October 2020

Upsetta Records x Loud City: Kings Riddim Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. What happens when you combine Busy Signal, Capital D and Agent Sasco – then add in a quality, infectious riddim to boot? Upsetta Records and Loud City’s latest release is what. Kings Riddim, released via Upsetta Records and Loud City, sees the former’s co-founder JJ “Dante” Vezina join forces with the latter, in Upsetta’s first release in nearly a year. But the wait has been worth it, as the end result is a sumptuous and instantly memorable cut. The basic riddim itself is filled with detail. Central

Akae Beka and Ras Teo: All Hail Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. The incomparable Vaughn Benjamin’s (Akae Beka) posthumous work continues to impress. Not least was his track with Tiken Jah Fakoly, Everything Bless (you can read Pauzeradio’s review here). So, once more the world is gifted with another fine song from this legend. All Hail, released via Jah Solid Rock Music, sees Akae Beka and Ras Teo join forces. Production and mixing are from the always on-point Roberto Sánchez of A-Lone Productions, with the Lone Ark Riddim Force band providing the musical backdrop. The result is a

Jah Bami and Suns of Dub: How it’s Happening (Justice) Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. The first pre-release from Suns of Dub’s forthcoming project has just dropped. And it certainly bodes well for the full release – as it’s a lush, intricate and affecting affair. How it’s Happening (Justice) sees Suns of Dub team up with Jah Bami, across a composition from Aaron V (“AV”). The production outfit have taken an old skool Sound System Dub sound, complete with various devices, and brought it bang up-to-date – making the whole track work extremely well. It’s a heavyweight sound,

Subtifuge: Love Inna Riddim (Escape Roots Remixes) Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Totally Dubwise are one of the more solid record labels on the Roots/Dub scene; consistently delivering quality and unique content. And their latest vinyl release is no exception to this. Love Inna Riddim was originally produced by Subtifuge. Here, Escape Roots take on the remix duties across two tracks with Totally Dubwise Recordings releasing it. Versions of two artists’ previous interpretations have been reimagined. And the resulting cuts are a clever and compelling, with some fine attention to detail. The basic riddim itself is highly attractive.

Micah Shemaiah: Jamaica Jamaica Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. The best artists know that sometimes, less is more – and that musical simplicity is sometimes the most important tool to deliver an important message. Micah Shemaiah has done just that with his latest single. Micah Shemaiah Jamaica Jamaica, released via Evidence Music, sees Shemaiah bring Roots and Dub vibes together with some old skool Hip Hop sensibilities across a stark and brooding track. Produced with Evidence Music, the end result is an intense and searing musical and lyrical analysis of the situation the country is in. There are

Cherine Anderson: Rise Up Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. It’s always worth revisiting something powerful, especially when the timing is pertinent. With that in mind, songstress Cherine Anderson has re-released a track from 2016. And it is, of course, perfect. Rise Up, released via 20 Six Music Group, sees Anderson take on the Andra Day standard, which she originally covered in 2016. But Anderson being Anderson means that instead of a straight interpretation of Day’s track – she’s reworked it, and then reworked it again. The end result is something quite magical. Day’s original was undoubtedly a powerful

Joggo: Why It Doesn’t Matter To You Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. In these troubling times, it has been heartening to see such a wealth of politically and socially-charged, conscious music coming out of the Roots scene. And Joggo has just added to this. Why It Doesn’t Matter To You, released via Joggo Music Productions, sees the artist create an almost throwback Roots-meets-Synthwave sound: heavy on the electronic, heavy on the unsettling and heavy on the conscious lyrics. The end result is a brooding and affecting track. It opens with a nicely compressed and scratchy vocal countdown, before