The Vault Reviews: Topaz by Akae Beka

Specificity. Thankfully neither You nor I have the ability to take a look at our wonderful music outside of the perspective of already being a fan of it. We absolutely love it and when you love something truly you not only forgive its perceived warts and flaws, if you stick around long enough, you'll grow to love and even defend them when necessary. Someone (everyone, they all do) that you love has a bad habit, it may have driven you crazy at some point and maybe it still does to some degree but you've grown to accept it and if someone else (especially someone else who you do not love) criticizes them for it, yours is likely to be the first voice telling them to... mind their own damn business. Specifically what I'm curious about today is what I might think of the incredible rate at which some of our artists have released albums throughout the years. The digital side of things has changed things definitely as of late but there was once a point when there seemed to be a quota of sorts for a small but infinitely crucial group of names to fill on a nearly annual basis. Do you remember, for example, when Sizzla Kalonji released an album every year for... I don't know how long for VP Records, Greensleeves Records and Jet Star Records? Even if you don't it's a very easy thing to go and look up, but there was once a point, during the CD dominate era, when you were virtually guaranteed to get all three of them each and every year and he might even throw in another from a smaller label that same year and though there were certainly discussions of overactivity, in retrospect it was a beautiful thing and I miss it and so do you. The most obvious concern with such a practice was the risk of registering a noticeable dip in quality and you also ran the risk of just having certain albums be 'buried' by others as the term 'new album' by a particular artist could have three or four different meanings at any time. If/when one of them inevitably exploded, the others kind of vanished behind it to a degree (hello "Da Real Thing", so long "Hosanna"). Looking back now, one of the more interesting aspects of someone releasing THAT much music is that, like anything else, when you do something so frequently, you may want to change things up occasionally. Though I may have hated it back in 'da day, these days I find them all kinds of fascinating.

I can remember having a discussion with a friend of mine who I worked with at the time (biggup Antonio) and it was before I had well gotten into the swing of being a fan of Vaughn Benjamin about an interview/article with the artist (I want to say the name of the magazine was Murder Dog) (I remember they did Reggae interviews constantly and you really had to pay attention because it just read like a book, they made no viewable distinction between question and reply. Same font, style and everything) and he wasn't a Reggae fan and I told him, Midnite was a 'guy who released about three or four albums a year so he automatically (and though inaccurately, I think it was fair for him to do so given his perspective as a Hip Hop fan if I can recall correctly) assumed that it meant that his work wasn't very good and was hurried and rushed out. My response was, even though I wasn't the biggest of fans back then (we're talking twenty years ago now), to explain to him just how APPRECIATED and CELEBRATED Midnite was. I'd argue that, at his peak, Vaughn Benjamin/Midnite had (and probably still have) some of the most passionate and dedicated fans that Reggae music has ever seen. I've encountered many of them through the years and for many, he could and has never done a wrong (even heavy Marley fans will acknowledge a misstep here and there). That was my response back then and, two decades later, though it would be more involved and detailed, it would probably how I'd reply now. With that being said however, instead of going through a giant catalogue and searching for flops, today we're going to take a look at those moments which are... just a bit outside of the ordinary.

2008

I know what you're thinking. I do and you're right. Yes, it does often (virtually always) seem as if the two are related. When someone tries to change things up for an entire album, it hardly ever works out and, yeah, for the most part, you are correct. Sizzla has had quite a few of those moments (the one which stands out is "Rise To The Occasion" which was far better received than I would have thought it would have been at the time and remains quite respected actually), as have several big named Dancehall artists who have unsuccessfully flirted with Hip-Hop over the years (a fact which is changing as the genre becomes more and more diluted) and just many others (like Norris Man). For his part, Vaughn Benjamin has had them as well. It's difficult to choose them in his case because of his style which is ULTRA lyrical, but if you dig into that vault some moments of genuine anomalies stand out and not all of them were blunders. Specifically, back in 2008, Benjamin linked up with a musician from out of Senegal by the name of Youssoupha Sidibe who was a player of the kora, a stringed instrument, referred to as the 'African harp'. Together they delivered "For All" and throughout the release that wiry sound was dominant. It was for some people and not for all, but I personally enjoyed it and, if my memory is accurate (and it usually isn't) it was celebrated (but, as I said, pretty much everything he's done is celebrated in some circles) ["Pray Jah inna di mercy seat!"] (BOOM!). Also, as per Vaughn Benjamin albums what you'll notice is that, probably because he's been so active, the releases from various producers have their own sound. So, if you were to focus primarily on I Grade Records' kind of FULL and vibrant Roots Reggae music and then go to some of what Rastar (which tends to be a bit looser and experimental at times) or even Fifth Son Records (definitely Roots but Roots in the HEAVIEST sense) you'd also notice a shift in what you were listening to. Going further back still, some of the Natural Vibes releases had some inherent differences in their sounds and anything produced by Ras L as well. While the sound may not be as significantly disparate as was the case on "For All", Benjamin's route has had its fair share of deviations, at least in terms of sound (don't get me started on lyrics). 

The stringy sound from "For All" at times had an acoustic-like sound but it would not be until 2018 until Vaughn Benjamin, as Akae Beka, 'officially' had an entire streamlined project when we got a look at "Topaz". The album's origins are both familiar and exotic at the same time as it came via an Ocean Records which you may not be familiar with (and prior to "Topaz", you'd have no reason to be familiar with them as far as I know). Also on board was SoundPonics (again, may or may not (probably not) know of them) and, of course, the aforementioned I Grade Records. It all came under the helm of one Padraic Coursey of Aqua Sounds Studio from out of the VI with whom you most certainly are familiar if you're reading a review like this (whether you realize it or not) as he has been present, largely as a player of instrument (predominately the guitar, DUHHHH!), on many of the releases from I Grade Records and the Zion I Kings through the years. So, if you're a nerd who likes to comb through credits and press releases, you've probably encountered Coursey's name on music from the likes of Pressure Busspipe, Batch, Lloyd Brown, Glen Washington, Jahdan Blakkamoore and others, but looking at that list, SURELY you've encountered his work (if you have not, you may have horrible taste in music). "Topaz" was an opportunity for us all to become just a bit better acquainted with Coursey's work, directly and, if anything, what it did was to provide a very interesting stage for one of Reggae's most active of talents.... but was it any good???

I have to admit: An acoustic Akae Beka album wasn't something which would have been terribly high on my wishlist at the time (probably would have ranked somewhere near the Akae Beka Soca album) (hopefully not coming soon... Vaughn Benjamin mashing up the road). In its typical form, Vaughn Benjamin's music isn't the most 'vibrant', generally, so to strip it back even further didn't seem like the greatest idea. I do think it might've been different had it been a compilation of 'greatest hits' redone acoustically (which then begs the question of why no one has put together a definitive greatest hits release for his music. I think I have an idea why not: Because he never really had 'hits' in the stereotypical sense of the word. If you could somehow find his ten biggest fans and have them put together twelve of their favourite tunes, you might actually come away with one hundred and twenty different songs), but to my eyes and ears, "Topaz" was ten completely new selections - at least that would have been the initial feeling. However, if you really think about it (and you go back and listen to the closest example of such a set, the aforementioned "For All"), you might come away with what actually ended up happening here. Its acoustic vibe actually helped "Topaz" to present Vaughn Benjamin's WORDS in an even greater way at times and, of course, he did not disappoint. The album's opener 'Tempest I've Seen', is a sterling example of what I mean in regards to his lyrics being presented in a unique way. If you listen very closely, you'll hear the windy beginnings of the tune (a tempest is a storm) and it makes way for a truly one of a kind delivery from a certified master of the spoken word. 

"From the get-go, I'll be there

Down  to the barebones of melody, I can feel how to let you be

TIME TO WORK ON SOME SERENITY

Dissonance is not necessary

To support your free-grounded, high soaring

SPIRIT FREE, IN HIS VEST BUOYANCY

Agree, we both agree

Agree, agree we all agree

To the one, to the many

Basic human utility

Hoping things will function normally 

Like the wind and the sea

Temperate emotion, uneasy

If they should behave disorderly

What made the metaphor matter to me?

Tempest I've seen

Unrest I've been"

TEARS! TEARS! DO YOU HEAR ME!

"All the parts of it

A shocking thought unseen

Until reason steps in to clean

Where I have my being

MY MEDITATION WILL BE SWEET

Don't accept that soul-defeat

Agree, we all agree

Agree, we both agree"

We all go through really hard times and when/if we come through them, we come out as more experienced and toughened people. There's a line in this song when he says, "spirit free in his vest buoyancy" which is..... I mean.... no one else says anything like that. They may mean the same thing -- you've been through things, you're dependable, you will 'float', you're not worried -- but it will NEVER come out sounding like it does here. Oh! And if you haven't figured it out (shame on you), 'Tempest I've Seen' is the best song I'VE SEEN on this entire album. Both of the next offerings on "Topaz" were exquisite evidence of how sonically pleasing this more streamlined artform can be at times, even in the hands of a vocal artist like Benjamin. 'Rallying Cry', for example, sounds excellent (and the next one may sound even better). It goes in and out of varying degrees of intensity and, just as a track, is lovely and Benjamin does his best to accompany it with ENTERTAINING as well educational vocals. This one had me singing along with it at times ["FORWARD TO THE RALLYING CRY. THEY WILL FORWARD TO THE RALLYING CRY. FORWARD TO THE RALLYING CRY. THEY WILL FORWARD TO THE RALLYING CRY"] and then rewinding over and over to hear exactly what he said at others (a practice you come to get used to being a fan of his) ["Take a look at the dollar sign: SUPERIMPOSE THE H OVER THE S - YOU GO SEE HAILE SELASSIE I. Symbiosis of semblance sight"]. Altogether what we had was a track which says that people are hungry. They're looking for something positive and righteous to believe in and support and they're tired of stagnancy and just hoping for something seemingly not forthcoming. It is FULL GENIUS as well. I recommend, the very first listen, giving 'Rallying Cry' at least three spins through. After you've done that, you have my permission (because I know you really wanted it) to proceed on to 'Melodies'. Though incredibly simple for the most part 'Melodies' is POWERFUL. It is a mighty tune and I might just let you get passed it with.... let's say three listens before you move on. The song itself is one giving thanks for the music. It's interesting because Benjamin presents the sound as a gift from The Almighty. It's creation and it's joy are all gifts here and, be that the case, though we (as a species) have done terrible and unforgivable things to this world, CLEARLY we did something right (or Someone felt sorry for us) for HIM to have decided to send us this guy.

The last Akae Beka album I reviewed was "JahSayDo" and it contained a tune called 'Aloudallowed' and if you go through the history of Akae Beka/Midnite, you see similar plays on words like this such as 'Thru & True', 'In Tent', 'Come Bust I On' ["as steady as I & I can hold I self together"] and others and the fourth piece on "Topaz", 'Here Hear' was another (and if you've listened to much of his music over the years, you know much Benjamin loves playing on the duality in the meaning of words and flipping them and combining them - the man's life's work was an examination of words). This is another one which will require a bit more focus (and you see where this is going) and only when you do that work does it begin to butterfly just a bit. What I would ultimately take from 'Here Hear' is that it was a call to be appreciative of the moment that we're living in. It isn't in terms, specifically, being thankful for any single thing, but everything in total. A very interesting aspect of the tune is how free it is. It seems like a vibe, something which wasn't terribly planned out given just how broad it is but, as I said, if you're willing to dig it out, you will find a winner. And wrapping up the first half of "Topaz" was 'Going Thru' (I'm not going to insult your intelligence by saying how I feel it is best enjoyed. I'll assume you know that already by now). This one had a very BRIGHT sound to it which isn't my favourite on the album, but what it is used for is a definite highlight here for me. 'Going Thru' goes in quite a few different directions, but the one where it probably spends most of its time (or at least most fo its efforts) is in taking a look at financial issues and struggles. That isn't very rare at all (the detail to which Benjamin does it is rare, however, mentioning things like ponzi scheme) but the way he presents it -- as an almost NATURAL form of life -- is wholly uncommon. These songs usually take on a more of a 'sufferer's anthem' type, but that isn't what 'Going Thru' is at al... it is something else entirely.

The second half of "Topaz" is just as interesting as its first and, just like the first, it serves up one colossal moment in the midst of some extremely fascinating material. Speaking of "fascinating" taking top honours, perhaps on the entire album, is the bilingual stylings of 'Perdon'. Benjamin enjoyed a level of popularity all over the world but you'll find a tremendous amount of it in the Central and South Americas where you have largely Spanish speaking countries and I would think, given his 'scope' that going in the direction of making music which reached even closer to such fans would have been well on his radar. I wouldn't have all been surprised if he eventually did an entire album in Spanish (biggup Danny I) and I wouldn't even be shocked if already has. He would even go on to do another, 'Mas Dificil', on last year's "Protocols" release, so I think that his heart was in that direction. For its part, 'Perdon' was some type of brilliant ["'Cat pon a hot tin roof' - a metaphor for a serial philanderer. Stability for him mean wide open, no restriction neither"] and it had elements which seemed like it was built, specifically, to not only make a point but also to show love to Spanish speaking fans as well ["After the earthquake inna Ecuador, have to build back infrastructure"]. I've used the word "streamlined" in reference to the acoustic style, in general, at a couple of points during this review, but a listen to 'Clarfiy and Resume' clearly demonstrates that isn't always the case. The track for this one had SO MUCH going on to it that I cannot imagine that anything was actually chipped away or left out. It was damn interesting (and pay attention to the dying embers of the song for a very nice touch). As to its course, this one is ripe with possibilities and although puzzling, about halfway through, 'Clarify and Resume' begins to unravel and reveal itself.

"Evidently before a fall

Sparks were flying above what we do, what we do

SOME SELECTIVE DON'T RECALL

GOING DOWN FORGETFUL AVENUE

Don't be untrue, review it all

GIVE THE CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE-

Within your galaxy of thought

Where it's a spring, it's fresh and new"

"Give the credit where it's due within your galaxy of thought" really stuck with me, with the word 'galaxy' standing out. For me this was a tune about exploring (and maybe even exhausting) ideas, which is a PERFECT way to approach the music of Akae Beka (I'm doing it right now, if you're listening to the album, you're doing it as well). Those moments when you find yourself attempting to piece together some form of comprehension of what you're listening to are some of the most fun and satisfying here and the message is that taking that time (not just in terms of listening to music, obviously, but as far as life in general) to figure things out is okay. It's normal. You stop, you take in information and you "resume". You can then pick up at 'Real Ranks', which I was very much looking forward to based on its title alone (sounds like a Dancehall song) (it is not) and it did not disappoint. The longest track on "Topaz" by over thirty seconds, 'Real Ranks' is somewhat reminiscent of 'Going Thru' in terms of its focus. It's a social commentary with a great deal of spiritual backing, this one dealing more specifically with entities such as the IMF and the World Bank. Where I'm at here is that Vaughn Benjamin is speaking on the disconnect these things have with actual PEOPLE and how they can approach them as just groups or robots ["IMF they're called and World Bank. They have been shockingly unobservant of the real ranks"]. There is a lack of respect and decency in terms of treatment which, of course, can go MUCH higher than just a discussion such as this one (and he does take it there). I also want to mention the vibes of 'Real Ranks'; maybe not the first listen but somewhere down the line this one might get SPECIAL for you, like it did for me. Its sound is one easily one of the most beautiful you'll find on this release. 'Topaz', the song, 'ranks' incredibly high on "Topaz", the album, as it Benjamin goes biblical to produce a vibe which, as its title suggests, is a GEM!

"Job spoke of the topaz of Ithiopia in its rarity

AND IT WAS KNOWN TO ALL THE WORLD

Most beautiful resin and sensory 

Frankincense, white copal - known to all the world

Like this, I origin, jeweled horses

And it was known to all the world

THE ONLY MEMORY - SLAVERY

IS NOT I HISTORY IN TOTALITY

It's a segment in part reword

Tell a qualitative accuracy of the journey

IT'S A DEBT THEY DENIED, DEFERRED

A DEBT DEFERRED

Job spoke of the topaz of Ethiopia, in all its rarity

It was known to all the world

Most beautiful resin sensory 

Heaven, frankincense and white copal

And it was known to all the world

In the ghetto born holy-

Yashua Almighty

Love for the whole hierarchy

Blessings to all the earth

Inna roots and culturally

Reservation of truth rebirth

Qadamawi, Haile Selassie 

Blessing to all the earth

Abysinnian have a story

Advance in the past, remote

Unparalleled, a story wrote

Iron did swim to Elijah-

Float sincerity

AS RARE AS THE ANTIDOTE

With the warmest of heart support

And the people said take a vote

People to anger - don't provoke

DON'T MAKE A FRIENDSHIP OUTTA DAGGER AND CLOAK

And ah satta inna medi and smoke

THICK DARKNESS, HIS PAVILLION

AND OUT OF HIS NOSTRIL - SMOKE

Word, they get it outta dope

Dopamine outa dope

In the natural, chemical, neuro-zone

MELANIN AND BLACK AMINOS

And neutrinos in the overtones

In the ghetto born holy"

TEARS! The chanter can be 'cryptic', he can downright allergic to melody and sometimes he mumbles, but 'Topaz' is him at the height of his powers! It does not get much better than this STUNNING tune. This is a decorated praising piece which isn't very complex (only by his own standards, which're higher than basically anyone else's when it comes to complexities) and goes to place His Majesty at the center of all things ["and it was known to all the world"]. He does this by painting a beautiful portrait and then branching it out. He paints a picture and then explains to you what you are looking at and if you get confused, you may clarify and resume at any point. The final selection on "Topaz", 'Edgy Business', is another whose title had me very curious to hear what it turned out to be. I'm still working on this one (I'll call you when I'm done) (you will NEVER hear from me). Where I am now is thinking that the piece is about how we all interact with one another to achieve certain goals. 'Edgy Business' is so interesting for a variety of different reasons, one of them being that (unless I mishear it) it is one tune where, in no form, does he directly mention The Almighty (he does say "champions" in what I think is unrelated and the way the tune ends is CERTAINLY an indirect reference, "AS ACCOMPLISHED WILL BEAR WITNESS THE LEGACY THE VICTORY LIST WHO ANNUALLY APPEARS ON IT"). That's probably pretty rare in his case (maybe not) but it did stand out to me on a tune like this one where he brings together people together lyrically and then puts us in a frame where we "coexist" and make an attempt to understand one another. He indirectly deals with things such as language (probably easier to get along with you if I can "comprehend" what you are trying to tell me. I "don't wanna be guessing", after all) and success with, again, the umbrella-ing theme being how we are able to relate to one another. The sonics on 'Edgy Business' are subtle (DUH!) but they are amongst the finest you will hear on "Topaz".

Overall, I made an effort to stop doing in about halfway through this review so I could come back to it in closing and here we are: Whatever you feel about "Topaz", if you love it, hate it or're somewhere in between, it will either reverse completely or be BOLDLY UNDERLINED the more you listen to it. I can say this about all of Vaughn Benjamin's music but with  his album, in particular, a single listen (in terms of comprehension) is virtually useless. You won't get much from it one time through (I don't even think the man, himself, would) (even knowing for absolute certainty the source of every line). When you give it that time, however, "Topaz" (at least for me) illuminates.

"What made the metaphor matter to me"

Going back to the circumstances of this one, I think that the acoustic vibes actually push the word even more. It certainly did for me. Some of these songs sound EXCELLENT, some are lesser, but they all seemingly exist as SPRINGS for the message. If you're like me and figuring your way through these things is the most interesting part, YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE "TOPAZ". It isn't for everyone. It isn't even for all Akae Beka fans; but for a few of us, that album in this catalogue which comes outside of the norm and the expected comes with a very odd and captivating strength..... which you just may need to hear.

Rated: Something out of Something Else

Ocean Records

CD + Digital 

2018