Solo Banton – Sound Teachings – Review

Solo Banton Sound Teachings Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com.

The wonderful Solo Banton recently returned with another new track, and Pauzeradio is pleased to say the 7” vinyl is now available in our online shop.

Sound Teachings, released via Reality Shock Records, sees Banton team up with the superb Kris Kemist across a classic Roots track mixed with some strong elements of Dub.

There’s a lovely nod to N.W.A (or perhaps in this context Diana King) from Banton at the beginning, before the track begins properly. It is a clear Roots/Dub hybrid -where the bass is central. Here, it runs around a melody deep-down its register, with a tone that is rounded but overbearing – however, the dB doesn’t reflect this, as it’s not too imposing. At some points, it whips the melody up an octave to give some breathing space for an otherwise deep-dive into Dub-influenced Roots.

Drums don’t actually run a traditional one drop, as the kick hits a slow four-to-the-floor, giving the track further depth on top of the bass line. However, hi-hats meandering around while the snare hits the two and four nods to Roots.

Keys run a bubble rhythm to give the track a good wind. There’s some nice use of additional percussion, including a vibraslap. An electric guitar comes in and out with a rasping refrain filled with blue notes, vibrato, and bending.

Then, on top of all this are some Dub-heavy elements. Sirens, spaceship guns, and more all burst in and out of the track – along with a fantastic Synthwave-style set of strings which strike in like thunder. The breaks are strong, the reverb thick and rhythmic, and the attention to detail in terms of dB and other engineering pitch perfect.

Banton is on-point throughout, too. He keeps his vocal in the mid-range of his register, providing an engaging melody across some strategically placed rhythms which are inventive and complement the musical backdrop perfectly. He is forthright while not overburdening your ears, and with some great use of pointed blue notes – flipping the melody into a major key, albeit briefly. His lyrics, around how those of us who are conscious should ignore Babylon’s wicked teachings and keep on a straight and righteous path, listening to ‘sound teachings’, is powerful.

Then, on Side B Is Dub Teachings. It’s a classic arrangement in terms of Banton’s vocal has been stripped right back to leave purely the instrumental line. Here, the emphasis is on the bass and drums, seeing the keys removed almost completely – as well as giving the synths and samples more prominence. But there is great peaking and troughing in terms of all of this, making it engaging.

Overall, both Solo Banton Sound Teachings and its Dub are powerful works from Banton and Kemist. Inventive, engaging, and well-executed, the show the pair at their best – and demonstrate they have still ‘got it’.

Listen to more releases from incredible Solo Banton in our record shop, including In This Time, Old Ragamuffin, Super Lyrics and Walk Like Rasta.

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Solo Banton Sound Teachings Review by Mr Topple / Pauzeradio PR Services.