Reggae Album Reviews

Sevad: Melodies EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. German-based Sevad may have now cemented himself as an established musical artist. Because his latest EP sees him join forces with House of Riddim – and the end result is a masterstroke. Melodies, released via Sevad Music House Group, is a melting pot of genres – swerving between Roots, Lover’s Rock, AfroDancehall-RnB and Alt RnB. All the compositions came in their original format from House of Riddim. Then, the outfit’s Sam Gilly and Sevad reworked and refined them into the five tracks on Melodies. Gilly did the pre-mix on the riddims

Various Artists: Rockin Rock Riddim Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Jumpout Production are back with another fresh riddim for summer 2022. Featuring a host of legendary and up-and-coming artists, it’s a treat for Reggae lovers worldwide. Rockin Rock Riddim, released via Jumpout Production and distributed by Tuff Gong International, sees the label combine various elements to create an almost tribute to the culture. Expertly composed by established Reggae producer Noel Alphonso (son of highly-respected saxophonist Roland Alphonso) and with classy production and engineering from Gary Sutherland of Jumpout, Rockin Rock Riddim is the perfect mix of Old Skool Dancehall,

Norris Man Deep Conversations Album Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Legendary artist Norris Man has returned with a new album; a collaboration with an up-and-coming label. And as the release shows, when an artist with decades of experience joins forces with one of the newer names to emerge onto the scene – the result is positively vibrant. Deep Conversations, released via Train Line Records, is a masterclass in how to do modern Roots Reggae that is both sympathetic to the historical culture while maintaining a sound that still sounds fresh. Production comes from Train Line founder Real Mckoy, which

Sevad The Revolution Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Of all the artists to recently emerge from Reggae culture, Sevad is perhaps one of the ones to have shown the most artistic development. His album Black Man’s Government displayed real promise but lacked production finesse. Then, his next offering The Message EP displayed real growth in that area. And now, we have his latest project. The Revolution, released via Sevad Music House Group, is perhaps Sevad’s seminal work. Unlike his peers, less is definitely more in terms of album length: eight tracks to be precise – bucking modern industry norms

Various Artists: Night-in-Gale Riddim Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. 2022 is already going to be off to a flying start in the Reggae scene – as one of (if not the) first riddim of the year sees some of the biggest names in the culture deliver stunning interpretations across a deft musical composition. Night-in-Gale Riddim, released via Train Line Records on 1 January, sees founder of the label Real Mckoy bring some lush Reggae vibes to the new year. The production and engineering are all first-rate, as would be expected from him and his outfit. Particularly good attention to

Dub On Mars Colors EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. After the success of the single Drunk with Sweetness featuring Awa Fall, Italy-based producer and bassist Dub on Mars has released a new EP – and it’s filled with vibrant musical colours. Colors EP was released on 22 October. Mars told Pauzeradio: “The concept behind the EP is how colours can affect us and touch our souls with different impressions. For example, how black can communicate strength or how blue is often related with sadness and red with love and passion. That’s just to name a few of the

Nga Han and The Hi-Flyers: Emergence Album Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Nga Han has gone from strength-to-strength recently. From his sophomore album The Living Stream Chapter One, to the vinyl release Tek A Chance with The Co-Operators, he’s proving what a refined artist he is. And with the addition to the Pauzeradio shop of yet another vinyl album, Han has cemented his status as an artist to watch. Emergence, released via Bona-Fi Records, is a collaboration between Han, Belgium-based producer Kingston Echo and band The Hi-Flyers. The 12” limited press vinyl consists of eight tracks, four on each

Ruff Times Riddim EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. I-Sight Records’ latest release is an apt riddim for the ‘times’ many of us have been living through. And with a roster of stellar artists, the project is almost pitch-perfect. Ruff Times Riddim, released via I-Sight Records, is a rich and cleverly-arranged track. Here, the focus is on the mantra ‘less is more’. As I-Sight have created an attractive riddim that is stripped-back to give a pleasing platform for the artists to bounce off. The basic composition is a soulful affair, opening with a nice bass glissando and a pleasing

Brown Bones: Brown Bones Album Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. The eponymous album from Brown Bones (the pseudonym for Roots musician and producer Andrew ‘Moon’ Bain) is quite the departure for an artist most-known for his complex and highly skilled work in Reggae and Dub. But it’s certainly a welcome one – as the record shows the length and breadth of his talents. Brown Bones, released via Single Cell Records, is an overly Folk Rock affair. Yes. The Zion I Kings legend has gone Folk Rock. But connoisseurs of ZIK’s sound will realise this is not shock, as such

Awa Fall: Free Your Mind EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Anaves Music is one of the more exciting labels to have emerged in recent years. And its forthcoming release showcases the outfits diverse talents perfectly. Free Your Mind is set to be released  digitally on 10 September by Anaves Music. The project will be pressed to vinyl in November 2021 and delivered in January 2022 if the goal of 100 vinyl orders can be reached within the stated time, available to pre-order here (so get in quick as this campaign will run to mid October 2021). The four-track