between 2000-2004, "More Fire", "Still Blazin" & "Reign Of Fire". In an era where the line between Roots music and Dancehall became more and more blurred, ALL THREE OF THEM represent some of the finest work we have ever seen. You could very well make the case that "More Fire" is the greatest such complete work of all time and, again, fire alone and even when combined with an endless vat of energy does not earn you that. That won't get you there, no matter who loves you, how many whos love you or how high you can jump on stage (and I THINK I recall that he once fell through a stage while jumping and hurt his ribs, many years ago) (....probably finished the performance too). Such levels require a genuine level of talent and Capleton has that to spare. From his days as a hardcore Dancehall voice to his years of Roots royalty, King Shango has shown himself to be someone not only in great command of melody but also someone who TOYS wth the spoken word. Those three legendary albums were not only well regarded amongst fans but also very popular to the point where the case could be made that, outside of anyone making international strides at the time (think Shaggy, Beenie and eventually Sean Paul) (maybe Buju as well and anyone named Marley, of course), Capleton was dropping the most popular Reggae albums in the world around the turn of the century. In a genre so NOT geared towards album releases, he was doing work unlike anyone else at the time with where his projects were reaching (and you couldn't say that about people like Sizzla, Anthony B or Luciano... probably because of their penchant for releasing multiple albums per year but regardless). "More Fire, "Still Blazin" and "Reign Of Fire" all came via VP Records who would later add "I-Ternal Fire" and, in retrospect, as someone who does love albums as complete, musical bodies of work, it was some of the best times I've ever had as a music fan.

Can we have fun again?? "I-Ternal Flame" sparked in 2010 and... that was it. It has been an absolutely ridiculous SIXTEEN YEARS since the last time Capleton released a full studio album and, though there were several rumours, none of them panned out... until now. A MASSIVE credit goes to Evidence Music who, at some point last year, claimed that they were doing a new Capleton album and HERE IT IS! Collectively we are all returned to the flaming cleanse courtesy of one of the greatest to ever do with "Heights Of Fire"! BOOM! I hope that I've written this review well enough (probably not) to convey just how DAMN HAPPY I was when I heard this one was on its way. Evidence has been very active, releasing works from the likes of Eesah, Derrick Sound (excellent compilation by the name of "Upliftment), Little Lion Sound, Tiwony, Micah Shemaiah, Bugle, Vanzo... they've been very successful in getting projects up and out and when I heard that we were on the precipice of "Heights Of Fire", I BELIEVED THEM and they have not let me down (it also helped that they had been releasing a decent amount of Capleton's work in recent times as well). In a year of releases that is turning out to be star-studded -- Vybz Kartel, Akae Beka, Buju, Gentleman -- Capleton carries one of the heaviest hands of them all and he always will. Let's get into it!

Although they do take a helping hand or two, production duties for this burn are handled by the previously mentioned Derrick Sound & Little Lion Sound, as well as Mixing Finga. The latter of the three goes back decades with Capleton and you'll find one song produced by Mixing Finga on both "Still Blzzin" ['Mi Deh Yah'] and "Reign Of Fire' ['Standing Ovation']. Also, Mixing Finga has been working with Evidence lately in re-releasing some of their older catalogue so, it comes to no surprise at all to see them on board the new release (and I would expect them to be on Capleton's next album as well). Getting things up and moving on the brand new album from the mighty Capleton, "Heights Of Fire" is its most recent [I THINK] single, the scalding 'Red Again'. This one is perfect to lead things because not only is it a really strong selection and it holds up as one of the finest here but it also kind of forecasts what is to come in certain aspects. The flame here burns at an optimum level while also allowing Capleton's complete and utter brilliance to shine.

"Mi circle dem face before dem take off

When dem try fi escape pon a spacecraft

Wi nah listen to dem waste-talk

No corruption - mek dem know wi nah go take part

So dem come fi yuh soul and dem will tek part

Dem no waan di people break free, dem love fi break heart

Wi step up on di battlefield and make a straight walk 

A straight love inna mi, mi nah trod di hate part"

"Well if dem sell out di people dem, mi nah forgive dem

Wi bun di grave and di ting weh dem ah dig then

Wi nah love how di people dem ah live then

That's why mi bun. Up. Di wicked. Dem

Dem sell out di people dem wid di imagine dem

Dem tell di people so cold until dem fridge dem 

Brainwash education, dem sieve dem

Well a one ball a fire man a give dem!"

BOOM! BREAK SOMETHING! I found myself many a time during "Heights Of Fire" thinking that what I was hearing may've been a little more reserved than perhaps what I was expecting but it's in those moments where the fire, literally, burns away any distraction and what remains is just a towering talent. Next up is the chilled 'In The Game' which features the handiwork of veteran Mista Savona from out of Austria. 'In The Game' is a PRIME example of what I just told you: While the vibes of this one are.... somewhere between smoky Blues, Hip-Hop and maybe even a sound from New Delhi  (?) Capleton could not care less and torches it the same way. The second verse on 'In The Game', which finds Shango tactfully destroying deception lays claim to being THE single finest on the whole of "Heights Of Fire" and, hopefully, people can pay attention well given the nature of the tune. 

"Mind-control - dat a dem slogan

Don't get vulnerable through dem program

WI AHGO SEND BACK DI WHOLE A DEM A OCEAN

Cah dem don't care fi no one

Well di truth shall reveal eventually

Well a fulltime now, wi no in folly

'FOR YOU SEND COKE, MI TELL YUH FI SEND COLLIE

YUH NAH GO DESTROY DEM YOUTH DEM MENTALLY" 

The album's first vocal combination 'Deh Pon Mi Mind' features Capleton alongside the also aforementioned Evidence Music favourite, Eesah. The nice tune comes through via Derrick Sound's certifiably gorgeous Fight Again Riddim from a couple of years back but, at least as far as I Know, it is a new song. There're a couple of obvious attractions to this one with Eesah not only being a burgeoning name but a big talent as well, so I was very curious as to what the pair would come up with. That riddim behind them came as a more than welcomed surprise and the duo put on a LOVELY performance to live up to anticipations... and you knew they would. The exquisite 'Jah Shine His Light' is an open praise and the first (not the last) of its kind on "Heights Of Fire". This is another song where Capleton, himself, is allowed to shine with lyrics as he, perhaps understatedly (it is a very SIMPLE song and I mean that in a good way), gives a nearly brilliant honour to His Majesty. Though it throws my math off (sixteen tracks, review it in four sets of four) I'll also add 'Jah Is My Leader' here because it goes in the exact same direction as the tune before it. The thing about it, however, is that even though 'Jah Shine His Light' is quite strong, 'Jah Is My Leader' is even better and better by some distance, in my opinion. This thing is FANTASTIC!

Coming with equal parts flames and a certain smoothness, 'Jah Is My Leader' hits every possible including a thrilling latter stretch where it almost appears as if Capleton freestyles an entire verse, landing as EASILY one the best songs on the entire album. With that being said, however, things go even higher on the very next track in, 'Behave Yourself'. 'Behave Yourself' is absolutely VINTAGE Capleton and it surprised me, honestly. This is my favourite song on "Heights Of Fire" altogether as, when it hits it's peak, there is very little, if anything at all, separating it from any of Capleton's classic work. 

"IN AN ABUNDANCE OF WATER, WEH YUH THIRST FOR?

THEN IF YOU GET THE BLESSINGS, WEH YUH CURSE FOR?"

No matter where you are in life or how well you're doing, you can do better. That is the sentiment behind this EPIC track and I have to say that one of the most attractive things about it is that, despite the fact that it isn't an overly energetic tune, you really get the feeling that Capleton had FUN in making it. 'Behave Yourself' comes off as something that he may've been working on for awhile and, clearly, it turned out how he had hoped. BOOM! 'Babylon So Evil' is a song sure to attract a great deal of attention as it features Capleton alongside longtime friends of his, Damian & Stephen Marley (also, kinda/sorta featuring the immortal Dennis Brown as well). Jr. Gong is another one who has a downright lethal prowess with words and he absolutely DECIMATES this Derrick Sound vibed piece ["More education, more school, more meal. KNOWLEDGE MORE POWERFUL THAN YOUR FORCEFIELD"] [HUH!] [WHAT!] in his portions. HOPEFULLY, 2026-27 also delivers an album from Damian... it's getting time! The second quarter of "Heights Of Fire" concludes with an all kinds of fun remix of 'Burn Dem Down', courtesy of L'Entourloop. I was actually more familiar with this remix than I was the original (which I tracked down and was produced by Derrick Sound) and that's fine because the remix is the better of the two. I don't know a great deal about L'Entourloop but I do know that, pretty much every time I hear their work - it's almost always kind of chaotic and frenetic. In that aspect, 'Burn Dem Down' is probably on the lower side but, again, it's a very good time and biggup L'Entourloop, every single time. 

While the second half of "Heights Of Fire" may lack the full fire power of the first on paper, one could very well make the case that it actually tops its more attention-grabbing slightly younger sibling [HUH!], largely on the strength of several simply sublime songs. Evidence (biggup Evidence too) of this comes immediately in the form of the BRILLIANT 'Prayers Up'. When you're fed up with the way things are going and feel like you have nowhere to turn, throw up a word to The Almighty is what Capleton says here. 

"Prayers up!

Babylon dem too corrupt

Why man to man so unjust

Fired up!

Babylon yuh system a kruff

You only waan di people have it rough

Fired up! 

Well dat system yah it corrupt

Mi tell di ghetto youth fi conscious

Fired up! 

Righteousness a nah no bluff!

Mi tired of di fight and cuss!

Dem nah care about di problem, no attention for the cause

Dem nuh waan yuh fi go forward, babylon dem waan yuh pause

Pure fabrication when dem stipulate dem laws

BUT RASTAFARI NO STOOP TO DEM EVIL CLASS

Dem fraid when dem si di ghetto youth dem a go hard

A LONGTIME MI KNOW SEH DAT DI SYSTEM YAH A FRAUD

While di people dem ah suffer, while di people dem ah starve

And babylon still ah draw card"

'Prayers Up' is SPECIAL to a degree that I am now seriously reconsidering my choice as the album's finest record and it will not be the last time. Check 'Senseless Killing' which caught me by surprise. This tune sounds so familiar to my ears for some reason but I'm now convinced that it's new. I had an idea of where it may be focused and though it didn't take any detours at all from what I was picturing... how it gets there is damn impressive ["You kill without a purpose. Intentional, you really want to hurt us. You couldn't take di Rasta fi no circus but you waan fi drop a bomb inna di World Cup"]. Capleton dazzles in a way that was not on my radars on a song which borders on the serene in terms of the vibes. 'Senseless Killing' might not get the respect that it deserves but it is one of the real stars to be found here in my opinion. The heavy 'Highway Robbers' has an interesting title that had me thinking that we may be getting something 'Jah Jah City'-esque but it doesn't go there at all. It almost heads towards something more from Hip-Hop but in a very... THICK kind of way (if that makes any bit of sense at all) (and it probably doesn't). Hip -Hop doesn't do anything for me and it never really has but 'Highway Robbers' caught me, again, because of what is said. There're songs on "Heights Of Fire" which're considerably better than 'Highway Robbers' in pretty much every aspect, HOWEVER, you simply cannot throw it away because of what Capleton says at times and when you can make this type of an impact on a tune that will rate on the lower end of the album, that's something that denotes a serious level of skill. If this man is talking, we need to be listening. The golden call to action, 'Get Up And Fight' from LLS should be well known to fans from a few years back and you'd have expected it to be featured on a project such as this one. 'Get Up And Fight' is free-flowing genius. It does bring fire and force but it does so EFFORTLESSLY atop the Sound Killer Riddim which, just like its vocalist here, is fairly simple but VERY impressive (same riddim had several big tunes on it by the likes of Chezidek ["My sound will crush yuh like a biscuit!"], Anthony B, Queen Omega, Lutan Fyah and others). This one is incredibly ENTERTAINING modern Roots Reggae music and I am jealous of you if this will mark your very first time hearing it because it's almost giving me nostalgia these days. EXCELLENT song. 

You might recognize the song 'Tired Of The Drama', also from a couple of years ago or so and I've actually been, LOVELY, running into a bit more in the days surrounding the release of the new album. I don't know the name of the riddim on this song or if anyone else voiced it but I've always really enjoyed the instrumentation and I think Capleton did as well and he COMPLETELY throws himself into it and comes emerges with a GEM! Sometimes you just need a break from it all and you get tired (and STRESSED OUT) with the way things are going... lest "dem end up like Jack & Jill" (the second verse on that tune is just BRUTAL!). The final three slices of "Heights Of Fire" come via Mixing Finga and they include another diamond of a tune, a GIANT of a surprise and a very solid changeup to end things. Social commentary, 'New Age', complete with its delightful old school riddim is the first of the trio and I could just listen to this damn thing allllllll day long. 

"Inna di age of information

When babylon ah build skystation

None a dem, di ghetto youth dem nah  go wait pon

Cause dem find out seh dem ah work fi Satan

Keep it real and be careful of di fake one

Cause enough a dem still ah work fi pagan

And dem bring down a pure frustration

Segregation, dem nuh love fi hear liberation

New age, haffi turn a new page

Babylon abuse it

Dem will shoot you like a Cupid

New age, haffi turn a new page

Babylon so stupid

Then why so abuse it

Dem get caught inna di Age of Aquarius

When di whole world started to flare up

And information start clear up

GMO, babylon have a pair of

Ghetto youth well mi seh you haffi care up

NAH FI SIDDUNG PON YUH STAIR AND AH STARE UP

AND YUH HAFFI BUN DEM FAR AND NEAR UP

Pon di battlefield, you must prepare up"

ALL OF IT! The whole day! Doing that would make it harder to get to the next BIG tune, the similarly geared and 'Haffi Know Dem'. I just told you how much I like 'New Age' but you could very well make a good argument (and I might make it) that 'Haffi Know Dem' is the stronger of the two as, in a sweet kind of way with that riddim, Capleton SEARS! I'll say it again (and again and again), you listen to what this man says and virtually every single song he makes when he's in form (and he almost always is) hits a much higher level than it would on a more cursory listen. And finally is the album's clear changeup, 'All Night'. If you take the title in the context of going all night or... DOING SOMETHING all night, you get the point of this one (like I said, changeup). I won't sugar it up: 'All Night' isn't the best song on this album and it may actually be the worst (it just isn't as good as everything else but it isn't a BAD song for what it is) but I'm grateful when they do things like this because it shows that someone is conscious of actually building an album and not having roughly the same sound through all sixteen tracks and almost an hour in length. I have no problem with them throwing a piece like 'All Night' at the end of this one. 

I do want to say something about Capleton, himself, before I close this one because I think it's getting more and more crucial that we do this with someone like him at this stage in his career. As I built this review on his standing and his stature in Reggae music being SO big at this point and with him coming close to turning sixty years old in the next nine months so; I think it is SO DAMN important that we realize exactly who we have in him. Yes, he's been spectacular and we expect to be spectacular still but Capleton has also been that consistent soldier. He's been very steady and I'll resist to comparing him to anyone else but he's been far more dependable than many of his peers - even those who have built comparable careers and longevity of their own. So it's important that we celebrate him. No. He's not an old man and we hope to have him around for many years but he's here now and he deserves to be appreciated!

Overall, with that being said, you can join me and appreciate and celebrate Capleton for what he's just done in "Heights Of Fire". You can also throw a bit of accolades in the direction of Evidence Music as well for bringing it all together. I would guess that there're some very big fans of Capleton's at Evidence and they also came up in an era where his albums were of such a grand importance and they wanted to attempt to recreate it. Well done lads! Mission accomplished! From what I've seen thus far, the response to "Heights Of Fire" has been big and I would hope and predict that it will continue to be big. What we have here is a new release from a bona fide musical LEGEND. Just that alone: We don't get those very often at all and when you combine it with the fact that everything that allowed Capleton to build that legend is not only still intact but, seemingly, as sharp as ever, you have something very special, potentially. "Heights Of Fire" is another log on one of the brightest and most skillfully set fires that has ever burned in Reggae music. MAYBE the best album from the first half of 2026. 

Rated: 4.5/5

Evidence Music

2026

A Wanted Man: A review of Endurance by Jah Defender

In-form. I do, sometimes, a list at the end of a year, looking ahead, for what is to come in the new year called "Most Wanted". This list is a simple collection of ten names who I hope to hear from in album form in the following year and the names assembled there appear for a couple of different reasons. One of the biggest is absence: Haven't heard from them in a bit (usually in terms of not having had an album in quite awhile but, occasionally, just have not heard from them AT ALL) and it would be nice if they came around and showed what they've been working on (biggup Reemah). Rumours can also put you on this list; maybe you've had something cooking for a long time (biggup Bounty Killer) (THAT THING IS BURNT TO A CRISP!) but don't have anything officially scheduled at the moment for it. You'll be included hoping that the planets align and you can FINALLY get that project on the road. Another person who'll be amongst the Most Wanted in a given year is someone who's just... on a roll. Someone who may or may not have had an album recently (doesn't really matter) but are showing signs that they've either primed or re-primed and are just making some fantastic music - that person is also going to get a place on my little list. There're also combinations of these (you may have someone who, literally, fits into all three categories) but that's about it; that's what I base it on. The final of those types is what we're going to take a look at today and attempt to highlight someone who, apparently, has reached new heights and has been on a tear lately. I'm trying to think of a similar situation (because that's just what I do) and I'm not going to use the obvious ones, because I always use him (biggup Norris Man), and instead I'll pick our old friend, Mr. Lloyd Brown. Surely at least some of it had to do with me growing up and maturing but I legitimately think that Brown hit a point where he leveled up. He starting making better music and that's saying a lot because by the time I caught on, he was already DECADES into his storied career and he's still out there doing big things with a new album (or two) for this year. I also look at other cases like those of Ziggi Recado, King Lorenzo and Natural Black as examples of people who just clicked one day and, at least for me, hit a point where they just started making music of an even higher caliber. 

2013

On the 2025 edition of Most Wanted, a name that was mandatory when I started putting it together was that of Trinidad chanter, Jah Defender. Around here, we go BACK with Jah Defender. Thirteen years ago we reviewed his impressive debut album, "Rastaman Rise". That album was HEALTHY! Even today, if you want a really strong introduction to Jah Defender's music, I'd suggest you start with "Rastaman Rise". Featuring big tunes like 'Jah Es Mi Amor', 'Give Thanks' (which featured long favourite of ours, Tiwony), 'Rebel', 'Listen', 'Only King Selassie I', the towering 'Every Time I Rise', 'Jah Is The Maker'... I could really go on and on with sizable offerings from that album which, as you can tell, has aged very well in my opinion. That album put on full display the very BRIGHT and appealing style of Jah Defender and went a far way in making a fan of his out of me. I want to say that, following the release of "Rastaman Rise", the Defender had a number of thin years in terms of amount of output (although I could definitely be wrong about that and maybe that was just my experience, having not encountered much of his music... or I could just be remembering incorrectly. I'm old) but these days things are DEFINITELY not thin and they haven't been for quite awhile. 

Jah Defender has been dropping BOMBS for about... two or three years now. He just has. He has, perhaps quietly, been making some of the finest music in the entire genre, pinnacling with, arguably, the single finest song that I heard in all of 2025 'Hail Selassie I'. The towering praising tune was and remains one of the very best of its type that I've heard in the past decade or so (and you know, given the subject, it has, literally, THOUSANDS of competitors there) and it, along with other tunes that the chanter has had lately, has definitely put his listeners on notice that Jah Defender has entered a new stage of his career. That point was solidified earlier this year, when Defender dropped a nice EP by the name of "Still Can See" which, although it wasn't his very best work, was something nice to hold us over until something bigger came around: Meet "something bigger"! While the chanter has been careful and mindful to spread the love around through working with various labels, he's apparently found a great comfort working alongside the venerable House Of Riddim from out of Austria. Artist and label have done extremely impressive work together (including the aforementioned 'Haile Selassie I' single) and they now take it even further courtesy of a brand new big EP/tiny album "Endurance". I was REALLY looking forward to this one and I'm almost curious as to why they didn't pile on more tunes and make a THICKER project but I'm going to take what I can get, especially from someone like Jah Defender in 2026 (and just last year, an album that had nine tracks, just like "Endurance", was our third best album) (biggup Spectacular). What they do put out in "Endurance" seems completely void of previously released singles as far as I can tell. They don't lean on any of the material that they've been doing over the past two or three years or so and, instead, set out what feels like a new project for the most part and I'm hoping so much that the masses gravitate towards this one and notice what I've been noticing as of late. If you enjoy modern Roots Reggae music, Jah Defender has something for you. Let's discuss! 

Let's talk about, briefly, Jah Defender's style. Looking back through the review of the "Rastaman Rise" album - I'm pretty happy with the comparisons that I made. I likened him to VI singers, Ras Army & Danny I with a bit more flames to his style and, again, I think that's a pretty solid link to make albeit, perhaps, a more unconventional and less expected one. He has a FINE singing voice for the style of music that he makes and I don't mean that in a charmingly weary type of way in which I might say it about someone else (biggup Norris Man) - the man can just sing! I've called him a chanter in reference to his total style but he has a fine singing voice, which you can hear copious examples of on his new set, "Endurance", which gets up and going with the ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR 'Life Is Beautiful'. There is a certain GORGEOUS synergy between the deliver here and the riddim that is just so tight and impressive. 'Life Is Beautiful' sounds like it was rehearsed dozens and dozens of times for hours upon hours before this exquisite final version was turned in. Be that the case or not -- whatever they did -- it was worth it. 

"Foolish man builds his house on the sinking sand

But the wise man build up him house on Jah solid foundation"

BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE! IT COULD BE MUCH, MUCH WORSE! They give you an ever so slight taste of it (there's a certain spot at the 3:35 mark where a full dub sounds like it's about to break out) but I do wish Defender and HOR had featured that riddim on its own just a little more but make no mistake about it: 'Life Is Beautiful' is FANTASTIC and the best song you'll find here in my opinion! Nothing dips at all on "Endurance" as up next is the mighty 'Overcome'. As its title suggests, this one is a social commentary and a solid one that covers the expected bases but I have to say that it is the vibes of the song that threaten to 'overwhelm' 'Overcome'. This thing SOUNDS SO GOOD! It is such a nice listen and damn pleasing to hear. Obviously, take in everything and hear what is being said but ENJOY [!] as well. 'Vampires' turns up the flames just a hair and definitely gives 'Endurance', in its early block, a nice BITE to it to those who aren't living right and cannot walk in the sunlight.

"Vampires dem lurking

Innocent flesh and blood dem searching

In di street, in di night, they're roaming

Another innocent soul dem taking

Vampires dem lurking

Police and rude boys dem roaming

hunting for another victim

COME TO RASTAFARI FOR SPIRITUAL PURGING

Too damn trigger-happy fi nothing at all

Bust it unnecessary

And now di place too hot

Nothing can selly selly cause every damn ten minutes is a squaddie squaddie

Stop for a moment and take it easy

Yuh mashing up di whole damn community-ty-ty

Like you know waan fi live and si yuh grandpickney

Life is worth more than dem gangsta trophy

Live upright and have some mercy

You mister businessman and politician

You get alla yuh riches from exploitation 

Creating classicism and promote segregation

Rob all di wealth and resources from di nation 

Rich man alone ah benefit

Poor youths caan get no education

Black woman ah agitate fi redemption

Rastaman ah chant, beat up di kette drum

Pharaoh, release di whole a bongo nation

BABYLON TAKING YUH ENERGY FOR A MINIMUM SALARY

EVERYTHING DEM GET, DEM TAKE IT BACK FROM WI"

'Vampires' is all the petrol you need and it comes in at the perfect moment.

The gorgeous praiser 'Trodding On' kicks off the second third of "Endurance" and, as expected, does so in a very strong way. 'Trodding On' is kind of mid in terms the 'force' of the song but it definitely has a decided edge to it as well - just not to the levels of the song ahead of it. There's nothing out of the ordinary here; it is exactly what you think it is but it is a total JOY to listen to. The musicianship, in particular (biggup whoever plays those horns I hear. The credits say it's probably Hannes Kerschner, but could aslo be Helmut Schneider and Markus Hoffman) is absolutely top notch and if they wanted to place that riddim in the hands of someone else - they'd get no fight out of me. Next up is a pair of songs that I'm going to place together.... just because (it's my review and I can do whatever I want), 'Paradise' & 'Heavens', as both of them speak to some form of existing utopia. The idea of the former has a slight repatriation theme to it but the bliss this one finds is more of a mental place in my opinion. The Defender finds his joy in praising His Majesty and even in "the simple things in life" - anywhere he can get it is worth lifting up and celebrating is the idea behind 'Paradise' (GREAT first verse on that tune). For its part, 'Heavens', which comes through on this BEAUTIFUL old school sounding track is the project's obligatory ganja tune... which means you already know what its idea of glory is. Although, between the two, 'Paradise' takes top honours, 'Heavens' is still very strong and it has something special about it. Should it be given the opportunity to shine in a single capacity, I would actually expect 'Heavens' to do quite well there. 

Jah Defender gives a big credit to his homeland on 'Trinidad & Tobago', a song I was really looking forward to hearing. I'm sure I've come across a few, here and there, but Reggae tributes to T&T aren't exactly prevalent (they grow on the vine in Soca, on the other hand) and the Defender does take a broader approach to this one, the results are still pretty stellar. I do wish he would have stuck to the specifics a little more but 'Trinidad & Tobago' becomes a social commentary which does fit into the run of the album. Next in, Jah Defender goes Bob Marley (not really) with 'Get Up Stand Up'. This one is kind of unusual in terms of how its written because it is EXTREMELY broad. He goes in a few different directions, starting with:

"Hey mister preacherman, stop telling all those lies

You teach the people, to see The Lord, they've got to die

Having your whole congregation searching up in the sky

When the God of the universe dwells in You and I"

Before going into:

"Hey soldier man and mister police

Unuh si seh unuh working for the beast"

It's all over the place and that isn't necessarily a detraction in this case because, in full, 'Get Up Stand Up' is very strong. Finally, Jah Defender sends us out of "Endurance" with another big selection, 'Righteousness'. I have to say that I didn't really like the chorus on this one very much when I first heard it (it's a little gimmicky) but it did grow on me, steadily and that certainly has something to do with the riddim here. Again, the players of instruments on this track are in golden form and set a foundation which Jah Defender does not allow to go to waste.

If we ignore the length of this project then really my only critique is that I wish there was a little more variation. I think "Endurance" could really use a changeup to the vibes, just a.... just a SWEETENER (maybe even like a combination) and something that gives another look but, judging it for what it is, I cannot honestly offer up many complaints at all. 

Overall, what "Endurance" does is what I hope every single album that I review does: It takes advantage of what its star does well and really shows them in the best possible light. Normally -- in any situation with someone with actual talent -- that's a great thing but it becomes magnified when said "star" is already in such a great form and putting together a run that is difficult to ignore. Again, the music throughout "Endurance" borders on SPECTACULAR (and crosses over into that territory a few times) and, as they virtually always do, House Of Riddim STANDS UP with their work. So while I'm still waiting on the full, definitive next release from Jah Defender, "Endurance" is a showcase of an immense talent which MAY actually just now be hitting its peak. Exactly what I wanted! 

Rated: 4.35/5

House Of Riddim

2026