Single Reviews

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

The Lambsbread & Mykal Rose: Nah Stop Chant Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Hot off the heels of their recent hit Lockdown, The Lambsbread are back with another fresh cut. This time, a Reggae legend comes on board – and it immediately indicates the level of quality present across the track. Nah Stop Chant sees The Lambsbread join forces with Black Uhuru’s Mykal Rose. Production is via Jubba White from Dubtonic Kru. And these two factors alone have made for a track that’s pure class: elegant yet brooding, and with some smart arrangement and production, too. The track

Weslee: London Love (P2J & Stonebwoy Remix) Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. After clocking up hundreds of thousands of streams with a Neo Soul 2019 hit, musical duo Weslee are back with a fresh remix of it – featuring none other than AfroDancehall royalty Stonebwoy. Weslee London Love (P2J & Stonebwoy Remix), sees producer P2J take the remix helm. While the rudimental elements of the track have stayed the same (chord progressions, BPM and the main melody), P2J has given the song new life, in the form of an Afrobeats-meets-Soca reimagining – fitting of the guest artist, but

Chapboss: KFC Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. It’s always good to share an upbeat, light-hearted piece of music from time-to-time. With this in mind, enter Chapboss with his latest AfroDancehall cut. Chapboss KFC, released via Three Lake Music, sees Chapboss take you on a nicely carefree musical journey, with his use of a certain chicken shop brand as the hook. The production from Three Lake Music is extremely good: smooth, detailed and with some gloss on the finish. And this, plus the smart composition, makes for a pleasing result. The track is a classic AfroDancehall arrangement – but

Kardi Tivali: London Bridge Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Kardi Tivali was recently back with another new track. Here, he stops off at AfroDancehall – but cleverly uses the genre to deliver a searing political and social message. Kardi Tivali London Bridge, released via Maddanize, sees Tivali continue on his journey into AfroDancehall territory. Somewhat less brooding than his previous tracks like Move The Bar and Struggling (with William Vybz), it’s no less affecting – just with a lighter touch across the instrumentation. It’s fresh, contemporary AfroDancehall. The percussion is the driving force, with the snare on that

Torch: She Request Farmer Man Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. There’s something about classically arranged Roots which immediately draws you in in a captivating way. It does, of course, have to be done well. And Torch’s latest track fits both those criteria. Torch She Request Farmer Man, released via Crown International Records, is from its compilation Stars Have To Shine. It uses the original composition from Carlton and the Shoes hit Love Me Forever. And here, it’s put to very good effect by producer Norman Owen. There’s not much deviation from the original track – but that’s a

Sun Shade: Change Must Come Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Released several months ago, a track from Sun Shade has lost none of its power – and is worth revisiting, given how little has changed recently. Sun Shade Change Must Come, released via Jeanne Music, sees Shade team up with producer Paul “Computer Paul” Henton. The track uses his and Bootcamp Records’ 2011 Sha La Laa Riddim (a reimagining of the classic Coxsone Dodd’s You Should Have Known Riddim), while Shade’s melody is an interpretation of Dennis Brown’s across the cut Caress Me Girl (over the You Should

Arkaingelle ft Kabaka Pyramid and Pressure Busspipe: Light Tha Torch Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Yet more music to stir your soul and lift your consciousness has been gifted to us during the coronavirus pandemic. This time, Arkaingelle, Kabaka Pyramid and Pressure Busspipe deliver some cautious inspiration in droves. Arkaingelle ft Kabaka Pyramid and Pressure Light Tha Torch, released via Zion High Productions, sees Arkaingelle showcase one of the tracks off his forthcoming album Nah Watah Down – out on 18 September. With production from the always sublime Zion I Kings across this track and the whole album,

Junior X: Jah Will Deliver Us Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com. Being a recording artist with several decades under his belt, Junior X is no stranger to releasing top-quality, inspirational music. But with his first release for a legendary label, he’s taken this to higher planes. Junior X Jah Will Deliver Us, released via Rockers Agency, sees Junior X at the peak of his potent powers. Written by him and produced by Small Axe Productions across the previously-released Paradigm Shift Riddim, it’s a gorgeous, delicately-touched Roots affair with lovely inflections of Soul from Junior X throughout. It opens