Kabaka Pyramid & Chris Martin – Quarantine – Review

April 5, 2020

Kabaka Pyramid x Chris Martin: Quarantine Single Review – Steve Topple for Pauzeradio.com.

The Roots movement has been quite prominent in offering musical succour during the coronavirus pandemic. From Spragga to King MAS via all manner of other artists in between, the genre has been offering positive vibes all round. So, enter Kabaka Pyramid and Christopher Martin with their gorgeous offering.

Quarantine, released via Bebble Rock Music and Ghetto Youths International, sees the duo team up with MAS, one of the most prolific of all Roots-based artists. His own recent release, Keep Calm and R.A.S. was a gorgeous mix of Soul and Roots. And Quarantine is no exception to this consistent inventiveness.

It’s undeniable that the track leans heavily towards smooth, summery Soul. But breaking it down, there are some mild Roots devices present. There’s no traditional one drop present, but the drums do accent the second and fourth beats with the attack on the snare. But the kick is busy across the downbeats, and the hi hats and cymbals don’t focus on a traditional double time riff, instead jutting in and out with beamed rolls. Meanwhile, a high treble clef melodica whines away in the background. And as the track fades out at the end, the keys suddenly appear on a bubble rhythm.

But it’s the smooth Soul that really stands out on Quarantine. The driving, winding bass skips the fourth on beat of each bar, coming in on the following half just before the next bar drops. The heavily beamed rhythm just adds to this swaying feel. Stabbing, plucked strings occasionally do brief riffs at the end of the bars of the verses. And a Hammond organ is occasionally allowed to join in proceedings. But it’s the production which also adds to the feel. There’s been some focus on a high pass filter, as the dreamy, rich and rounded sound fits the track’s intentions perfectly. And of the instruments, the dBs of drums and melodica are the main focus, not weighing the track down too heavily – creating that light, summery vibe.

Melodically, it’s ingenious – with an instantly mesmerising main chorus. Working around the sixth of the root chord is a clever move, as it adds to the smoky, sensual feel. And the beamed rhythm works in perfect sync with the winding bass, to accent the nod to almost Lover’s Rock.

The vocal arrangement is pure Soul, too, with Pyramid, MAS and Martin’s composition delivering in droves. From the Doo Wop “sha-la-la’s”, to the heavily layered backing arrangement on the chorus, it transports you to a nostalgic place, reminiscent of a time in the late 20th century. Martin’s expertly executed vocal just adds to this. He effortlessly glides across his rich, resonant tenor range – delivering impressive improvisation, vocal runs and expressive riffs. Pyramid is as competent as ever: tightly enunciated, rhythmically interesting and with the flourishes of scat singing we came to know so well from Kontraband.

Quarantine is a delicious offering from this talented musical trio. Upbeat, fresh and feel-good, it’s a sterling piece of work that showcases the artists’ talents perfectly. Glorious.