Rewind!: "Holdin A Vibe" by Jah Nyne

"Holdin A Vibe" by Jah Nyne [Goldcup Records]

Let's go back again. Today we're going to take a look back at yet another album which I do not think received anywhere even near the amount of attention that it deserved in its time, but we can definitely get it going again. Back in 2011 an album which I had, technically, been waiting on at that point for two or three years or so arrived from an outstanding chanter from out of The Bahamas by the name of Jah Nyne. Over the few previous years, Nyne had been someone who I definitely had an eye and an ear on for several reasons, not the least of which was his powerfully infectious and melodic style. Jah Nyne made a brand of BEAUTIFUL Roots Reggae which made me and many others high on his actual and potential talents. No one made greater usage of those talents and got more out of the artist than Italian imprint, Goldcup Records, who would bring some of his biggest pieces to fruition prior to and including his album. Traveling back we look back at an extremely impressive debut set and REWIND! "Holdin A Vibe" by Jah Nyne.

{Cassa, biggup yourself. Took awhile, but I got to it}

1. 'Holdin A Vibe'

The title track and opener of Jah Nyne's "Holdin A Vibe" album is a damn interesting one for so many reasons. First of all, as a song, it has well grown on me over the past year and a half. I once considered its main strength to be the fact that it situates itself so precisely at the beginning of the album which maximizes its value because of exactly what is going on with it. Here we find Nyne relaying an experience he had with His Majesty which, presumably, lead him into either making this album or making music, in general (or both). Basically what he says is that he was told to speak righteousness to the masses and -- what you have next -- is an album full of what he was instructed to do! Furthermore, as I once really thought it as almost strictly a great intro and perhaps not as great of  a song - that's gone. 'Holdin A Vibe' is BEAUTIFUL and that would be the case if it were at the album's head or buried somewhere else as well. And it doesn't end as an intro (or at least it shouldn't), because of what it is, you can CONSTANTLY refer back to it while listening to the album coming behind it. It is one of the single best moments on the album named after it and a great point of reference as well.

2. 'Take Control'

Again, a very nice point of interest of the album's second tune, 'Take Control', is how well it is placed on the album. Of course being second has no real prominence, alone, but coming behind the song which it comes behind, 'Take Control' is given just a bit more of the spotlight and area to shine in my opinion. It didn't really need the 'help', however. From beginning to end, although it does show flashes of being spectacular, this is just a SOLID composition on which Nyne definitely does take a biblical perspective, but he does so under, to my observation, the prevailing sentiment of encouraging all to be HUMBLE, which is always a great thing.

"In desolate places, we'll find our bread

In the wilderness, yes, we'll find a comfortable pillow to rest our head

Obedience goeth forth in the name of The Lord

We're trodding through Creation with a humble spirit and faith, of course"

3. 'Jah Bless Us'

Smiling! 'Jah Bless Us' (this song and Ras Indio's album of the same name) just does something to my senses. It makes its point (and I'll tell you about that), but it also just REALLY MAKES ME FEEL GOOD! It just comes in with this ultra-pleasant and infectious bounce, which persists well after the actual song. Jah Nyne uses this to give us a tune about making the best of your personal situation and comprehending what you have in life and using it to the best of your ability. I kind of make it sound complicated (because that's just what I do), but it is a very uncomplicated selection whose attraction actually exists in that part of itself also.

4. 'Hungry Pickney'

Goldcup Records'… golden Golden Riddim underpins 'Hungry Pickney' which has definitely become one of the signature moments from 'Holdin A Vibe' and, you could argue, from Nyne's entire career as well. This tune was spectacular in its day and it hasn't dwindled through the years either (you should really check out the Golden Riddim album as well, it was packed with stellar names such as Khari Kill, Jah Marnyah, Miss Linda, Lion D and even Sizzla Kalonji). It was a rather broad social commentary, despite its title, and one of the most thorough of its kind (sounding like something you'd hear from Junior X) and it also had a gorgeous command of melody which saw the track ranking near the absolute finest offerings on this album.

"Some trust inna dem horses and chariot

Five star hotel, dem lay off inna di Marriot

SUV weh dem go drive

Dem put real estate over human life

Well dem no waan di money if it clean

No, a dem prefer di money weh put on bloodstain

But a righteousness clean up di nation

Let's hail di King of this Creation"

5. 'How Do You Feel?'

Although more specific, in this case dealing primarily with anti-violence, in terms of its direction, 'How Do You Feel' isn't very dissimilar to the song which it follows. The main difference, however, is just how personal it is. This one doesn't speak in broad and general terms, it hits directly at those and the conscience of those creating and maintaining violence throughout the world. Over the time I've definitely gained a greater amount of appreciation for this song which has a greater lyrical appeal than I probably gave it credit for having originally.

6. 'Rise'

And then there's the boom! I may've been the only one (but who cares), but the best tune that I initially heard, and still hear, on the whole of "Holdin A Vibe" was the BLAZING 'Rise'.

"Let's give Jah thanks and praise

Ancient fyah outta road deh fi blaze

Don't nyam outta babylon plate

Plastic smile mi seh hitch upon dem face

Dem caan get wi out a di race

DEM CAAN CUT WI HAIR OR TIE WI SHOES LACE

Melchizedek Order dem, mi embrace

Di healing a di nation, wi waan meditate

Zion and Earth - The Most High deh create

Haile Selassie I strengthen I faith

Mi no inna argument, no time fi debate

RASTAFARI GOVERN DI HUMAN RACE!

So rise

Come mek wi go chant dem down

Rise!

Babylon yah going down

Rise!

Come mek wi go chant dem down

Rise!

Babylon yah going down

Haile Selassie works, mi come fi proclaim

Many were called, only a few ordained

Yuh caan enter Zion if yah heart it no clean

IF YAH HAND DEM FILTHY, YAH FOOT CAAN GET IN

Yow! Haile Selassie I reign

Out of yah sleep or slumber wake up from unuh dream

Unuh break free from unuh mental chain

HOW MUCH LONGER SHALL BABYLON WASH UNUH BRAIN?!"

MAD! 'Rise' was a track which did grab attention, but not nearly as enough as it should have in my opinion and I don't care what you say - it's the best song on this album and probably the best I've EVER heard from Jah Nyne which is saying a lot.

7. 'Zion I'

Up next is a tune which I have thoroughly enjoyed from the very first time that I heard it, the somewhat Horace Andy-esque 'Zion I'. Like almost every song on the album, the tune registered with a very substantial spiritual and mental base and what Nyne built from that point, at least to me, was one of the better pieces here. This is another tune which I don't feel necessarily received what its quality would seem to suggest it deserved, but there's nothing that says we can't give it to it NOW! 'Zion I' was big.

8. 'Peace & Love' featuring Ras Ijah

Ras Ijah would join Jah Nyne on the first of two combination efforts on "Holdin A Vibe", 'Peace & Love', and he would do exceedingly well in shining brightly on a pair of standout verses from the entire album. I love the contrast here as we have the rough and gruff Ijah alongside the more refined and melodically dominant Jah Nyne. Together the two link up and develop a tune which was an outstanding vibe and one which I wouldn't at all mind having a sequel someday.

9. 'Herbs & Spice'

I shouldn't have to tell you exactly what's going on with a song called 'HERBS & Spice' (so I'm going to act as if I've already covered that). In many respects the song is a delightful one, while in others it may not be so, but what stands out here mostly, today, is just how effortlessly it appears for Nyne to have made. He makes some excellent and poignant points throughout, but it doesn't, at all, come off as the type of composition which was so extremely laid out and planned prior to its recording

"Mi si di soldier patrolling wid dem artillery

Mi build a spliff in dem face

Dem caan touch mi"

10. 'I'll Treasure You'

Speaking of delighting. I'd almost forgotten about 'I'll Treasure You' for the most part, and I kind of like that in instances like this where you get this great almost nostalgic experience when hearing a tune for the first time in awhile. The most charming aspect of this very strong lover's song is the fact that it is supported by a version of the same track used by the legendary Bob Marley for the equally legendary 'Stir It Up' and while it doesn't quite strike on the levels of the song's original passenger, what Nyne does turn in is more than decent and, perhaps even better, just a glorious idea.

11. 'Shoulder to the Wheel'

If your experience in listening to Jah Nyne's music goes back further than the release of this album, then it is very likely that one of your, like my, favourite songs of the Bahamian's is the EXCELLENT 'Shoulder To The Wheel'. It probably first reached a couple of years or so prior to the arrival of the album and because of that, had ample time to grab my senses and make itself a long-standing standout of an album I didn’t even know was on the way. It's really just a piece about determination and strength and although it doesn't come through in very fiery type of channels, it does exude this infectious level of a more quiet type of confidence which aides in making for one of the most mighty musical DISPLAYS on this album and from Jah Nyne in general.

"Unuh caan sit down and think seh things fall from sky

Lazy body, you no get up and go give work a try

Unuh deh pon di battlefield, well then yah qualify

Just try a little thing, yah nuh need fi wear no necktie

Stay focused and everything multiply

Give thanks and praises to His Majesty I

No need fi go weep and there's no need fi go cry

The benefit of hard work prepare di table fi I"

"Unuh come Selassie I house if unuh waan strength

Straight road fi go trod of I've a lasting length

Inna di wilderness - Rastaman go pitch tent

Ises, King Selassie I, mi reverence

Gimmi di coke -

Nah, Chalwa

Don't forget mi incients 

Wi meditation, burn di serpent

Selassie rule a theocratical government

Inna di tabernacle wi burn myrrh and frankincense

Deh pon wi knees, mi heart must always cleanse

LIFE WITHOUT THE ALMIGHTY DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE

DISCIPLINE OF MIND: A BASIC INGREDIENT OF GENUINE MORALITY - 

WHICH IS SPIRITUAL STRENGTH"

"Work hard for material and spiritual gain

They're both essential for our well being

The scale must balance, one side caan lean

And if the scale unbalanced then no one side point streen [straight]

Prepare to achieve what is to attain

Everything that you do, do in The Almighty name

Seek Jah first and blessings shower like rain

And wickedness in heart, it must haffi recede"

12. 'Unity Is Strength' featuring Peter Runks

And finally, "Holdin A Vibe" would reach its conclusion with its second and final (DUH!) combination (how could this be the last song and not the last combination) (common sense is bad for you!), 'Unity Is Strength', which featured veteran Peter Runks who would have also had a new album out at the same time. Runks has a very nice voice which may not work well in many other genres, but is nearly perfect in the spectrum of Reggae music. Here, the two deliver another very straight-forward winner which may not offer much in the way of twists and turns, but is a solid effort and a fine way to end things.

Jah Nyne

One of the biggest reasons that I so much enjoying doing these features is that they allow me to refocus my reviewer's ear and do so months, and sometimes even years, later. When I do that, inevitably I'll hear new things that I didn't pay much attention to the first time around. I'll gain a new appreciation on certain songs and lose one on others and while I did have a similar experience this time, most importantly I was able to relive just how much of an UTTER JOY this album was to listen to. I'm not calling it the greatest album I've ever heard and I'll never declare it a full on classic, but if you're looking for a very pleasing and gratifying Roots album which didn't sacrifice message for sonic appeal, then definitely pick up one of the most interesting debut sets I've heard in a very long time, "Holdin A Vibe" by Jah Nyne.

'Lifting the Fog': A review of "Danger Zone" by Avaran

Off radar. Just very recently we complete a list, "Ears Wide Shut", which went through speaking about ten different artists who I wish I paid more attention to. In this list were individuals who, for whatever reason, I just have a difficult time in either keeping up with or really getting started to be in tune with on some level. While it certainly was an idea for a one-time (although I'd have no trouble in packaging up a sequel), it also really spoke just how frustrating it can be in music, and particularly a genre like Reggae, to follow someone who may not be at the absolute height of the game in terms of popularity. The music is getting so popular and global in this era that while just about any 'side-effect' that comes with such a situation is definitely allowable, it can become quite a frustrating experience when you either stumble upon someone who you probably should have known about long ago or find out that someone who you used to enjoy has been far more active than you knew about. Not too long ago at all we dealt with someone who researching became a rather educational experience, Qshan Deya'. The St. Vincy born singer has just pushed a fresh new album, his first in more than a decade, the outstanding "Love Govern Us All" [in stores now, pick it up]. Doing the background work for that one was just a revelation and I ran into not only tunes that I'd known somewhat of, but not fully, but also producers and riddims and it started to become evident that the album was the final goal in that particular case. Today, we're going to take a look at a someone with a very similar set of circumstances as far as I can tell as we delve into the most recent work from a singer who was once extremely well regarded and didn't really seem to stick around long enough for the Reggae listening world to give him the respect he was so obviously due (although he did get a great deal of it), the incredible singer, Avaran. The Bahamas born vocalist gave us just a taste of his merit and his place in the music and then he hung around for awhile and . . . then not so much. But thankfully, talents such as his can't fight the urge to comeback forever. 

"Short Rope" [1999]

In 1999 a singer named Avaran delivered a debut album by the name of "Short Rope" which may not have exactly 'set the world ablaze' or 'take it to another level' or some other crazy bullshit like that, but it did leave a fine impression on just about anyone who had the good fortune to hear it (and you can still hear it, it's currently available digitally and the actual CD shouldn't be too hard to find either) and generated a nice buzz. It showed the singer as very classy and potential saturated. That was 1999, the year I turned eighteen years old. I'd be thirty before he'd release another [!] and while I certainly didn't forget about him, it wasn't like Avaran was bombing big singles the entire time. Following his output, even if I was most keen, wouldn't have been without trouble, which is awful considering just how talented he is.

So hard to follow the music of Avaran it is, in fact, that it would be well into the second half of 2012 before I would become aware that in late 2011 he had returned in some 'formal' capacity. "Danger Zone" was Avaran's very first album in more than TWELVE YEARS! According to the bio I read, the singer essentially took a break from the music for five years or so, so it wasn't as if I was totally futile in my efforts to follow his work - there was no work. Upon his return to recording and performing, he did what many artists in his position do and headed to Europe which had embraced the first album and where he would subsequently, again, find producers and, more importantly, audiences for his music. I was still rather surprised to see that he had just so recently done a set, however, because, as I said, there was once such a strong reaction to his work and, unlike we've seen in the case of Deya, whose album has gone on to make a nice round in terms of promotion, there wasn't very much discourse around "Danger Zone". The album officially comes through Hungry Belly Records and BluFire Productions, which I think may actually be Avaran's own label, but much of the identifiable work, as you may imagine, comes through European outfits, where he had gained a nice reputation, dating back even to the "Short Rope" days. Going through the album I was actually a little surprised at how many of its thirteen tracks I recognized in some way. Be it actual lyrics (have you ever had the experience where a tune starts and you just start in singing along with it, but haven't the slightest of ideas where you know it from?) (that happened to me at least three or four times on this record), a riddim or some other small facet of the tune, several of the songs were familiar to me in some way. On top of that, I was just happy to see Avaran back and, again, doing research for this album has once again showed me that perhaps I wasn't as far out of the proverbial loop of Avaran's as I had assumed, although it would have been so nice to learn of the existence of this one . . . About six or seven months ago - that would've made things so much easier for me. Still, taking a listen to this album, ultimately, well fulfills on some of the promise and potential displayed by the artist on his first album and although you would surely think him a different person today (or last year in this case), than he was way back in 1999, what you have here is something which isn't such a grand step in a different direction than "Short Rope". Ostensibly, that isn't a shock at all, but it also appears that Avaran 'simply' seems to pick right up where the first album left off (with a bigger sound behind him, of course). The results are powerful as "Danger Zone" proves to be a release guaranteed to be enjoyed by almost any fan of modern Roots Reggae. Let's have a listen. 

The obvious comparison to be made in Avaran's sound is to the legendary Garnet Silk (they even make it in his official bio), and while I do hear that, I do think that he has some type of loud projection which may even push him in the direction of sounding something like a more traditionally Gospel singer at times. However, you want to categorize it, it well works for Avaran which is apparent throughout his sophomore release from 2011, "Danger Zone", which gets up and moving in a very familiar direction, by means of the triumphant 'I Will Rise'. As soon as I heard this riddim I knew it was something I had heard at least fairly recently and didn't take me long at all to come up with Goldcup Records (a label that has worked extensively with not only Avaran, but also Achis Reggae favourite Jah Nyne, also from out of the Bahamas), whose Mirror Riddim of 2010 underpins the track. This song is golden in just about every way. It's very dynamic Roots Reggae music, but the message is still well present. Avaran does something similar to Jah Mason's now classic (in my opinion), 'Keep Your Joy', by essentially saying that your happiness or unhappiness is your responsibility and it's very important to maintain and "rise" no matter what type of outside forces may contribute to your life. This one should have been a greater hit than it was because it is excellent and one the strongest songs on the album that it heads. We go on to another tune which made my ears jump, 'Things Tough'. This song did make quite a bit of damage in its day. It's featured across a knocking riddim with which it shares a name from VI Connection, a label from out of France. 

"You watch my people suffer

You say it's gonna get better

That's what you write in yuh newspaper, while politicians eating steak and lobster

Hey, it's blood we cry from our eyes 

I can't take this touchy life

While you promote death and poverty, we're the ones who suffer!

Things tough round here!

What about the poor round here?!

Politician dem no really give a damn round here

They call this a ghetto -

Where anything goes, anything goes

They call this the ghetto -

Where politician they don't dare to go

They lock you up, throw away the key and charge you with a crime

You won't get away this time

Oh my people you've got to stand firm and strong"

What you have here is a very specific social commentary/observation as Avaran is as pissed off as he can possibly be with the way that the powers that be are running and ruining the world. It's another song whose sound, albeit in a much different way than on the opener, really is nice on an early intense bite of "Danger Zone". And rounding out the opening of the album is my favourite song on the entire project and another piece which I was well familiar with, the gorgeous praising offering, 'Let Jah Be Praised'. The mighty I Love Jah Riddim from Zion Gate has to be maybe four or even five years ago at this point, but I'll likely never forget it because it was really, really beautiful and when I first dove on this tune for this album, it came in and I'm singing along with it, but it took my mind awhile to make the connection (I tell you guys and girls I'm not the bright every chance I get) and when I did, it was a surprising moment that this song I had been enjoying for some time now was actually Avaran's and it, obviously wasn't a fact I learned for the first time, but it's exactly how things like that happen when you don't have a reason to think of someone so often. Sometime they push brilliance and it's something which doesn't reside firmly in your memory. This is a flawless example because this song is fantastic. 

The acquaintances continued to grow and grow as I made my way through this zone and it definitely was somewhat trying (at least for me, mind you, I'm a nerd) because you want something like this to be stuck in your mind, but I had a hard time with this one. Of course that's not due to the actual music, most of it is fine. 'Gonna Be Dread' is a precise model of both the frustration and the quality. This song comes through on yet another big creation from Goldcup, the Keep It Clean Riddim, and I know this song in some way (Nyne actually had an increasingly big tune on the same riddim, 'Zion I') (which you can find on his own 2011 album, "Holdin A Vibe") (in stores now), but I would have never made the equation to it being Avaran's tune which is just damn unfortunate because it's strong. The well known Sane Kry Riddim, from VI Connection, backs 'Rumble Jumble Life' as Avaran goes all King Kong on the people. This tune actually has stuck with me over the years and although I was somewhat surprised to see it on an album, it wasn't an excavation project by any means to figure out exactly where it came from. I always liked this song also (pretty much anything on that riddim is nice) so it's nice to see it afforded a 'second wind' of sorts on this album, which also features a nice remix of the song later on. 'Times Getting Serious' is a serious standout on "Danger Zone" and you may recall it on the Respond Riddim from the mighty Pow Pow, a few years back. All of Pow Pow's work (that I can think of) is top notch and here we have just as refined of a tune as well. 

"Times getting serious

Times getting dangerous

When we don't know who to trust

It's still Jah we love

So Mama set me down to pray, for a better way

So many been lead astray, lead astray

Oh, so Jah please deliver us!

Oh, hear our plea oh Jah!

Wipe these tears from our eyes!

From our eyes!

Through the storm you've been strong

Now it won't be long -

Before you lead us home, Jah Jah

Before you lead us on" 

'Dreams of Home' is also a piece which I knew of as is 'Powers That Be'. The former is very good. It's kind of a veiled repatriation track and one which I enjoyed, ideologically, because it speaks of a person actually PREPARING to go home. More times you hear a song like this and it's very forward 'let's go now' type of thoughts, but Avaran actually suggests that there is work to be done before he's ready to leave which is necessary before the "dreams" can become realities. 'Powers That Be' is also a winner and one which goes back to the type of imagery dealt with earlier on here.

"Now this one goes to the powers that be

The one who makes decisions for me

When I should rise, when I should sleep

When time to eat

I'm in poverty

They lock me up, throw away the key

They say, in time, they'll set me free

All I see is a conspiracy

New world order and world war three" 

Really straight forward (and urgent) social commentary and a good one, which adds a bit more colour to the type of songs on the album, even though it doesn't change things tremendously. 

Of the songs on "Danger Zone" which were completely new to me, we have some of its winningest moments. The biggest of them all, to my ears, is also my second favourite selection on the whole of the project, 'Heathens'. I don't know why this tune wasn't a hit because it has all the makings of one in my mind. It's a big and vibrant composition and one that well shows off Avaran near his absolute best. When it really intensifies, the piece turns into this multi-faceted work of art which makes you smile and move and it invokes thought as well as Avaran goes biblical and does it in a massive way. Next (literally) is 'Another Moses' - which took quite awhile to grow on me for some reason, but these days it's another of my personal highlights appearing here. The same could, in both ways, be said for the record's old school vibed title track. 

"We're living in a danger zone 

Where the streets are filled with blood

We're living in a war zone 

Everyday it takes a life

You see the way they build their policy

It is filled with such hypocrisy

Ignoring the minority -

While living the life of vanity

Stop oppressing the minority

That's the reason for the poverty

The guns, drugs, crimes, bombs it ah mash up a life" 

I always think that the title track is supposed to one of the most immediately striking on your album (and that's generally the case to my experience), and while that isn't the case here, at least not for me, what you do have is clearly one of the impassioned routes taking on the album named after it and a song just as evidently very important to the singer. 

Finally is the only stop here which I didn't too much enjoy, 'Give I Strength'. This song may just be one of the better sounding present and it has also one of the better choruses, but it also very much sounds like a freestyle of sorts when the full lyrics come in. It's a pretty good one, but compared to the level of music you'll hear on the rest of the album, it's not up there in my opinion. The Jazzified riddim, however, is another story. Gorgeous! 

Avaran

Overall, it may have taken my seven or eight months longer than I would have liked, but I'm finally here and "Danger Zone", looking back, is about as impressive as I may have hoped Avaran would have done for a followup to "Short Rope" (about a decade later, but who's paying attention!) (besides me, of course). My only significant complaint is . . . Maybe it could have stood a love song or two, something to change the mood, but with a title like that, you pretty much know what you are getting into (a combination would have also been nice as well). Since this album, I've come across a couple of new songs for 2012 from Avaran, including more new work from Goldcup Records and, hopefully, he manages to stick around consistently this time and we can look back at the "Danger Zone" album as sort of the foundation for a re-ignition in Avaran as an artist. Someone who is so skilled at singing should be singing as much as possible and their songs shouldn't be so hard to keep up with either. Well done. 

Rated: 4/5

Hungrybelly Records/BluFire Productions

2011

CD + Digital

Review #381

Happy Earthday to The One

'Show Me': A Review of "Holdin A Vibe" by Jah Nyne

I think that, normally, when we think of a 'musical presentation' or the concept of such a thing, we're typically driven into the direction of something more of a visual nature. When someone 'presents' their music to you, surely it's somewhat of a personal experience and something which is, obviously, best appreciated in a more direct format. This is done, usually, through concerts and videos, both of which definitely aid the music and in a very specific genre such as Reggae, these things (especially in the case of videos where, presumably, the experience is exactly or near to exactly what was crafted in order to represent a particular tune) both of these mediums can do a great deal of work in various situations. There's also the more literal presentation of music - i.e. presenting someone with a song or an album and everything that it carries such as an album cover and liners etc. - but what I'd like to talk about today is the actual audio experience we can have through listening to a particular artist. You'll forgive me (because I've been listening to a month of Soca music) for going in that direction, but I think that one of the greatest audio presentations or 'displays', to be found in all music is in Soca. That type of vibe is so powerful that it can transfer you mentally to a very visual place in your mind and really have an EMOTIONAL link to its listeners. In Reggae, things can be just as compelling. Someone who I feel has an excellent presentation of his music is Chezidek. Strictly speaking on how the album was, musically, displayed, his winner from last year, "Judgement Time", is probably one of the best albums of the past decade and the roll he has been on over the course of the past year or so is, in its own right, a vivid display of just how musically proficient the odd voiced singer can be. 'Oddly' enough, Buju Banton is someone else who has this skill (and that is precisely what it is) and to a grand degree. If you can remember (has it been that long), Buju, in his latest form and when at his best, made these very RICH Roots Reggae anthems which, almost inherently, set themselves apart from similar tunes from almost all of his peers. You could listen to the opening few seconds of a Buju tune on a riddim voiced by twenty other artists and IMMEDIATELY have an idea which was his tune. Mikey General would be another good example, as would a few others who have this wonderful ability to individualize their music, within a pack of many, based on how well their vibes are presented to the listener in the most basic form.

Someone who I'm now going to add to that list of venerable names is an artist who, hopefully, isn't completely unknown to you at this point, the wicked singing chanter from out of the Bahamas, Jah Nyne! Longtime readers of this blog are probably well familiar with Nyne because his was actually one of the very first features we did for a particular artist (he was actually fourth) and fittingly so - I've been very keen on the artist for years now and to watch his career (and his abilities) develop over that same time has been damn interesting. What really first struck me about Jah Nyne's music is something which I've previously characterized as being this very 'intense' command of melody, and it is a very NATURAL command as well. I don't know if Nyne has ever taken a formal musical lesson in his entire life, in terms of learning how to sing, but when he sings his wonderful tunes they really OPEN things up, as far as the basic POSSIBILITY of having a great melody in a song. When you take that and combine it with good music and then add to it the fact that he's turned out to be a very talented lyricist (more on that later), well at that point we're dealing with someone who has a 'next level' type of skill and, again, watching that skill come to fruition, as of late, has been very pleasing. What he's become is someone who can, very naturally and organically, 'give' his music to his listeners and have it come across so well that you know when you're listening to a tune from Jah Nyne.

Goldcup Records [did we really need to caption this???]

Still, I think that the one thing missing from Jah Nyne's musical résumé, to date, would have been a greater level of recognition within the Reggae world. There aren't too many voices in the genre from out of the Bahamas who do receive that type of push, but we have seen it in certain cases such as for Jah Hem, Jah Doctrine and of course veteran Reggae/Gospel act, Monty G and now Nyne has joined that group as he reaches the next stage of his career with his terrific debut album, "Holdin A Vibe". Of course, a presentation on an album is something which is actually the result of not only the work of a particular artist, but a particular label as well and here, Jah Nyne works with the same Goldcup Records from out of Italy which has, at least partially, been responsible for a great deal of his recent successes. I don't know how the link was made (although it should be worth mentioning that the same label has also worked with another Achis Reggae favourite, Aima Moses, from out of Dominica), but I'm very grateful that it was because it now brings forth an album that I have, literally, been waiting for, for years and after a most cursory spin, it was clear to see that they hadn't overstepped any boundaries of his vibes and the results would be fittingly big. I think that "Holdin A Vibe" not only becomes the debut set for Jah Nyne, but also for Goldcup - To date they've only released riddim albums, so it shows you exactly what type of confidence they had in this charge, that they chose to do their initial single artist album for him, in particular. Reading even further into that (because that's just what we do), one could also say that, presumably, this means that perhaps the popularity of Jah Nyne has grown to a point where a label who doesn't figure to be struggling at this point in its existence, would choose to feature him and assume that the project would do well. In either case, the album definitely figures to introduce the singer to a wider audience and those fans, particular those fans of modern Roots Reggae music, are almost guaranteed to enjoy what they find here. Goldcup links Jah Nyne with some big riddims over which to star and throughout this delightful album, that's just what he does. Let's take a listen!

Album Promo Mix

I think one of the very first things that I thought when I heard the music of Jah Nyne was just how similar he sounded, at least to me, to somewhat 'scattered' Jamaican vocalist, Bascom X. He still does, to some degree, but, as I alluded to, the Bahamian has absolutely no troubles in distinguishing himself, musically. The greatest example of this now comes in Jah Nyne's brand new album from Goldcup Records, "Holdin A Vibe", which gets started in a CORRECT manner ,with what seems to be a somewhat autobiographical selection - the album's title track. The song finds Nyne recounting an experience he had, while "holdin a vibes one day", which seemingly lead him to do music. This isn't my favourite tune on the album, but it is situated so perfectly in respect to the album that, it alone, almost makes it even stronger. What we have, essentially, is Jah Nyne telling the listener that he received an inspiration from The Most High to make the album that we're about to listen to! It's like a VERY involved intro, but it's accurate and one which sets the bar extremely high for what is to follow. Luckily, Nyne has no trouble maintaining the levels on the next track in, 'Take Control'. This one is a tune that I know quite well, actually, as it was featured on Goldcup's Eternal Riddim from a little while back. This biblically bedded track is just a CRYSTAL of a tune. Sonically speaking it is an utter joy to listen to as we continue to get a taste of just where the artist is coming from musically and an even further introduction to his vibes, for those who need it. The first two tracks on this album, particularly when taken in tandem with one another work so well. And it gets even better. Check the final tune of the opening quarter, the STERLING 'Jah Bless Us' (biggup Ras Indio). Without any qualifications or conditions whatsoever, this is one of the best songs on the entire album and one of the best that I've ever heard from Nyne.

"Jah blessing us and keeping us alive yay
Wi go dung on wi knees and wi pray oh
Anoint I & I head with oil
My cup shall surely overflow"

"Going out and coming in
Ask Jah fi protect us from temptation and sin
Upful it and a cleanly living, as long as life exists I will always be exalting The King
Jah bless me with a talent fi sing
Word, power and sound -
Pass it, mek mi put it pon riddim
Under the shadow of The Almighty wing
Inna HIM secret place:
What a joy it bring!"

BIG! I was nearly sure that I'd heard this song before, but as it turns out it is new (biggup The Magista). It just sounds so familiar and so COMFORTABLE and the tune rounds out and HIGHLIGHTS a mighty start.

Jah Nyne

With the way "Holdin A Vibe" is worked - it features a pretty nice mix of new[er] songs with more well known pieces (by my, almost certainly incorrect, count, it features six of each) - It's clear that SOMEONE took very good care of how the album was presented to the masses (and, speaking of presentation, the cover of the album is just COOL). As for the four remaining new (to me) tracks, they definitely feature a heavy amount of twists and turns. First is another of the album's genuine highlights, the swaying 'Zion I'. This is praising track which, on the surface and initially, seems fairly 'rigid' and basic, but the tune reaches a new level when you take a deeper listen. Somewhere in the early middle portion it becomes SUBLIME and just a real winning track (Luciano would be proud!) ("inna Mount Zion I, there's only day, there is no night"). There's also the album's obligatory ganja tune, the spicy 'Herbs & Spice'. On this song, Nyne deals with kind of Reggae-tradition of outlining all the wonderful usages of marijuana and its very odd persecution in many places around the world. He does drift into some of the more controversial topics (which appear to be unrelated), but I'll leave that to you to hear. The remaining two new tracks on "Holdin A Vibe" are a couple which figure to receive a great deal of attention because they are the album's two official combinations. First is 'Peace & Love' which features another staple of Goldcup Records, the Trini born fiery chanter, Ras Ijah. This is another MIGHTY track and, despite its title, Ijah manages to make his presence known in a way which isn't overstated. I really liked this one because it's another which really shines on a sonic level and it should go without saying that the message is very pertinent as well (even though I guess I just said it).

"Well mi ah tell dem bout peace
Tell dem bout love
It's a blessing from The Almighty, Jah
It was sent from above
Well, no time fi hate, no time fi grudge
Alright, no time fi smother your bredda inna di mud
Mi tell dem seh well -
Time fi share outta di one mug
Alright, then you greet your bredda with a blessed hug
Marcus Garvey tell us 'stop live like thugs'
Alright, then put down di slugs'
-Ras Ijah from 'Peace & Love'

And lastly from the new batch is the final tune on the album altogether which finds Nyne linking with someone who may be one of the next big thing from out of the Bahamas (also mind a big artist by the name of Irate Johnson), sweet singing Peter Runks. The same outstanding gentleman who used to send us tunes from Jah Nyne also mixed in the occasional piece from Runks as well and it was generally impressive. Here, the two make a predictably fine duo on the fitting closer, 'Unity Is Strength' which is not to be missed (and check out Runks' work, he also has a few digital tunes available).

'Hungry Pickney'

As for the more well known material that is to be found on "Holdin A Vibe", here we have, in my opinion, the real class of this album and, if you've been paying attention to the artist's career to date, some of the tunes for which he is most well known. I don't know if 'I'll Treasure You', the love song on the album, fits into either of the aforesaid categories very well, but it is just a SOLID track. It's also interesting because it finds Nyne borrowing from the same riddim Nesta uses on the classic 'Stir It Up' and I just like really kind of random things like - You can hear Nyne or someone else just thinking how nice it would be for him to voice that riddim and here is the respectable results of his/their efforts. Better known is Nyne's BIG social commentary cut of Goldcup's BIG Golden Riddim, 'Hungry Pickney'. It's too early to use such an adjective on a two year old song, but for people like me (all eighteen of us, or so), there will come a point where this tune is hailed as CLASSIC work. It's one of the most melodically gifted songs on the album - and that is Nyne's strength, so that's saying a great deal - and if you haven't realized it by now, it's also one of the sharpest tunes, lyrically, from someone who is also quite advanced in that department. Big tune. 'How Do You Feel' is another social commentary, this one of an anti-violence nature, and another across a big composition from Goldcup, the LOADED Mirror Riddim. Goldcup also backs the HUGE previous single 'Shoulder to the Wheel' which, even before this album was one of my favourite songs from Jah Nyne. You're going to have a really difficult time showing me how this isn't a SUPERB song in every respect! This song is beautiful and it really blends the tangible and spiritual arenas together so well - an unfortunately rare lyrical trait in all of Reggae music.

'Shoulder to the Wheel'

And lastly, how completely and ridiculously odd is it that I fond that the single finest tune on all of "Holdin A Vibe" was a song which I knew of, but (obviously) had yet to pay a proper attention to. 'Rise' is FIRE!

"Yah cyan enter Zion if yah heart, it no clean
IF YAH HAND DEM FILTHY, YUH FOOT CYAH GET IN!"

What?! The song was the BITE that I would have been calling for in the event of its absence. It is here, however, if you, like me originally heard it and thought it nothing special, have another, VERY INTENSE, listen my friends (even notice how the riddim, beautifully continues running after the final vocals).

Overall, it's a winner and I had no doubts that it would be - Even two or three years back. Also, after digging into the album for the sake of this review, I'm wondering if it isn't a pretty PERFECT time to release this album. There aren't a great deal of big named Reggae albums which are completely new at this point, but there are enough on the horizon (Warrior King, I Wayne etc.) to maybe draw an early interest in it from early arriving more casual fans who are likely to come across the nice cover. What they'll find, assuming that they're smart enough to have a listen is one of the year's best SOUNDING Reggae albums to date. The sonics on "Holdin A Vibe", in every respect, are just fantastic and all of that goes back to my initial point of Jah Nyne being so well capable of a PRESENTATION of his music. His vocals are clear, his lyrics are to the point and it's really easy to grasp his concepts (even for an over-thinker such as myself). He's also, clearly, every bit as talented as I thought and it's never been more obvious after thoroughly enjoying his debut set. Well done.

Rated: 4.25/5
Goldcup Records
2011
CD [I THINK] + Digital
Jah Nyne @ Facebook

Review #329

Meet Jah Nyne!

Jah Nyne

Meet Jah Nyne! Up until now each and every artist that I've featured as a 'new artist' has been exactly that, a new artist. Jah Nyne, however, isn't very new at all and although you may have not heard of him or very much of him, a quick listen to ANY of his music might just reveal that the Bahamas chanter is no rookie, at all. Instead, the artist has been around now for more than a decade and has been slowly upping his career and his status amongst hardcore Reggae heads and that has been CLEARLY evident in his vibes also.

When I look at an up and coming artist what I tend to do is look at what they do really well and what they don't so good. I have a hard time figuring what Nyne doesn't do well, however, what he has at his best is a skill of MELODY. His vocal approach, to my ears, is quite similar to Jamaican artist Bascom X, although quite a bit more polished than the troubled X whose downright RAGGED approach is in fact quite a bit of his appeal. In Jah Nyne, on the other hand, that raw style is replaced by a very refined and almost pure singing tone which definitely boosts him. As well as a SLIGHT youthful curiosity to his voice as well which has drawn a few comparisons to the legendary Garnet Silk (of course it doesn't hurt that he also looks a bit like the Silk one).

While we continue to wait for an official debut album from Jah Nyne, he did drop a WICKED combination for the debut album of his good friend and neighbour, Jah Hem, whose debut album Love Is The Way, came forth in 2008.

The tune, The Most High, was easily amongst the highlights on an album which was packed full of highlights.

Jah Nyne's music also shows quite a nice level of consistency as I can say with the fullest of confidence that I've heard approximately twenty different tunes from the artist and have yet to hear one tune which flopped to my opinions. And he is slowly starting to build his local profile as well, voicing more riddims which feature more known artists as well and stepping out a bit with the more established Bahamian acts such as the aforementioned Jah Hem, of course Monty G and Jah Doctrine. And while he remains the only one of that pack not with an official album out for the people, a few more big tunes and such a project will almost assuredly be on the way.

So keep an eye and two ears out for future Jah Nyne releases. Doing so will only be doing yourself a favour. One of the best kept secrets in all of Reggae right now.

Jah Nyne @ Myspace

Wickedest Album?: A Review of Love Is The Way by Jah Hem

There is an unfortunate trend going on and has been going on for quite awhile now which even I myself am guilty of perpetuating of having Reggae artists (and Caribbean artists in general) who have a more ‘soulful’ quality to their voice being thought of as Pop, or R&B sounding. Such is the case to an extreme now where, even if it is a new artist who hasn’t developed his or her style to ANY degree and are just the happenstance of nothing else besides themselves (and mother nature), the discussion amongst even the most harsh of Reggae heads (again, your’s truly included) will deem those artists as having a more American style and literally start (figuratively speaking, of course) fitting that artist into a far more international genre. To my own self, I’ll admit to having done the same thing with two artists recently, both Mykal Somer and Claudette Peters. Somer is a WONDERFULLY soulful vibed artist from out of St. Kitts who, although he hasn’t had much success as of late, (and we DEFINITELY are anticipating his conquering return) has, in the material he has put out, like his excellent debut album, Element Of Surprise, demonstrated himself to be an artist with SOUL who can surely fit into a Reggae landscape with absolutely no problem. In the case of Antiguan Soca Monarch FIREBALL Claudette ‘CP’ Peters, her voice is simply so far off the charts that people have wondered if a career in gospel might not prove to be just as successful (if not even more so) than her already crowning achievements in Soca from the diminutive Taxik front woman. And while I doubt highly that either will cross the guard into a next genre of less Caribbean intensive music (at least not in the immediate future), THANKFULLY there are MANY talented voices on vocalists of whom there is virtually NO QUESTION of where they truly belong. Of course, my first choice of artists who were seemingly born to sing Reggae music is Jah Cure. My main point of reference to the efficiency of the Cure’s talent is the number of friends, many of whom were longtime R&B fans, that I’ve played his music for and I used to be flat out SHOCKED at how they responded by saying that either they weren’t impressed or that (and I heard this a few times), they thought he sounded “like a computer”. in Reggae music, however, the Cure’s rather ridiculous and martian like tones are absolutely perfect as he continues to build a catalogue full of tunes which no one besides someone named Jah Cure can sing. I’ll also say the same ting for someone like Bushman oddly enough, because on the surface at least he is simply a baritone voiced singer. However, that RICH and FULL voice would be doing the world an absolute CRIME were he not using it to sing the wonderful brand of Reggae which he currently does. Add to those two names like Luciano, Warrior King, NiyoRah (especially) and Mavado in the Dancehall and you see certain artists, although they definitely have a certain universal APPEAL to them definitely belong full time in a Reggae arena.

And sometimes those talents come with ‘twists’. Such would be the case with a singer who rose to significant prominence throughout the Caribbean with hits over the lest couple of years or so, Jah Hem, who, to my ears has all the makings of someone who was specifically CREATED (like in a warehouse somewhere) to sing Reggae music but chooses to deliver in a DELIGHTFUL style which incorporates a bit of R&B into his own style. Of course, it’s not a very heavy level, so much to interfere with his still Reggae heavy vibes but when you can successfully meld the two genres (R&B and Roots Reggae in particular) you potentially have something special (think Alaine). This apparently has been the case with Jah Hem as he has become one of the most powerful voices (if not THE most powerful) in his native Bahamas in Reggae and his popularity within the last year has began to explode throughout the Caribbean. I actually hadn’t even heard his name until earlier last year/late 2007 for the most part I believe, my previous experience in terms of Reggae artists from out of the Bahamas probably began and ended with the same name, Monty G, who is a Reggae/Dancehall/Gospel artist who has been on the scene for quite a long time and is a very respected artist throughout the genre. Last year, besides Hem, I also became aware of a Hip-Hop/Reggae hybrid artist by the name of Jah Doctrine and another WICKED chanter name Jah Nyne, both from out of the Bahamas and are solid Reggae artists as well (might be a next album from Doctrine pretty soon, also). With the amount of attention Jah Hem attracted in such a relatively short time (at least on my radars, maybe he was pining away for years, but after reading his bio, it only says he moved back from Florida to the Bahamas in late 2003), it made his solo debut album, Love Is The Way for Cutting Edge Entertainment, which is a label he apparently owns and runs with a group of others, one of the most anticipated REGION-SPECIFIC releases of 2008. And thankfully Jah Hem and the people at Cutting Edge have made it available worldwide as well. Now, Jah Hem has a very SOULFUL style like I mentioned, but in my opinion, it is one which is PERFECT for Reggae music. I’ve heard several people disagree with me, but I definitely hear a little bit of Jah Cure in Hem’s vocals. Although he can’t exactly reach that stratospheric type of levels as the Cure in terms of range and tones and such (NO ONE DOES), Jah Hem definitely adds a more ‘translatable’ style to the vibes, almost to the point of being Gyptian-like (thankfully his lyrics are better than young Gyptian’s however). I have to say that Love Is The Way has been one of my favourite albums for the better part of the last year and it has been doing quite well for the single apparently as it was VERY well promoted throughout the Caribbean, as far as albums go. But how about the music? It is a little bit R&B and a little bit soul, but more than enough EXCELLENT Reggae vibes to impress an old Reggae head like me.

This project is very well put together so definitely credit goes to Jah Hem and Cutting Edge for pushing a very PROFESSIONAL looking product to the masses. The album ends up going in a few directions and it WONDERFULLY throws a few surprises into the mix as well. Mixing it up first on Jah Hem’s debut solo album (his bio says that he previously had another album as part of a group in Florida which never was released) Love Is The Way is somewhat of an R&B type of vibes in a Reggae song (DUH), but very nicely done on The One. The tune is a lover’s track with a SWEET vibes which later adds a kind of winding keyboard, which to me at least sounds like an R&B type of ‘freshness’ in the song. Regardless, however, you categorize it, at the end of the day you’ll have to call it a big opening for the album. Next up is the first of two REALLY BIG surprises on another very R&B type of Reggae tune, Call Me, which features Jah Hem alongside none other than superstar Ky-Mani Marley. As a former R&B head, I can tell you that the sound of a phone ringing is the CLEAR sign of a forthcoming R&B song and that’s sort of what happens here, but after the intro to the tune (which runs a little too long for my tastes) what develops is a beautifully LUSH riddim with a hard nyah drum behind it. I was actually quite surprised, musically speaking, what happened with Call me in a good way and although I don’t rank it all as one of the class pieces of Love Is The Way, it’s certainly isn’t a bad tune, but I do feel that Hem himself could have added more to the tune earlier than he ends up doing while giving Marley the lion’s share of the tune for himself. Decent enough lover’s material there. The third similarly vibed lover’s tune in a row to start the album, Tonight Is The Night is my choice as the best of the three and is the first of the small bunch to offer a DIRECT forecast on the BRILLIANCE which is to come later on Love Is The Way. This tune in itself, however, is VERY strong. This is the type of material you’ll find coming on one of Don Corleon’s downright ENCHANTING pieces every once in a while with its smooth and romantic type of vibes. Easily one of the album’s best tunes altogether and a strong opening for the album in total.

Love Is The Way is clearly a tell a two albums in one. The first being a more romantic lover’s rock set which drifts in between Reggae and R&B vibes and the best of this bunch is BY FAR the previous single Come Here Girl which is downright MASSIVE! The tune was the lead of the bunch which attracted a great deal of attention to Hem and it’s no wonder why, it truly is an excellent vibes. That first half of the album also ends with a pretty nice tune, Missing You which actually flows on the very familiar Guardian Angel riddim from Jamaica’s super producer Arif Cooper. I don’t know if Hem actually got the riddim from Cooper or just did the works himself, regardless it is another big tune and another on a riddim which features basically NOTHING BUT big tunes. By time the title track hauls in, in the seventh position on the album, suddenly the vibes have changed and we’re now listening to a Roots Reggae album! Love Is The Way, the song, is one which urges society as a whole to focus more on love and righteousness than the violence and the corruption in the world (it actually sounds VERY Jah Cure-ish at times). It is a very nice message of course, and perhaps more importantly it sets the table for the tune which follows it, Love Is The Way, the album’s, finest tune overall. Enter the Wickedest Time. LOVELY! BEAUTIFUL! ENCHANTING! All are words which can accurately describe this tune, Wickedest Time, which was definitely one of my favourite tunes of 2008 altogether. Really it is an IMMACULATELY sang tune and the message gains much more amenability and palatability when you literally douse it in the richness of this song. I have been just so affected by this tune and I’m sure so many people have all over the world and when you pick up this album, you will be too! Holding the unenviable task of following Wickedest Time is a song which just may be the entire album’s second best tune or at least the album’s second best Roots tune, Be Strong. This one is just an uplifting message for the masses to put our trust in His Majesty and to keep faith in HIM for things, one way or another will get better and it is such a nice song with that CRAWLING riddim supporting it. Definitely check it out. As Jah Hem’s Love Is The Way begins to wind down, it saves the final three of it’s four in total combinations (including the aforementioned Call Me with Marley) and it just so happens that ALL three are definitely big Reggae tunes. The first of them, oddly enough, with the least known artist, previously mentioned Bahamian chanter Jah Nyne, may just be the best of all three. Nyne links with Jah Hem on an SUBLIME tune, The Most High. This song is bouncing vibesy praising tune to His Imperial Majesty and the two make strong duo. Nyne, for his part, is one of the more impressive unknowns in the Caribbean today in my opinion (check a next artist, Daniel Bless, from out of Trinidad as well) and I have been high on his potential for quite awhile as he reminds me a great deal of Jamaican chanter Bascom X. The Most High just may, fittingly so, be the most ADDICTIVE tune on the album. Next, is another superstar alongside Jah Hem, Luciano who checks in on another praising tune, Make A Joyful Noise Unto Jah. If Love Is The Way wasn’t spiritual enough for you in the previous ten tunes, then this ends on this Make A Joyful Noise DEFINITELY. I’m also happy to say that even with Luciano sounding in fine form, Hem manages to hold his own, vocally, with the legend, although that chorus which is one of the finest on the album is what most sticks with me throughout with Luciano’s PEERLESS voice riding the spectacular one-drop riddim and Luciano goes on to steal the show with a dazzling speech near the end of the song. HUGE tune and one of my favourite here. Closing shop on Love Is The Way by Jah Hem is the only ‘official’ two acts of ‘business’ to take care of. The album sans the tune Mama not only lacks an obligatory ode to Mama track, but it also lacks a combination with Monty G, both of which are taken care of here. Of the last three, this one is probably the least in terms of quality, although it picks up as it goes along and seriously, you know this was a NECESSARY tune for this album and a nice choice to end things here as well.

Overall, I have to say that the song placement here is quite interesting and, although I sometimes frown on something that isn’t necessarily a somewhat ‘random’ form of track placement, which, at the end of the day ends up helping the vibes along in the album move better by setting up the following tune. Here, however, the OBVIOUS trick which they did was to separate lover’s and straight Roots Reggae and if you notice very carefully, you’ll see that the big tunes, or potentially big tunes come right near each other in the middle of the album, surrounding the title track which brings attention not only to said title track, but the tunes around it as well with the others being surrounded by tunes already certain to receive attention because they’re combinations. Besides that technical bit, what we have here is an artist so CLEARLY talented and so clearly inclined to just reach A LITTLE outside of straight Reggae. However, as I said, I don’t think leaving Reggae is in Jah Hem’s best interest and I don’t think that is his goal. I THINK his goal was to make a HUGE impression on the Reggae listening community and just give a taste to the outsiders who’ll certainly get just that. If that was the purpose of Love Is The Way from a technical aspect: Mission Accomplished. From a musical standpoint? Mission more than accomplished. Top notch, one of the best albums of 2008.

Rated 4.5/5 stars

Cutting Edge Entertainment

2008

http://www.myspace.com/jahhem
http://www.jahhem.com/