First up this week is something that comes as a bit of a disappointment as Eesah recently dropped his brand new (and well anticipated by me) album, "Success", for Evidence Music. Though I'd heard some of the clips of the music and had an idea of what to expect, I guess it didn't hit me, fully, as to what I was listening to until I had the entire thing in my hands. "Success" isn't at all BAD necessarily and it does showcase the ample talents of its star but it's about half Reggae/half R&Bish and, again, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised but... damn I was hoping for a big Reggae album to close 2025 out on. There is still material here worth listening to, even on the non-Reggae end ('Rise My People' is actually pretty decent) but it isn't the album I was looking forward to hearing - at least half of it isn't.
'Pull D Pin' by Machel Montano, Skinny Fabulous and Lil Natty & Thunda [Monk Music - 2025]
Of course, we're nearing the most magical time of the year and music from some of the biggest stars of Soca has already began to steadily come out of Trinidad (and other places) and amongst the very best tunes that I've heard thus far has been this MASSIVE combination shot featuring frequent collaborator Skinny Fabulous with Lil Natty & Thunda alongside the great Machel Montano. When I got what was going on here, I was actually a little surprised that no one (that I know of) had taken this angle on a Soca song before because it works to perfection as, once again, Montano links with Skinny Fabulous; this time bringing in big-voiced Lil Natty (hardly ever talk about Lil Natty & Thunda (a duo) but Natty's voice is fantastic for what he does with it) and Thunda from Grenada to drop a grenade all over Carnival.
'We Doh Play' by Destra [Krazi Music]
Also getting the season started on a good note is the incomparable Queen of Bacchanal, Destra, who tells all the absolute obvious with 'We Doh Play' (as if we haven't known that about her from looooooooooong time). Love the horns on this one and how it sort of bubbles below total chaos for the most part but, in a glimpse or two, it crosses that threshold and makes the dust raise. Hopefully we get an album this season from Destra; as she's already dropped a couple of nice tunes and it's looking like another stellar Carnival from the greatest to ever do it for me.
'Pass Di Chalice' by Cali P [Cali P (song has three different labels on it)]
Seems a minute since last we heard from loooooooongtime favourite, Cali P (hasn't been too long at all. He had an album just last year) but he's back with a SWEET ganja tune, 'Pass di Chalice' for Mouthwatering Records (I THINK). Cali P's been trying a few different things in recent years in terms of his style but this one settles on ultra-familiar, downright sugary terrain. More of this from Cali P in the new year wouldn't be too bad a'tall.
"No gimmi nuttin else, a di chronic a fi wi choice
Tell mi what's di cost, cah mi ready fi pay di price"
The Volume Riddim [Greensleeves Records - 2000]
I'll wait until next week (probably) to tell you exactly how a random quarter-century old riddim has made its way back on my players but right now I'm just going to suggest that you join me and go diving in the vault of Greensleeves riddim albums because you too may stumble upon a GEM like I did in this Ward 21 produced piece, the Volume. As was the norm at the time, the Volume was absolutely LOADED with big names as, appearing alongside the Ward themselves (they had two tracks, one, 'One More Start A War', was a combination featuring Ele & Wayne Marshall. Ele also had another solo tune, 'Fake Man', while Marshall had two other combinations, with Harry Toddler and Baby G, respectively)) were the likes of Bounty Killer, Mad Cobra, TOK, Kiprich, the oft-brilliant Madd Anju, Mr. Vegas, Lexxus and Beenie Man who, arguably, reigned supreme as he absolutely SLAUGHTERED the Volume with the stellar 'Moses Cry'.
Convinced. Back in da day such an occurrence was all the more frequent. You'd have a very Reggae-centric situation where you'd have twenty artists jump on one riddim and some of them would get lost in the proverbial cracks IMMEDIATELY and then you'd do some sifting of your own, whether you realized it or not. My delightfully nostalgic point of reference takes me through names such as Hollow Point, Jagwa, Zumjay, Calico, Desperado.... Alley Cat... Icecold [!] and a number of others who'd have songs on tracks which would go consistently overlooked. They weren't amongst the biggest names in the genre and, barring the occasional hit, you might not pay much attention to their work. Still, they were popular to a certain degree (and most of them are probably still at it) and, obviously, favourited by producers of a certain era of Dancehall. There was also some serious talents in there as well. Desperado had a very interesting LOUD quality to him and, at his best, Hollow Point was literally off the charts with what he was capable of (and he still is). So, who knows what we may've missed out on (some of those people should have been much bigger stars than they were... but that's a different discussion that I'm sure I'll have one day) through not paying as much attention as we probably should have been. The point here is that, regardless of how good something (or someone) may be, even if you are attentive and are proactive to go out outside of your usual patterns, you can't keep up with EVERYONE. It may take some impetus to help you get started in giving someone a chance and for everyone that I named, I could name others who you did give a shot. The vouching of someone by someone who you respect can go a long way. Baby Cham, for example, had the backing of an actual GENIUS in Dave Kelly driving his career and was able to develop on some of the finest production the genre has ever seen. Vybz Kartel had a similar run across Don Corleon's riddims and maybe Spragga Benz lifting up Assassin gave him a solid basis to start out on (and I bring up those instances, specifically, to stick with the times that I had previously started into with my initial examples). Were those not the cases, who know! Maybe we'd be looking at Baby Cham or Sasco as talented underachievers (I don't think so, but it's possible). There are any number of things that can get you to open that door for the first time and MAYBE never closing it.
Maybe even an album would do it.... but then again, maybe not (it might take two of them). Today we're going to take a look at someone who just, all of a sudden, one day seemed to pop up and whose music I've written about, fairly consistently, without truly digging into what they were actually up to. Perhaps (no way), we may even get into addressing WHO THE HELL IS DERRICK SOUND? Again, I can search these pages and find myself writing about them, directly, as far back as a couple of years ago now in regards to working with longtime favourite of ours, Cali P. HOWEVER, a bit of research reveals that the players at work behind Derrick Sound, Mr. Nico & Inspecta Derrick are the same ones behind the ULTRA familiar Evidence Music from out of Geneva, Switzerland, whose releases I've been writing about for about a dozen years (dating all the way back to the Dancing Machine Riddim) and that shine you see coming from this page is the lightbulb going off over my head (... and don't even get me started on Little Lion.... who knew!).
2024
"THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!". "MIND BLOWN!". Evidence Music has pretty much worked with everyone. Along with a few of the wonderful people we're going to talk about shortly, they've also done work with the likes of the incomparable Queen Omega, Tiwony, Micah Shemaiah, Addis Pablo, Skarra Mucci and a mightily impressive line of others. They've had their hands in many pots over the years and continue to these days. Why I'd never known the specifics is probably because I was content to enjoy the music of Derrick Sound in the fairly frequent times that it popped up on my radars and I had yet to actually review one of their projects. This was due to POOR planning as, in early 2024, they gave me a RIPE opportunity to do so via what stood as one of the year's strongest compilations by its end, The Fight Again Riddim. As I said, I'm going reserve the heaviest of my ammo for this new project but the Fight Again was CRUCIAL and carried contributions from Cali P, Shemaiah, Tiwony, LMK [BOOM!], even Hollow Point (remember him??) alongside Chico and it was just a GORGEOUS composition with a very light sound but strong core to it. The Fight Again got up everyday and did its crunches! Derrick Sound made it nice and easy for me and I should have reviewed the Fight Again Riddim album (and its beautiful cover) but I didn't... because I'm old as hell and tired but they're giving me another shot! 2025 now brings us another compilation which I cannot keep my eyes off of, "Upliftment". When I saw the tracklist for this one and saw what else they had forthcoming (more on that in a second), Evidence suddenly got my WHOLE, ENTIRE attention for the last part of the year. ON PAPER, we had what amounted to a potential compilation of the year contender and just a DAMN RIDICULOUS collection of vocal talent aboard "Upliftment". The compilation appears to be built with tracks from, primarily, 2025, although I did find one or two which date back to last year or year before (which is just fine) and it stands a powerful display and catcher-upper to exactly what Derrick Sound has been up to. Let's take a look!
I have to say something about that cover (I am contractually obligated to do so). When I first saw it, I thought it VERY cool in a lovely, nostalgic, old school kinda way and I was delighted to see in the press notes that it read:
"With Upliftment, Derrick Sound delivers a true homage to the reggae of the late 1990s and early 2000s, a pivotal period that also marked their beginnings as DJs. The project recreates the energy and atmosphere of those years, drawing inspiration from legendary producers such as Fatis Burrell and Bobby Digital"
They absolutely NAILED it with that cover and its early 90's feel. It goes on to talk about paying homage to the golden age of Reggae music and, when you get into it, they're doing SWEET on the musical end as well. Perhaps none are sweeter than the opener and title track which brings together a favourite of Evidence's, Bugle, and the brilliant aforementioned Agent Sasco.
"Nuttin no negative, so wi no deal wid minus
Wi blessed and multiply, so they cannot divide us
Oh yes, wi give thanks to di blessings dem weh Jah provide us
Whoi! Dem cannot stop wi cause a Jah ah guide us
AND YOU CAAN DRAIN WI ENERGY, GO DRAIN YUH SINUS
You no si - badmind ah get dem, yes, dem catch di virus
Di crab dem inna di barrell, dem no waan you climb up
MI POSITIVE OF DI FACT NEGATIVITY TIME UP"
I can recall when "Assassin" was coming up and it was him and Vybz Kartel being compared to one another, they were 'classmates', in terms of time. Kartel was a martian. He had lyrics from outer space and he had so much HYPE based on his skill that it was reminiscent of very few people the Dancehall had ever seen prior to him (thinking of someone like Papa San) (Papa San can probably still just rhyme ALL DAY LONG if he wanted to). Assassin was different. He was far more straight-forward and there was more of a... development to him. He didn't start from so far along but what this man has become lyrically is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING and he puts nary a damn syllable out of place on 'Upliftment'; destroying his initial verse, only to return later and say some shit like:
"Yeah di massive, ah si positive
POSITIVE INNA WI NOUNS, WI VERBS AND WI ADJECTIVES
REAL & GENUINE SO NO PRESERVATIVES, NO ADDITIVES"
HUH?! WHAT?! Not to overlook Bugle's contributions to the finest tune you'll hear on the album named after it but Agent Sasco absolutely burns the place to ash in the name of positive with a simply PERFECT performance. Given the most unenviable task of following the opener is someone who is up for and capable of the task, as the highly skilled Lutan Fyah makes the first of his two HUGE appearances on "Upliftment" with 'Blessings'. If you want to hear a song that does absolutely NOTHING in the way of breaking new ground and is pure and simple, straightforward Roots music but is EXCITING and thrilling to listen to, hear 'Blessings'! The Fyah is joyous for what he's received in his life and for the opportunity he has to praise His Majesty and I won't write them out because I just did it on the previous song but he drops some BEAUTIFUL lyrical gems here, as is his norm... like this one.
"Late at night, before I rest, Jah is my company
SELASSIE I. NOT PERHAPS OR PROBABLY!"
BOOM! That being said, perhaps you could make the case that Lutan Fyah goes even harder on his second track on the album, 'Bla Bla Bla', his cut of the previoulsy mentioned Fight Again Riddim. It was one of the best songs on that riddim and it's one of the best songs on "Upliftment" as well. Lutan Fyah is tired of hearing the bullshit and 'the company line' over and over again and he's found a SWEET way of making that known. As one of two artists to appear here twice, Lutan makes the most of both opportunities with powerful displays of his considerable skills. Speaking of "considerable skills", if everyone on this album were at their absolute best, I think the CONSIDERABLEST is the star of 'Jah Is Always Near', Sizzla Kalonji. He hasn't been in a fine form over the past few years, however, which makes it all the more interesting and noteworthy when I do hear something good from him and his offering here, though not on even the same planet as his best, is decent. The song is done in that kind of odd wailing that Sizzla used to get dual criticism and praise for. I've never felt much for it either way but it works on this song which is, obviously, a praise. There're other points where he changes things up (like a really nice one at around 2:20 in) and moments like that helped this song grow on me. Also of note is the beautiful riddim underpinning 'Jah Is Always Near', which is allowed to shine on its own at times as well, making for a very well done complete musical display (and I just finished writing that at the exact same time the tune ends!). Have some more! Chezidek is also here with a tune I know quite well from earlier this year, the GORGEOUS 'Jah Is In Charge', which finds the singer relying on the Highest strength in existence ["All mi troubles and mi fears, Jah Jah cancel. Obstacles inna mi way ah get trampled"] when he needs a helping hand. There is something SO appealing about the way 'Jah Is In Charge' is sung. Chezidek has an unusal voice and that's often the focus when you listen to him but have you ever notice how VERSATILE his delivery can be?? He can pull it back slightly or tone it down more and when he does you get GEMS like this one, delightfully registering somewhere between singing and chanting - and excellent on both fronts. A huge tune. Let's have a quick conversation about a guy named Turbulence. Many years ago, Turbulence seemed to make shift where he found joy and some success making love songs and since then (literally, like the last TWENTY years!) he's been far too focused on them.... and they aren't very good for the most part, in my opinion; and it's kinda pissed me off to be honest. Turbulence's combination of legit TOP FLIGHT singing voice with several different styles of impressive chanting can make for outstanding Roots (and even Dancehall, at times) and who knows what we've missed out on over the years with him pursuing his obsession with love songs (check a recent piece of Roots, from a few weeks ago, called 'Who Are We'. It's outstanding). HOWEVER, given the fact that I've been critical (heavily sometimes) of him for making love songs, then I should be the first one to give him credit when the planets align just perfectly and..... Turbulence makes a love song that is actually good!
'Knock Knock' caught me with my hands down, chin in the air and off-balance. I'm used to these things. I've been here probably hundreds of times at his point (and will probably be there a hundred more) but it rarely (if ever) sounds like this. It doesn't SOUND like it at all but in terms of how its written, 'Knock Knock' is somewhat similar to Junior Kelly's classic 'Love So Nice' where Turbulence is addressing an ungrateful former flame. The chorus is lovely and infectious and will glue itself to some part of your memory, it's beautifully sung and it has a point to it. You can't ask for more than that and I have no problem at all calling it amongst the greatest of its kind that Turbulence has EVER done.
coming soon
Okay and now let's talk about another guy, named Eesah, who is the other artist featured on "Upliftment", along with Lutan Fyah, to have more than one tune.... and he also has something else going on with Evidence Music in a few weeks. His first is the poignant social commentary 'Change We Want', going exactly where you think it is. Take a deep listen to 'Change We Want' and you'll notice how well it goes as it reaches a point, at its second verse, where it levels up. It becomes even stronger (after a start that isn't bad either) and blooms into something kind of explosive at times.
"You haffi give up the good fi the great
A wise man will change his mind
And a fool will never si di sign
Look like seh di government blind
So wi, seek knowledge and break dem chains
Until yeah, wi start si change
Eternally fyah gwan blaze
Try fi open yuh ears
Let's si Reggae music free di mind of di people
Evidence nah go deliver dem evil
Have a voice so wi speak to di people
Step forward: In the ground
Or take ten steps back, into safety
Every four year wid di same plan and trick politician dem come to play wi"
Grrrr. Eesah's second tune is also the album's second and final combination. 'Badda We Badda' features UK stalwart, Brother Culture in a very open and just COOL style. With that being said, however, the main attraction here is the sickening chorus. It is "sickening" in the same way that eating too much candy is sickening... meaning it will make you feel bad for enjoying it so damn much. For example: I was writing this review and had 'Badda We Badda' on repeat. I took a break to wash some dishes and what was going on in my head the entire time I was doing the dishes? Yep! The chorus for this song. 'Badda We Badda' is catchy as hell and it will plant a flag in your brain that you will not be able to remove, no matter how far you dig in there. In other news, Eesah and Evidence Music have other works in the pipeline as his sophomore album, "Success" is set to release in just a few weeks from writing this review. Both 'Badda We /Badda' and 'Change We Want' are included on an the album that MIGHT prove to be the final big Reggae album of 2025.
The remaining list of names present on "Upliftment" represent a tremendous run of names and top talents. The album's oldest tune (I THINK), comes from the late Peetah Morgan as his cut of the Indian Casino Riddim, 'Can't Break Our Souls' is here. We lost Morgan in early 2024 to a rare disease but he, along with the rest of the members of the famed Morgan Heritage, left a powerful legacy. 'Can't Break Our Souls' is a beautiful track from 2014 where Peetah speaks to the indomitability of the children of His Majesty. This song, probably even if you don't care much for it, is going to make you smile and feel good! It brought a smile to my face and it also has points where it sounds like Peetah Morgan is smiling while he's singing (if that makes any sense. Sometimes you can actually hear a smile) which is always a fascinating sound on a tune. Biggup Peetah Morgan and biggup Derrick Sound for including him here. Given the description from the press materials that I quoted for "Upliftment", I'm going to presume that Derrick Sound got ALL they wanted and more from the legendary Luciano when he blessed them (and the rest of us too) with 'Old School Rule'. The Messenjah pays homage to those who came before on the tune and teaches all to follow course in not only honouring those individuals but the ideas and methodology of the times as well. This version of the tune is billed as the 'Extended Mix' which comes with an ending where the clean riddim is featured and allowed to do its thing. As I've said in the past, I think this can be a very nice touch to add on and it was a really good notion had in this instance because this riddim, for as simple as it most certainly is, is also a DIAMOND and we get it for nearly a minute and a half completely sans vocals. CAPLETON (I told you the lineup on this album was crazy) is all fed up and also tired of the bullshit on his 'Tired Of The Drama'. Supposedly, Capleton was set to launch a new album in 2025 (would have been his first in a century or two), "Heights Of Fire". Coincidentally, that album is/was also an Evidence Music release so hopefully we get that in the new year but until then, the King of Fire is building... and he's building with very strong material such as the common sense saturated 'Tired Of The Drama'. Jah Mason EASILY has one of the strongest offerings on "Upliftment" with his scathing 'Rumours Of War'.
"Nuclear weapons are deployed
And dem ready fi destroy
Wid dem weapons of destruction
Get yuhself employed, whether girl or boy
Dem ready fi go start up di action
Who will survive?
Tell dem a di fittest of di fittest
Set up yuh grounds, mek sure that you legit
Sorry for those who just can't resist
LIVING INNA ZONE WHERE DEM DON'T HAVE NO LIMIT
Mi nah know how it start, so how it ahgo finish?
Should be making that paper
Stocking up yuh spinach
If a war dem come wid, a no my image
NO, DEM CAAN GET MI TIMID!"
The Mason absolute scorches on this anti-violence set. Hopefully it does not go overlooked on this album because 'Rumours Of War', is also one of his best tunes in recent times in my opinion. "Upliftment" also ends on a very high not in the form of Fantan Mojah's 'Double Standard'. Mojah poses the question, "Why is there a place for you but not for me?" to the powers that be in the midst of serving up a lyrically impressive social commentary and SIZABLE ending to this album. I also have to mention the riddim on 'Double Standard'. It is SO GOOD! The version on "Upliftment" is the 'Horns Cut' and you hear the horn come in initially right before the three minute mark and just generally enhance what was already a fantastic piece of music.
The only critique I have of "Upliftment" is that I wish Derrick Sound would have gotten a tune from Queen Omega... or any other female.
Overall, EXCELLENT. As i said, when I first took a look at just who was involved with "Upliftment" my expectations of what I was about to hear went square through the proverbial roof. In an era long gone, even if I were to see such a lineup on some random riddim it would have been very impressive (at such a time where it happened at least semi-regularly) and i is even more the case in a format such as this one. Also, a big, full credit goes to the producers and players of instrument who work their magic so finely. When you have a more typical compilation such as this one (meaning one without the same riddim on every song), you have an opportunity (when you do it well) to really impress musical, particularly when put in the hand of such gifted vocalists. "Upliftment" is FUN Roots music that sacrifices nothing in the way of hitting its marks, ideologically, in the name of boosting the entertainment value. So, while it may've taken me an embarrassingly long ass time to make the connections of exactly whoDerrick Sound was, with what I hear on "Upliftment", there isn't a chance that I'm going to forget anytime soon. THE BEST REGGAE COMPILATION OF 2025.
I don't feel like writing an intro! LET'S GET TO IT!
{Note: No Soca, EPs, multi-artist compilations or complete dubs/instrumentals}
{Note 2: Haven't done one of these in ages, it was kinda difficult}
#10."See It Deh" by Ras Shiloh [Reggae Vibes Productions]
Had you told me at the end of 2023, that Ras Shiloh's name would be on a list for biggest albums of 2024, I would probably have been quite surprised. That shock wouldn't have come because I didn't think he could reach those levels in terms of quality but... I wouldn't have thought that there was much of a chance, AT ALL, that the year would bring an album from the decorated singer. Wonderfully, the project would come via JahMikes and the increasingly esteemed Reggae Vibes Productions (which has, QUIETLY, become one of the more dependable outfits in the entire genre in my opinion). Ras Shiloh & RVP should tell you pretty much everything you need to know about the actual quality of "See It Deh" and, with carrying a tune such as the downright GLORIOUS 'Hail The King', it did not disappoint.
#9."Levite" by Zacheous Jackson [Red Ground Jamaica]
"Levite", the twenty-four track monster set from the well gifted Zacheous Jackson, equally bludgeons and finesses its way onto this list through some truly beautiful vibes and the sheer size of the project. Perhaps the single greatest credit that can be paid to Jackson & "Levite" is to say that it doesn't contain an ounce of 'filler'. It was twenty-four good songs which were of all of a certain quality which made it one of the BIGGEST (literally) albums of 2024. Standouts were all over the place such as 'I Wish' and, NINETY MINUTES LATER, 'Look Within' and 'Unda Mi Medz'. I didn't end up hearing much about this one which is too bad but hopefully its shelf life is greater than its launch because, clearly, there is so much good to be heard on "Levite" and it'd be too bad if not too many people got to experience it.
#8."Ganja Man" by Linval Thompson [Irie Ites]
Legendary vocalist meets CLASS outfit on "Ganja Man" as the esteemed Linval Thompson links with the brilliant Irie Ites. Together -- TO THE SURPRISE OF ABSOLUTELY NO ONE AT ALL -- the duo mined gold. "Ganja Man" was complete musical treat of an experience, uniting some of the most captivating vocals the genre has ever heard along with Irie Ites' typically extremely high level, classic sound. The best of it was the title track, 'What Time Is It' and the outstanding pair of Ligerians (more on them later) scored tracks, 'Trod Along' & 'Get Ready' but the entirety of "Ganja Man", dubs and all, was an outstanding contribution to 2024.
#7."Outrospection" by Twan Tee [Baco Records]
While 2024 didn't completely introduce me to French artist, Twan Tee, it did do so formally via his LOVELY album, "Outrospection". Produced by the one Oddy (who, apparently, produces all of Tee's work), "Outrospection" was a really good time, featuring work which ranged from straight forward Roots Reggae, to Dancehall music of varying eras, though it is clear that a large chunk of Tee's inspiration can be tracked to a more classic sound of the music which he has captured excellently here. Highlights included 'Bridges', which featured Warrior King, the outstanding opener, 'Put It Pon Replay', the HUGE 'Stamina', 'Undercontrol', 'General' with Niggle, 'Babylon Walls' alongside Omar Perry, 'Underwater' and others. Didn't see much about this one and were we more active, I would have definitely slapped a giant review on it and.... hell, I still might after I clear out a bit of space. "Outrospection" was sublime.
#6."Apex" by Bugle [An9ted Ent/Evidence]
Despite the fact that he's already held in fairly high esteem, the case could be made that Bugle actually stepped it up a notch or two through his incredibly well done and well received 2024 release, the CHILLY titled "Apex" (you KNOW that title is cool as all hell). Bugle is a case of someone who has enjoyed an overall raise of profile over the course of the past few years or so and the work that comprised 'Apex" is a giant example of the reason why and also why more casual heads of the genre are beginning to pay more attention to the Kingston native who is fond of exercising everyday and not still being fit. "Apex" thrilled with Bugle on his own with tracks like 'Promise', the HEAVY 'Bad Dream', 'Heads Up' ["Before wi even play di game, yow wi win already"] and the downright scalding social commentary 'Upside Down' and then... oh, Capleton, Buju Banton & Jr. Gong, Maxi Priest, Barrington Levy, Tifa and personal LONGTIME favourite of mine, Military Man were also on board.... just hanging out! AND HAVE I MENTIONED JUST HOW DAMN COOL THAT TITLE IS??!
#5."Shelter From The Storm" by Nadia McAnuff & The Ligerians [SoulNurse Records]
Had I done one of these lists last year, my #1 would have been "Freedom Legacy" by Queen Omega and THE Queen of 2023 passed the mic to the queen of 2024, Nadia McAnuff who, along with the aforementioned Ligerians, delivered what may just have been the single greatest sonic experience in all of Reggae for the year, "Shelter From The Storm". This album was IMMACULATE from beginning to and end and contain some downright halting material. At its pick, 'Waiting Room' laid claim to being amongst my absolute favourite tunes from the entire year ["Stop looking out of yourself, my son. Never stop fighting for repatriation"] and what it headed, fully, was nearly as strong. 'Shelter' (year's best album best-song-chaser), 'So Jah Seh', 'Yes We', 'Holy' and the FUNKY 'Freedom of Peace' also stunned but the album only had ten songs altogether (its only flaw)... so pretty much all of them.
#4."Free Man" by Norris Man [Tad's Records]
These days, Norris Man HAS ME. He just does. He cannot do much wrong and that was the case before 2024 began and the chanter would do nothing in the way of diminishing my support of his work throughout the year. In July, he would drop the looooong awaited "Free Man" (the album was literally announced in late 2023, if I recall correctly) and that album, for me, has grown and GROwn and GROWN. "Free Man" is gorgeous and EASILY one of the best albums that Norris Man has released to date. Despite only carrying eleven tunes it was stocked with big ones: 'Fighting For My Rights', 'Jah Is The Almighty', 'To Jah I Pray', the freeflowing 'Ahead A Dem', 'Going Out On You', the popular 'Burn Babylon' ["Mi bun dem more than a trillion times"].... and MORE! "Free Man" has still found a regular place on my players and, were we to revisit this list in a few years or so, I wouldn't be surprised if it ranked even higher AT ALL.
#3."The Gentle Man" by Romain Virgo [VP Records]
It never even occurred to me to actually review "The Gentle Man" by Romain Virgo because it got to the point where I believed that everything that was to be said had already been (or was being) said. I may be overlooking something but, off the top of my head, I can't think of another album from 2024 that was as widely critically acclaimed (not saying it was the run away regarded BEST but, given how popular it was, the sheer amount of praise that it has been given may be #1). All of that stuff (ALL OF IT) was warranted. Romain Virgo broke stuff and ripped it to shreds on "Gentle Man" in did so in several different ways. Sometimes it was more aggressive ['Been There Before' and 'You Must Pay'], while others required a more careful hand ['Good Woman' and the MASSIVE 'Driver'] and, brought altogether, what we ended up with was not only one of the best albums of the year but, in all likelihood, the single best album of Virgo's entire career... but I think he can do even better someday. Masicka, Jesse Royal and even Capleton featured.
#2."Deep Medz" by Eesah [King I-Vier Music/Loud City]
In terms of debut albums (ALLLLBUMMMMS, not big EPs), no one did finer in 2024 than Eesah who impressed in a major way (and BROKE STUFF) with "Deep Medz". Eesah's talent is an EASY one. It is effortless. The man could probably give you studio quality renditions of some of these tunes fresh out of his bed because what he does appears to come SO naturally to him. You could hear it saturating tunes like the all-conquering opener, 'Behold The Conquering Lion', 'Jah Give Me Strength', 'Uprise', 'Red Alert', the overlooked 'Push On', 'Irie' and 'Empress Menen'. That was one story behind "Deep Medz", the other was the ridiculous supporting cast of artists who joined Eesah like Capleton & Lutan Fyah [on the same damn song], Perfect Giddimani & Pressure Busspipe [on the same damn song], Kabaka Pyramid, Million Stylez and even Sizzla Kalonji leant their names, collectively, to HOPEFULLY attract attention to a project that deserved some of the brightest shine that the genre had to offer in all of 2024.
#1."Living Testament" by Akae Beka [Trinity Farm Music/Go A Chant Productions]
Noted as the final album recorded by the legendary Vaughn Benjamin, "Living Testament" would, in my opinion, send the legendary chanter on his way taking the biggest prize of the year. I did not hear its equal in 2024. I've come to a place as a listener of Akae Beka's music where I'm able to decipher, relatively quickly, how I feel about what I'm listening to. The work that comes afterward (the "journey to comprehension" as I've come to call it) notwithstanding (that adds to the overall experience but I can't assess how fun that is at the time with new material), I'm USUALLY able to catch on when Benjamin is a particularly effective form - such as was the case ALL OVER "Living Testament". Credit goes to the grounded Trinity Farm Music -- who would later release a dub version of the album -- for providing a captivating background for Benjamin, which has not been/is not always the case, making for one of the more digestible albums in his catalogue in my opinion. You could probably have a fairly good time digging into "Living Testament" as a casual listener. It doesn't require ALL of your attention in order to be pleasing.
HOWEVER, should you have chosen to give it your 100% (and you should, you have no reason not to), what awaited fans in 2024 was 'intoxication of a certain kind' (biggup Gentleman). Tunes like the giant opener, 'Stone Of The Corner', 'All Around Man Yard' and 'Cream Of Joy' hit on a VERY HIGH level but they were topped by 'Rebellion Running', 'Who Is The Rejector Who Is The Reductor', (I'm listening to 'Rebellion Running' right now. With these horns... tune song is PROBLEMS! ) ["Let hearts be fertile to receive goodness. Let soul be receptive to rationale and reason"], infectious single 'Who Wil Go For Us' and the all-conquering 'Holding The Amen Key', RIDICULOUSLY, skyscraped (YES! I just turned SKYSCRAPER INTO A VERB! WHUT!) the quality of "Living Testament" and it soared not only to being one of the best Akae Beka albums but also THE BEST REGGAE ALBUM OF 2024.... among the ministers of The King's High Court.
Hand off. We may have fully passed such a point an even before it wasn't such a heavily monitored topic in Reggae music because of just how [under]valued albums tended to be in the genre in general, but for me there still remains something particularly SWEET about a really good debut album. Just a couple of reviews ago, I told you about such a release, "I-Frequency" from an artist from out of Trinidad by the name of Mosiah. In his case, like so many others prior, though I was familiar with his work, the album put everything in a very nice and CONVENIENT package and, because the once far more common practice of, essentially, compiling albums (meaning just taking a heap of previously released (and rinsed, in some cases) singles, putting them together and slapping a cover on them) has been at least tempered and artists tend to actually try to make decent impressions on albums, the introduction exercises a bit more in the way of 'quality-control'; making a deliberate attempt at giving the listener a healthy experience. Even these days, where in trying to provide content for this blog, I tend to pay more attention than I would were I not writing, that big album and debut album, in particular is always very welcomed. Historically speaking, there was another added aspect of interest as debuts typically (and this is strange, so be careful) arrived at/around the beginning of an artist's career (like I said, STRANGE), so following along or even tracing back was always fascinating to see not only the cultivation of their talent, but also the various twists and turns they may have demonstrated working alongside various producers. These days, things have changed dramatically, though they're not less interesting as, again, because the target may not be an actual album release at all (EVER), if/when it does eventually reach, the individual may be any number of years into their career before album #1, having already attained a level of respect, if not full-on stardom to some degree, prior to its release.... biggup Aidonia. I suppose one of the benefits of having an artist further along in their career before delivering that first album is that they're further along and, whatever and whoever they are going to be, musically, they're closer to being it following that earlier gestation stage (and, ideally, the ENTIRE career is a period of development, but the changes you see later on tend to be more subtle and less glaring than in the early days).... so maybe THAT can at least help to explain why we see what we encounter in the curious case of Eesah.
The name -- probably one of the better in all of Reggae -- has been around the scene for the better part of a decade (and maybe even longer, actually), having managed to impress a variety of different sources in a number of different ways, yours truly included. If you do trace back Eesah's story, he was an engineer at one point before being encouraged by friends to pick up the mic and do his own thing and, a few years on, it is crystal-clear that he made the right decision. When I first became aware of the artist, he was something of a disciple of Chronixx and was someone clearly influenced by the all kinds of gifted Chronixx. His style is slightly more singing-heavy, but Eesah also typically employs that unusual 'darting' vibe as well (they chant, they sing, they deejay.... almost all at the same time in some instances). It also helped that he was very gifted lyrically and what has resulted has been a fantastic and nearly unavoidable run.
2018
Previously, Eesah has had a number of EP releases to his credit (it literally may be like four or five in total by now), with the most recent being 2022's "Timeless", but a few years ahead of that was 2018's most fittingly named "Masterpiece" which, with tunes such as hit 'Tell No Lie', 'Marijuana' and others definitely would live up to its title. Personally, I've also heard several interviews with Eesah and he does seem a very nice person as well as someone who just has a very good head on their shoulders. His COMMON SENSE seems on a very high level and Eesah really has that feel to him I've seen present on many top Reggae stars.... they just seem to know what they want to do and how to get it done. It's a very HUMBLE CONFIDENCE (if that makes any sense) which drips from him. He's also been very active and consistent with his releases. He's quietly become one of the genre's more dependable of performers. All of that has well risen Eesah's profile and heightened expectations and he's now checked something wonderful off the list as he now delivers his debut ALBUM, "Deep Medz". The set comes courtesy of King I-Vier Music, with the US based Loud City handling production. Eesah has been working with both frequently in recent times, clearly in preparation for this very moment and, were he going to be releasing an album, King I-Vier and Loud City would figure to be amongst the obvious links (previously, he's released material through Evidence Music as well and I'm pretty sure you can expect more production from that combination as well). I tend to favour looking at material which goes beneath the proverbial radar and bringing it a little to the forefront in my own way, but that isn't at all what's going on here as the early buzz surrounding 'Deep Medz" has been very impressive in Reggae circles from what I've seen. On the surface, there's a relatively easy explanation for this which we'll get into more in just a second, but something VERY nearly special plays out in this instance and I'm hoping (and THINKING) that we're looking at a very big deal in "Deep Medz" because it seems to be positioned so well to end up turning more than a few lukewarm fans of Reggae music into diehards and maybe even making fans out of someone whose experience with the sound begins and ends at Marley. "Deep Medz" QUICKLY shows itself to be an exceptional release and I have no problem at all labelling it one of the finest debut sets that I've come across in a VERY long time. Let's talk about it.
As I alluded to, if you just take a glance at the tracklist for this album, there's something that will immediately leap out at you and I'm thinking it's going to get the attention of a more casual fan and draw them in.... and then they will stay. There are five combinations on "Deep Medz", four of them feature names ranging from BIG to full-on LEGENDARY. When it isn't overdone (and five combinations out of seventeen in total is not overdoing it in my opinion), just seeing such a thing can be a very attractive quality for an album. You know what else is very nice to 'see' on an album??? EXCELLENT MUSIC! This part of things get started with the ABSOLUTELY GOLDEN opener, 'Behold The Conquering Lion'... You know what? Let's do this in triplets because all three of the beginning tracks from "Deep Medz", 'Behold The Conquering Lion', 'Jah Give Me Strength' & 'Jah No Dead', come through on a very similar [the exact same one] topic. The first of these is one SWEET praise of His Imperial Majesty. Blessed with a riddim given a touch of the divine (it is heavenly), 'Behold The Conquering Lion' comes through so nice easy and effortless that it stands as the type of selection you could very well listen to hours on end without even REALLY noticing just how much time has passed all the while. That being said, a good case could be made (and I'd probably be amongst them making it) that 'Jah Give Me Strength' is even stronger. While Eesah's giving praise here, he will keep your head and feet moving (literally doing it right now). This will lead me into a point that I'll make in closing but there's something so attractive about a song and, furthermore, an entire project that has a vibe like such but, like I said, we'll get into more of that in a bit. Finally (HUH?!), 'Jah No Dead' is a lyrically dazzling effort which is cared for by one LUSCIOUS backing track.
"The Devil love and work fi idlers
Cah when dem inna trouble, then dem run to di bible lost"
The tune also serves as the first combination from "Deep Medz", linking Eesah with Garnet Alkhem (son of the immortal Garnet Silk) and ultra-talented T'Jean (whose father, Mikey Bennett, you'll also know) (and, T'Jean has also released his own new project for this year. A terrific EP by the name of "Ancient Intelligence" which I may tell you about, more in-depth, at some point). 'Jah No Dead' may just be the best of the opening lot but any way your preference goes amongst the three, you have truly SENSATIONAL work at the head of "Deep Medz" and you know what??? It stays that way throughout.
While Alkhem and T'Jean are definitely names you need to keep an eye on going forward, the batch of vocal guests enlisted to join Eesah here is mightily impressive, as I alluded to. Check the fun 'Red Alert' which taps veteran Swedish DJ, Million Stylez. This one is a social commentary within a [LEGIT] Dancehall tune and I LOVE how it breaks up the vibes. Pieces like this one, really add to the colour of an album (it almost gives you a little jolt if you're just casually listening through and come across it) and it makes for such a stronger listening experience altogether, in my opinion.... and, of course, it doesn't help that it's damn good also. The very next drop in, 'Rasta Corner', was a big single release just ahead of the album, itself. This one, RIDICULOUSLY (and I mean that in a GREAT way) finds Achis Reggae favourites Perfect Giddimani ["High grade, that better than liquor. Dat a roots inna cup, strong back mek it bitter. LOCKS PON MI HEAD TOP, DAT A MY TRANSMITTER"] and Pressure Busspipe joining Eesah and, as you would expect, the trio absolutely causes DAMAGE together. As strange as it will sound: 'Rasta Corner' is the most glaring example of my primary criticism of "Deep Medz" (more on that later), despite the fact that it is also one of the best songs that it has altogether. You bring in talents like this one, separately, and you're going to have something potentially special on your hands. When you do it ON THE SAME FUCKING TUNE... problems! The artists link under the umbrella-ing theme that not everyone belongs everywhere, particularly when they cannot meet the minimum requirement to be there. This is the type of music I was directly referring to drawing in the more casual head. On the heavier end, if you see THAT level of talent on a song even prior to hearing it, it definitely captures attention and what results is eons away from a disappointment. The one and only Sizzla Kalonji also makes an appearance, making his presence known on a remix of the plodding 'In The Ghetto' (don't think I've ever head the original). I do not love this tune (that chorus is.... tough), but it is solid. I've made my feelings on the latest incarnation of Sizzla crystal-clear and what he does here most certainly is oceans away from his vintage levels but it's also considerably higher than at least some of what he's done as of late.
When I first saw the tracklist of "Deep Medz" my attentions focused on the presence of one potential all-conquering effort by the name of 'The Beginning of Time' which, almost comically, features BOTH Capleton & Lutan Fyah.... why you'd need those two on at the same time is well beyond what little good sense that I have, but that is exactly what Eesah does while managing to make a space for himself on that sublime old school riddim. The direction here goes back to our openers with a massive observation being paid to His Majesty between them with all three finding their own time to shine but taking top honours, to my opinion, is the mighty King of Fire. Still, with all that being said the single best combination and tune altogether on the album (although the opener is running EVEN with it) is 'Police & Badboy' which taps one of the most lyrically proficient lights Reggae has seen in a VERY long time, the Grammy winning Kabaka Pyramid who is in a typically DESTRUCTIVE mood during his contributions.
"Murder capital, dem nuh murder fi capital
Gunman will kill people fi some reason weh not even practical
Police nah tek sabbatical
Dem full you up a shot
Mek all di doctor dem struggle fi identify inna di hospital
Badman dem nah play play
Man ah shoot like Braithwaite
Murder you with a straight face
Graveyard haffi mek space
Bad cop dem have red eye and di good cop dem ah save face
When di ak dem ah spray, spray-
Another man life fade way
Another bloodstain upon di concrete
Another mother bawl for her son
So when you si di gunman or police, well try no bodda run"
FLAMES! EVERYTHING IS ONE FIRE AND NO ONE CAN PUT IT OUT! This tune blazes, crumbling absolutely everything it encounters.
Besides the combinations, another interesting musical angle found on "Deep Medz" is the presence of several pieces which are either of the lover's variety or just, generally, giving credit the most honourable women of the planet and they are ALL at least nice songs. The first of them is the fine 'Nubian Queen', which is chased by the even more charming 'The Girl I'm Searching For'. The former is slightly more specific as Eesah, seemingly, is talking to his own special woman as opposed to women in general, but it's still very relatable and exquisitely performed. 'The Girl I'm Searching For' brings in a more of a 'positive edge'. It has some heat on it. Though, again, more on the specific side (arguably even more so than 'Nubian Queen' with the semi-running dialogue of the lyrics), 'The Girl I'm Searching For' reaches greater heights and, yes, you will find better on the subject on the album (I'm about to tell you about one of them) (make that two, actually), but this thing soars for what it is. 'Empress Menen' broadens things out and, in doing so, impresses immensely. 'Empress Menen' (delightfully) has an Afro Beats vibes about it to my ear and it's just this BRIGHT, all-encompassing and INCLUSIVE track which is done in a way not only hailing Her Majesty but also relating all upful and positive women to her. On a similar level in terms of sound is 'Girl Like You', which veers back towards the Reggae spectrum and is a very nice straightforward love song. I think 'Girl Like You' has something special about it and could do some damage if given an opportunity (and I do not expect it to be given that opportunity). I was surprised for the good in seeing so many such tunes attached to "Deep Medz" because it certainly gives the album an added dimension that you do see present on so many others but not to this extent. Clearly it is favourite topic for Eesah and I would expect him to go on and continue to make winners of the lover's variety.
The artist continues to mine gold on his own and on just about any topic he touches. One of the most glaring examples of this DEFINITELY comes in the most appropriately licked pair 'Irie' and 'Easy Skankin'. With its easy vibes, the former struck me 'all in the feels' (do people actually still say that??) as it's simply about having fun and enjoying yourself in a distinctly Caribbean way. 'Irie' is one of the better tunes here altogether and not very far away is 'Easy Skankin' which has more of a musical focus ('Irie' is more spread out, dealing with more cultural things, slightly).
"Kick off ya dancing shoe
THEN FIND A GIRL AND HOLD HER TIGHT
NUH MEK BREEZE PASS THROUGH
It's a skankin Reggae party
Watch mi drop it, one-two"
Together 'Irie' & 'Easy Skankin', again, add such a fun abd WARM element to "Deep Medz" and one which you might not expect to hear going into it but certainly makes more sense as the vibes develop (particularly with all of the love-ish songs being present). 'Push On' has a similar sound to the two tunes I just told you about (and it directly follows them, making for one lovely COOL block at the end of this album), but its subject is on a more serious theme as it's all about perseverance and thriving through the hard times life deals us all at times. It does have a spiritual edge at its heart but, for the most part, anyone going through anything can call on a song like this for some inspiration. 'Push On' is another selection that, at least for me, reaches near the pinnacle of quality for "Deep Medz". It is IMMACULATE and just such a mighty addition to this project. 'Uprise' is a track with something immediate about it. There is a certain infectious urgency to it which cannot go ignored.
"Tell dem a 'one aim, one destiny'
Black people fi free so just let wi be
Whether by air or wi tek di sea
Black Star Liner seal di prophecy
Fully camouflage when they si mi roll out
NO LONGER SHALL I TIE MY BROTHER NECK WID NO ROPE
'Africa fi Africans' a dat di legend dem quote
ETERNAL FYAH FI DI ONES WID NO LOVE
Every youth great like Nelson-
Mandela did ah beat dem wid a belt
Nuh mek dem trick yuh bout slavery it done
Wi come from di land, but wi own"
Perhaps if you thought back to 'Behold The Conquering Lion' and added some spice and some flames to it, you might come up with something quite similar to what 'Uprise' turns out to be and it nears that same well lofty levels in my opinion. Finally is a piece that did take a little time to grow on me, 'Liberation' (biggup Turbulence) (allllll these years later and 'We Need Liberation' is still one of the first Turbulence tunes that my mind goes to). When I first heard 'Liberation' (and when I second heard it and probably third, fourth and fifth as well), I initially thought it somewhat uneven and while I still may not regard it as the most well put together piece of music that I've ever heard, it is fairly close to being outstanding. 'Liberation' almost sounds like a freestyle that became a full song at some point with that title/punchline never really being played out to completion... but you won't care. 'Liberation' is a very fun time and, though all over the place, lyrically very strong as well.
So what is wrong with "Deep Medz"?? This is simple: The album features seventeen songs and has a run time of just under forty-seven and a half minutes. By my [surely inaccurate] math, that puts the average track-length at less than two minutes and fify seconds. By contrast, the last review I wrote was for an album by the name of "Levite" by Zacheous Jackson (biggup Zacheous Jackson). By my (again, completely WRONG) count, the average song length of "Levite" is nearly four and one third minutes. The most glaring piece of evidence supporting this is "Rasta Corner", a tune with THREE DIFFERENT ARTISTS anddddd..... it checks in at a very thin two minutes and eleven seconds. RIDICULOUSLY it is THEE shortest song on the whole of "Deep Medz". Still excellent, although somewhat crowded and I don't know why (incidentally, you could say the same for 'The Beginning of Time', and it is twenty-two seconds longer than 'Rasta Corner' and still a little cramped. In general, you wish they would have just slowed things down as, far and away, the largest critique I have of this set is that it seems to come and go (both in full and in several cases individual tracks) FAR too quickly.
Overall, you could certainly have bigger problems than your audience wanting MORE and there simply isn't much more than that to complain about in regards to Eesah's debut album. The 'pros' in this case absolutely smash the 'cons'. They beat the hell out of them! Something struck me in the course of listening to "Deep Medz" that I've noticed before on albums from other artists but it's rarely been to this extent: "Deep Medz" and Eesah are very NEW. This is a definite NEW SCHOOL ROOTS sound, even when it does pull in some old school type of vibes. This is very much a clip of the music in the 2020's and it is a FINE example of that sound. Debut albums may have (they have) lost some luster from an older time and you can even argue that they've never REALLY been that important in Reggae music but if they do still hold any value in 2024 as they do with me, you won't find much better material than Eesah on "Deep Medz". Yes, I do wish there was more of it and, hopefully, "more of it" won't be too far away but, as it stands, "Deep Medz" is one of the strongest debut sets I've come across in quite awhile. EXCELLENT.
