Reggae Album Reviews

Various Artists: Time & Place Riddim EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Youngheart Productions is rather like its namesake: young, but equally skilled and up-and-coming. Because the outfit and its founder are releasing a brand-new riddim. And the whole package is a pleasing offering from this burgeoning label. Time & Place Riddim, released via Youngheart Productions, sees the labels founder Niko Youngheart continue to make his mark on the German Reggae scene. He has a grounding in music, having started playing the trumpet aged 8 and then learning piano, guitar and drums. Around ten years ago, Youngheart began releasing

Various Artists: Emblematic Riddim Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. A stellar line-up of acts has delivered a brand new riddim, which in itself is one of the stronger works so far of 2021. And it’s thoroughly ‘emblematic’ of the producers’ and artists’ talents. Emblematic Riddim, released via Earth Strong Productions/Train Line Records, is a gorgeously constructed affair that has attention to rich detail at its heart. Both outfits have skill when it comes to compositions. Because the riddim is pleasing and well-arranged. The background vocals from Twiggi and Krysie Webb across the EP are strong and sympathetic to the

Nga Han: The Living Stream Chapter One Album Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Nga Han is a gifted singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist. His debut album, David Stone, showcased this well. Now, with his second full release he takes his musical and spiritual journey another step further. Nga Han The Living Stream Chapter One (referred to here as “Chapter One” throughout), released via Roots Unity Music, sees Han team up with Dutch talent Uta Maruanaya from the label, as the pair co-created the album. The latter also performed much of the instrumentation: drums, piano/Rhodes, guitar, bass, organ, percussion, melodica, synths and trombone. Other

Jaesinco: Jaephoria EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Meet Jaesinco: a brand-new artist to emerge from Jamaica. She’s recently released her debut EP. And if it’s anything to go by, then there could be a star in the making beginning to shine brightly. Justina Sinclair (AKA Jaesinco) was 16 years-old when she released her first songs in November 2020. Raised in Portmore, Jamaica she is from a family of six children (three brothers and two sisters) and credits her maturity to “loving and caring parents” whose tolerance has allowed her to eye a career in music while focusing on

Don Fe: Youthful Riddim Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Don Fe is a talented soul; not least in terms of his ability to turn his hand to many instruments. But he’s also an expert composer, as one of his recent works shows. Youthful Riddim, release via Jah Catalyst Records, is an intriguing and intricate mix of genres. Overly Roots and Dub, it has inflections of other styles brought in. The production is first rate, as expected. It has an unsettling quality, focusing firstly on the bass but cleverly also putting the higher pitched instruments to the fore as well.

Various Artists: Forgive I Jah EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Anotha One Productions certainly don’t do things by halves. Because its latest, upcoming riddim release is a sweeping, expansive project where veteran artists meet up-and-coming names across a rich and inspired composition. Forgive I Jah Riddim is set to be released via Anotha One Productions on 3 July. The project is a collaboration between the label’s founder Milan Ivkovic (who composed the piece) and House of Riddim (who provided the instrumentation). Originally, Ivkovic wrote the riddim in 2005 – with it sitting on the backburner until 2019, when

Ras Teo: Celestial Rockers EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Zion I Kings need to be set a challenge: to produce something that isn’t of the upmost quality, inspired and infinitely listenable. Because as their latest work with Ras Teo shows, doing something average is simply not in this outfit’s DNA. Ras Teo Celestial Rockers, released via Zion High Productions, sees Teo team up for the first time with Zion I Kings. The majority of the production comes from David “JAH David” Goldfine; interestingly programmed, not live, drums were used throughout – a first for Zion I Kings. Not

Tomi Thomas: Hopeless Romantic EP Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Tomi Thomas has come a long way from his beginnings in 2009 with the collective Loud On Sound (LOS), and then his debut solo EP – 2014’s Patience. Now, he’s back with another EP – and once more Thomas shows he’s one of Nigeria’s classiest and most accomplished acts. Tomi Thomas Hopeless Romantic is a six-track masterclass in how to produce a quality, engaging record without seeming pretentious or over-wrought. It could be compared to what Protoje and In.Digg.Nation Collective have done for Reggae; that is, Thomas and the

Akae Beka Polarities Album Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. The late Vaughn Benjamin’s (Akae Beka) final project with I Grade Music has been highly anticipated. It is entirely worth the wait. Because it is nothing short of a moment in history. Akae Beka Polarities, released via I Grade Music, is the final work from Benjamin and Tippy I Grade with Zion I Kings, as a collective. I Grade, who co-produced and was also responsible for the pitch-perfect mixing and mastering, is referred to in this review as part of Zion I Kings. And to say the album is revelatory

Various Artists: Gee Wizz Riddim Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. 2021’s stellar line-up of innovative, quality riddims continues to grow at a pace. This time, a label has lined up a mammoth roster of top-calibre artists to contribute across a brand-new Roots offering. And the effort has entirely paid off. Gee Wizz Riddim, released via Rastahood Productions, sees the label also known as Robinhood Productions, take the listener on an expansive and rich journey. Across an impressive 14 interpretations, the riddim delivers something fresh and new. The musicians working across Gee Wizz Riddim are stellar: drums from Rimbim, the