Respect. FULLY: A review of Power Shift by Dezarie

Rotation. Respect can be a very interesting thing to consider for and endless number of reasons. Something I find most captivating about the concept is the fact that, though it is entirely immeasurable and subjective, it can also be very easy to spot as well. You may see a tiger on a very hot day walk up to a little lake and, very carefully, take a drink and go about her day. Why not just go into the water? Because alligators live in that lake and she doesn't want those kind of problems. Maybe she has her cubs with her as well - she has just taught them that RESPECT can be as powerful and as clear as the stifling heat they're seeking relief from. Specifying things, let's take a look at respect within Reggae music. You know a guy named Moses and you know another one named Rodney. Moses is, universally, more well know. He's more popular. It's a matter of fact and not opinion: More people know BEENIE MAN, than BOUNTY KILLER. Who is more respected can be another case entirely but, if we're talking about more hardened fans and people who actually produce this stuff, the answer is probably Bounty as evidenced by the countless names of artists who came after him (those who made strides in music and those who did not) crediting him as being a major influence in their careers. Bounty Killer was a bad ass. When you were a kid, that's the guy you wanted to be. Getting even more specific, I can recall a time... maybe a quarter of a century ago at this point, when I knew the name Midnite but I wasn't much of a fan. I've talked about it quite a bit in the past (and will certainly do it again in the future) so I won't delve into it too much but "MIDNITE" was something I didn't particularly understand. What was crystal-clear, however, was their appeal. By comparison, they were nowhere near as POPULAR as some of their Jamaican peers like Sizzla and Capleton but the Virgin Islands outfit enjoyed such a powerfully dedicated, loyal and FAITHFUL fanbase. To me -- at the time and still today, looking back at it -- that was a sign of RESPECT. That the Benjamin bros. and company, in their ascension had, perhaps in a way that we had never seen before or since, gone from the 'underground' to being something very difficult to ignore... even for a young, naive 19-20 year old like myself. And I can actually recall later hearing from some of their Jamaican peers (like Lutan Fyah, for example, if I recall correctly) how their work had traveled and just how appreciated Midnite had become. That is a DEEP level of respect and admiration. 

2025

And Midnite came bearing gifts. Along with indirectly opening doors for forthcoming talents from out of the Virgin Islands (and directly via putting some of them on their songs and live shows), including Pressure Busspipe, Midnite DIRECTLY had a hand in introducing a downright monstrous talent by the name of Dezarie to the foreground as well and her rise to prominence IMMEDIATELY resembled their own. You could very well make the case that the level of esteem that Midnite had earned by the early 2000s had put Dezarie in a fine position to succeed as they began to lift her up and that would be more than fair but that wouldn't explain why we're STILL talking about her today. Having a hand in producing and/or releasing much of her early work such as the "Fya" and "Gracious Mama Africa" sets were strong introductions but the work that she did on her end and, CLEARLY, the work she's still doing has allowed the Queen of VI Reggae to maintain her most unusual and distinguished.

like 15 minutes ago

So it's kinda awesome how we're talking about her in 2026. I haven't finished it yet but the mini-review is coming where I'll tell you about her most recent release (well... not anymore), "7th Heaven", a BEAUTIFUL EP release courtesy of Tikur Anbessa Records. Something that was quite remarkable about that release, even prior to listening to the music that was actually on it, was the fact that it even existed in the timeframe that did. If you have been following along, you probably know that Dezarie isn't the most active of artists (I think I've probably called her "reclusive" at some point). It takes her a little while to get her thoughts together and bring a release forward but that was not the case with "7th Heaven" as, JUST LAST YEAR, she had a full album in the absolutely SUBLIME "Guardian". That album was fantastic and took #2 on our Best of 2025 list back in January. So the very fact that Dezarie had something to contribute to 2026 was icing on the cake... but apparently she was not done. The official release date for "7th Heaven" was the 30th of July; on the 4th of September -- which my magic calculator tells me is thirty-six days later -- she now... returns, SHOCKINGLY, with a brand new album, "Power Shift". I was completely surprised to see this one as, though I had heard what turned out to be an initial single for "Power Shift", I didn't know of/make the connection to it being anything related to a fuller project as it was somewhat odd (more on that in just a minute) and definitely seemed more like a one-off. "Power Shift" comes through a Goddess Frequency imprint (I could make some assumptions given its name but I'm not going to but you probably know what I'm thinking about a label called "GODDESS FREQUENCY" in regards to a Dezarie album) with production being handled by ZionLab. I've always known Dezarie to have a fairly large following in South America particularly and ZionLab has its roots in Brazil. Dezarie is releasing a Brazilian produced album in 2026 (...or in any other year at all)?? GIMME! I'll take two! The album not only continues a suddenly prolific run for Dezarie but also a TORRID release schedule for Reggae music in 2026 as a whole; coming the exact same day as a new album from the great Anthony B as well. Respect is like a muscle. It must be exercised and it must be fed. Is Dezarie still fit during this "Power Shift"?

Of course she is. Part of the attraction to Dezarie, I think, has to do with her very interesting style. She alternates between using a more straightforward (and beautiful) singing voice and an often strange kind of... hypnotic chanting. She literally sounds like she's in entranced at times. She also possesses a more straight forward type of chant which often hits more on the aggressive side. If you require an artist to be able to do something - Dezarie does it and does it well. FOR EXAMPLE, check the first tune and title track from her brand new album, "Power Shift" from ZionLab. The song finds Dezarie, literally, putting her best foot forward as 'Power Shift', by the slimmest of margins, is the single best tune on the album named for it, in my opinion. It is just BRILLIANT! 

"DELUSION COME TO A CONCLUSION"

'No one gets to stay on top forever' is the sentiment behind 'Power Shift' and Dezarie is noticing some slow (and some not so slow) changes in the world. She spends much of the track somewhere between the hypnotic and aggressive chants that I just told you about and utilizes them both to a DESTRUCTIVE effect: The best on this album and one of the best in recent memory from her catalogue, altogether ["Genes of Gods & Goddess - lasting. OUTLASTING CONTRADICTIONS, CONTRACEPTIVES"]. And it should go without saying (and yet, here I am saying it anyway) that you'll lose a great wealth of information should you choose not to really tune 'Power Shift' in, lyrically and you can keep that thought for the next eleven songs that I'm going to tell you about as well; though it is especially true on the unrelenting opener. I suppose that, directionally, 'Rise Higher' sticks fairly close to the title track as it's also talking about a change in power as one rises and one falls ["Di uprising stepping up, so they're capsizing"]. There's a giant issue with 'Rise Higher' and it comes during its second verse. Dezarie ABSOLUTELY LOSES IT! She goes somewhere else. She leaves the studio both (or wherever she recorded and goes somewhere else) ["Basement of the basement - relocate"]. Thankfully we're there to hear it and she SCORCHES 'Rise Higher'. Afterwards, the song catches up to here and ascends as well with a slightly more open sound that she continues to disturb. Entirely, 'Rise Higher' is this beautiful, almost Persian sounding offering and, strictly from a sonic point of view, is not to be missed. When you add the drama that unfolds atop it, you get something pretty damn special! The duty of maintaining the high opening of "Power Drift" falls to 'Run Dem' and... if you want to call it even stronger than the first pair of songs, you go right ahead. You won't get much of a fight out of me as Dezarie IMMEDIATELY comes out torching everything within her reach specifically those who keep one foot in the church, while the other is.... somewhere else. 

"You a dirt, a inequity worker

AT NIGHT, HOW YOU SLEEP ON YUH SERTA?

Cah you hurt young boys, never nurture

Preacher impose indecent exposure

You inviting di devil make a churcha-

To increase yuh membas and yuh stacha [stature]

You got di sheep caught up inna yuh rapcha-

Of lost, predatory nacha

DISGUST, monster behaviour

How you coveting di wife of yuh neighbour

You don't practice what you preaching neither"

"Man a condemn a faker

All-star perpetuator

Disaster leech, dem a preacher

Inferior preach be like Issa

Ministers being sinister

Reverend reverence di dollar

Di shops be shopping for power

MELCHEZIDEK ORDER, WI RATHER

Superior age and ulterior

THE MOST HIGH IN OUR INTERIOR"

The song instantly reminded of both Jah9's vicious 'Preacher Man' and 'Inna Dem Purse' by Reemah (Reemah is a damn genius. I just listened to that song for the first time in awhile... PROBLEMS!) and it is on the level of both as Dezarie continues her EXHAUSTING start to "Power Shift". I've got bad news for you if you were hoping for a rest with the next tune, 'With The Enemy', as it offers no such respite. Apparently we are undeserving of a breather. Were "Power Shift" a movie (there is no way there isn't a movie with that title), 'With The Enemy' would be one of its action scenes. From the second it drops in, it provides an urgent feeling as well as one that sounds very important. You might get a little nervous as the beginning of this one! In this fight for power, unfortunately, we have certain ones who will cross from side-to-side and they've grabbed Dezarie's attention and she is not letting them off easy ["HUGGING, SNUGGLING WID NEGATIVITY. HOLD HANDS AND CARESS WID CALAMITY"]. I don't want to start transcribing lyrics on every single song on "Power Shift" but, TRUST ME, when I say that you REALLY NEED to pay attention to what Dezarie does with this song, lyrically. Doing so offers the listener one of the greatest rewards available on this album. BOOM! I've previously alluded to 'Petty' as it was the song that I heard before even knowing that Dezarie had, yet another, new album forthcoming. I also called it "odd" as it just so happens to be a combination and.... Dezarie just doesn't do too many of those. In fact, I'm sure I'm missing SOMETHING but 'Petty' may just be the very first combination that she's done on an album, altogether! The song features her working alongside big Trini star, Kushite (and there's another "Trini star" that, someday, I would LOVE Dezarie to make a song with) (biggup Queen Omega, of course) and I was very curious as to how it would all turn out. SURPRISINGLY (not at all), it works very well. If you took Kushite off of 'Petty' and just kept Dezarie's portions (which is almost all of it anyway), you'd have a STUNNING tune. 'Petty' is really nice. However, with her kind of delightful ruggedness, Kushite adds another texture to it and takes it from this kind of airy vibes and gives it an edge that the subject matter would deem most appropriate. I'm not surprised it was chosen as a single, it is attractive on paper but the actual song also stands amongst the album's finest. If 'Petty' is the very first combination to appear on one of Dezarie's albums, #2 is also on "Power Shift" as the Cruzan empress also links with another VI standout, Tizzlah, on 'Hater'. Like Kushite, Tizzlah is also slightly more on the aggressive side which makes for a nice contrast with Dezarie who, again, varies her work on 'Hater'. The two enjoy more interaction than on 'Petty', directly marking their sound differences as, just as Midnite helped Dezarie along her way, she returns the favour, to Tizzlah, introducing him, SURELY, to his biggest listening audience via appearing on this album. 

I usually save this for just ahead of closing but I'll take care of it right now. "Power Shift" is twelve tracks long, spanning across fifty-two minutes. By my [surely incorrect] math, that means the average song length is A LOVELY four minutes and twenty seconds. There is a six minute + long piece which makes up for the difference made by the TIMELY 'Leave In A Rush'. If your actions are not positive and if you intents are not righteous, Dezarie has no time for you at all (SHE CANNOT SPARE THREE MINUTES FOR YOU!), so the fact that 'Leave In A Rush' is so brief, is perfect for it ["Shoo! Shoo, fly, don't bodda wi"]. Check 'Won't Kill Joy' with its fun and inviting sound (almost here like... a mix of old school soul music and maybe a Spanish guitar??).

"Cool, calm, collected, keeping an upful perspective

Foes ah come round like detective

Mind people prerogative, meditate

WOLF AN SNAKE UNIT WILL BE SOLO

WHEREVER THEY GO, WE'RE A NO-SHOW

Dem frequency low" 

I woke up in a good mood today. Therefore, I don't give a damn how negative you are or how much you try to bring me down, you're not doing it! And you know what? You're not doing it tomorrow either! 'Won't Kill My Joy' has a very practical point to it. I think everyone knows a really negative person or two who never has anything nice to say and just carry bad vibes, in general, most times. There is a MUTE button for people like this and Dezarie wants us all to attempt to use it just a bit more. On the other side of that, maybe YOU ARE THAT PERSON. I can't imagine such an individual would be interested in reading so much of a review like this one but, in case you are that one, you are not dead and gone. You have time to change your ways. Listen to "Power Shift" - maybe it'll cheer your ass up. 

I do want to skip ahead to the album's closer, 'ToGether' because it's very interesting and I've spent quite a bit of time listening to it. What you'll notice about it first is that it's a song on which Dezarie employs her BEAUTIFUL singing voice almost exclusively. She uses that sweet (and maybe somewhat underused) voice to push a unity anthem which is anchored in love. Yes. I made it sound it not so good but 'ToGether' is much better than my descriptors here are ["They don't want me to love you. They don't want you to love me"]. The vibes are nice and serene and it is a lovely way to end matters on "Power Shift". The penultimate effort, 'No Love' is even better than the song behind it. It's also what I was previously alluding to when I mentioned that this album carried a song over six minutes long and the anti-war set makes proper usage of every single second. You  get a standard song in the first four minutes or so and then the final third of 'No More' becomes a lovely display of pretty much everything including, most notably, a speech from Dezarie before things wrap up in an instrumental style. Prior to that, she does everything you might expect on such a song but what really stands out here is just how SPECIFIC 'No More' is at times. She names names! She hits places and situations ["Police vicious when dun gun down protesters. Brutal against melanite dem pull over"]. Anywhere you may be promoting war in the world -- currently or historically - Dezarie has something to get off her chest regarding your nastiness.

Finally, Dezarie serves up a cleansing fire with a couple or literal burners, 'Playing With Fyah' and 'Fiery'. While the latter is probably the slight stronger of the two, 'Playing With Fyah' is really strong as well. The tune is a call to caution and safety when dealing matters of SUPREME importance. In typical Dezarie fashion, the way we arrive at that point is nowhere near a typical road. This drive has many twists and turns in it and we must know our limits within it ["Some Judas calling demself Judah. Chamelon calling demself Lion, dem lyah"]. For its part, 'Fiery' is pretty much flawless  from beginning to end. 

"Some ah tek bribe to bring bad vibe

Fulltime being found to fault

Yuh money to man-ipulate man mind

And success will regress lives"

A GOLDEN musical display (there should be a teeny-tiny paragraph beneath this one getting into that a little more), 'Fiery', again, is quite detailed as it deals with negative things people do to put food on their table. Some of it just ain't worth it and but listening through "Power Shift" is WELL WORTH your time.

Full, beautiful credits to ZionLab. with the work they do here, musically. I'm going to make a larger statement about the entire album in closing but, just in terms of the riddim tracks on this album, "Power Shift" is EASILY one of the best of its kind that I've heard this year. The players of instruments, whomever they may be, really provided Dezarie with a big platform for her work and she, in turn, provided them with a GEM! Also credit goes to the artiste who did the cover. I can guess who it may be but to him/her, WELL DONE! 

Overall, yes. "Power Shift" is excellent and I probably didn't need to listen to much of it to be able to say that with any confidence at all. I cannot imagine that this sudden explosion of prolificacy by Dezarie will continue but we're REALLY enjoying it while it lasts (that's NINETEEN new Dezarie songs in one year!) (WHAT!) (oh and by "in one year", I mean like five weeks). I will say that I think it's a bit more OPEN than some of her other releases. Not that the music leaps much outside of the genre -- it does not -- but I think that music is SO good that if you are someone who hasn't typically found something in Dezarie's output that has been for you, this album is would be a great starting point in my opinion. For the rest of You: While you may have opened the door to the music of Dezarie initially at Midnite, FULL DECADES later and in broad daylight, she's now living in a mansion and still earning it. "Power Drift" is THE best album I've heard in 2026 so far. Period. 

Rated: 4.7/5

Goddess Frequency

2026