Top Reggae Album of 2014 | United Reggae

By Erik Magni/United Reggae

Last year I made a list collecting 25 sets, but this year I aimed for 30, and succeeded. As usual no reissues or compilations were allowed.

This year’s list is however a little bit different compared to previous lists. Why? I have included two straight dub albums. And it could actually have been no less than four dub sets, but Natural Numbers’ Natural Numbers in Dub and The Lions’ This Generation in Dub, the roaring dub counterpart to their beautiful This Generation, didn’t make the final cut.



The list below collects 30 roots, ska, rocksteady, dub and dancehall albums in no particular order.



Jahmali – We I Open
We I Open equals sun-burnt skin, sand between your toes and salty hair. A cheerful contemporary rub-a-dub set with lots of light to wash your troubles away.





Black Roots – Ghetto Feel
Deep and profound vintage roots reggae. This album could easily have been released in the early 80s.





Sly & Robbie – Dubrising
Heavy as lead, yet melodic and refined, and with adventurous dub mixing by the legendary Paul “Groucho” Smykle.





Blue King Brown – Born Free
A powerful sonic experience with slower jams and militant anthems.





Etana – I Rise
Another excellent set from one of Jamaica’s leading voices. A set that effortlessly blends infectious love ballads and tough roots anthems.





Tuff Scout Allstars – Inna London Dub
Harder than most contemporary dub albums with ridiculously deep bass lines and hypnotic grooves.





Sara Lugo – Hit Me with Music
Bright and positive from start to finish. Sara Lugo explores the gentle side of reggae with influences from soul, jazz and light electronic pop.





Earl 16 & Manasseh – Gold Dust
Beautifully crafted with Earl 16’s delicate and dreamy vocals floating on top of the at times partly acoustic backing.





Lloyd Brown – LB 50
Yet another harmonious set from one of most reliable and hardest working artists in the reggae industry.





Roberto Sánchez & The Rockers Disciples – Blackboard Jungle Showcase Vol. II
Excellent vintage-sounding roots and dub from some of Europe’s finest musicians.





Popcaan – Where We Come From
A remarkable, exceptional and unique dancehall effort that hopefully can start a new trend in the otherwise very busy and non-consistent dancehall industry.





Raging Fyah – Destiny
The melodies and the arrangements are beautiful and it’s impossible not to get struck by a sweet piano ballad like Brave or pulsating non-stop rocking rockers like Barriers and Step Outta Babylon.





Hezron – The Life I Live(d)
Hezron’s debut album, but it sounds mature, partly because of the well-produced riddims by some of Jamaica’s finest, and partly because he sings like he has never done anything else in his life.





Lee Perry – Back on the Controls
A dark and dense album showcasing Lee Perry’s signature style.





Soul Majestic – Setting the Tone
With its angelic vocal harmonizing and alternating male and female lead vocals – this is a sublime, beautiful and uplifting album.





Hollie Cook – Twice
Nine tracks and over 40 minutes of discofied reggae in its greatest form. Free your mind, take off your shoes and hang on, this is a rollercoaster into dreamy territory.





Earl Sixteen – Natty Farming
Organic and analogue with Earl Sixteen’s pleading voice floating elegantly over the throbbing and syncopated riddims.





Bugle – Anointed
Probably best known for singles like Doh, What I’m I Gonna Do, Journey and Don’t Give Up, and if you dig those you’ll love this album.





Sizzla – Born a King
Wickedly well-produced, balanced and detailed. This scorching album is definitely one of the strongest sets from Sizzla’s more than extensive catalogue.





Alpheus – Good Prevails
Skip the poorly sounding rocksteady reissues and go for this meticulously constructed and well-produced set. This is the sound of real reggae music.





Chronixx – Dread & Terrible
Solid debut set from this youthful and passionate singer that has focused on quality rather than quantity.





Clinton Fearon – Goodness
Yet another fine example of how Clinton Fearon and his Boogie Brown Band takes the reggae legacy into contemporary territory.





Black Symbol – Journey
A spiritual and sometimes meditative journey with sublime harmonizing and beautiful back-up vocals courtesy of Empress Bev. Her touch gives the album a character of its own.





Addis Pablo – In My Father’s House
Its 17 tracks takes the listener on a meditative, haunting and melodic roots reggae journey.





Tarrus Riley – Love Situation
Slick, polished and timeless with lots of classic and vintage sounding riddims.





Gentleman – MTV Unplugged
The MTV Unplugged format was immensely popular in the 90s and I thought it was dead, but this album shows that it’s still very much alive and kicking.





I-Octane – My Journey
The culture and lovers themed My Journey is an entertaining and lively album filled with lots of energy, beautiful hooks and memorable melodies.





Ziggi Recado – Therapeutic
A little something for both body and mind.





Pressure – The Sound
Pressure’s fourth album and is his best to date. It includes the usual sweet arrangements and backing provided by Zion I Kings.





Nicodrum & Friends – Back to Fundechan
Music with a big heart, a solid pulse and lots of soul.

Jojo Abot Performs 2 Songs Off Her Forthcoming EP Debut, ‘Fyfya Woto’

Ghanaian Afro-Soul Singer Jojo Abot Performs 2 Songs Off Her Forthcoming EP Debut, ‘Fyfya Woto’



Ghanaian afro-soul songstress was in the midst of readying her debut EP, Fyfya Woto, a conceptual project produced by Copenhagen’s Jonas Rendbo which will focus on “a woman’s right to choose.” While we await news of an official release date, Abot has previewed two new singles off the record in the form of live videos filmed at Copenhagen’s Millfactory Studios with Abot and her three-man band.

The eclectic singer cites South African reggae icon Lucky Dube as one of the musical influences that shaped the making of Fyfya Woto, and the first track “To Li” bears witness to this influence as Abot spits in Ewe and English over a midtempo reggae groove. On “Pi Lo Lo” (named for the Ghanaian children’s game similar to hide and seek) Abot shows off her vocal versatility over a slow-burning electronic beat anchored by ethereal synths while exploring the risks of infidelity and the consequences that come with openly expressing a forbidden love. Watch both videos below. For more on Jojo Abot read the preview of Stocktown’s Afripedia, a new 5-part documentary series on creatives in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Angola, and Senegal.

Rocky Dawuni | African Thriller

"African Thriller" is the first single from the African star Rocky Dawuni's new album "Branches of the Same Tree," which will be released in March 2015 on Cumbancha.



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"African Thriller," sung in West African pidgin English, embodies Rocky Dawuni's unique "Afro-Roots" sound, a funky blend of soul, pop, Afrobeat and reggae grooves that have made him a household name in his native Ghana and earned him a wide following across the globe. Jeremy Sole, a DJ, producer and host on the taste-defining Los Angeles radio station KCRW, remixed the single version of "African Thriller". Sole has previously remixed tracks for Femi Kuti, David Bowie, Thievery Corporation, and Quantic, among others.

Shot in Los Angeles, the highly polished music video, directed by Glen Wilson, and choreographed by Kara Mack, offers an explosion of West African inspired dance moves, rich colors, and a celebratory atmosphere. Wilson, who directed Dawuni's earlier "African Reggae Fever" video, was inspired by one of his favorite documentaries, When We Were Kings, which documented the famous Ali/Foreman "Rumble in the Jungle" bout that took place in Kinshasha, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) on October 30th, 1974. The video also references Afro Funke', Rocky's world renowned cross cultural dance club in Los Angeles, and offers visual tributes to Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.

According to Rocky Dawuni, "'African Thriller' is a persona, a concept and a vision of what contemporary beauty and excitement will emerge from the confrontation and collision of cultures. The video hints at historical and cultural signposts in a metaphoric expression of how the dance floor is one of the ultimate and most colorful places for global unity, celebration and liberation."

Rocky Dawuni and his team are excited for this video to inspire others to "shake it till it go be hot, hot!" Rocky is asking fans to post their “African Thiller” inspired dance-videos to his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/rockydawuni) and will soon be announcing an upcoming remix contest. Sign up for the email list for more details: http://eepurl.com/bKNe

Rocky Dawuni is a musician and humanitarian activist from Ghana, West Africa. Named one of Africa's Top 10 global stars by CNN, his recordings and thrilling live performances have attracted thousands to his concerts around the world at top festivals and prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Dawuni has collaborated and performed with Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Jason Mraz, Janelle Monae and John Legend, among many others.

Dawuni's eloquence, cultural diplomacy and successful melding of music and activism have led him to become a passionate spokesperson for various global causes. He has joined forces with Product (RED), UNICEF, the Carter Center and the UN Foundation. In 2012, Dawuni was appointed the Tourism and Cultural Ambassador of Ghana and World Ambassador for the Musicians Union of Ghana. The same year, he was named a United Nations Foundation Ambassador for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, alongside actress Julia Roberts and chef José Andrés.

Influenced by the soulful beats of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, the positive messages and deep grooves of Bob Marley and the infectious, sing-along anthems of Michael Franti, K'naan and Matisyahu, Rocky Dawuni's songs straddle the musical boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean and the US to create a universally appealing sound that unites generations and cultures.

CONNECT WITH ROCKY DAWUNI:
http://www.rockydawuni.com
http://www.facebook.com/rockydawuni
http://www.twitter.com/rockydawuni
http://www.youtube.com/rockydawunimusic

CONNECT WITH CUMBANCHA
http://www.cumbancha.com
http://shop.cumbancha.com/releases.html/
http://www.facebook.com/cumbancha

Idris Elba Links With Aero Manyelo & Mahotella Queens In ‘Aero Mathata’ [Premiere]

“Aero Mathata” is the lead track from Idris Elba‘s upcoming mi Mandela album, a Madiba-inspired 11-track ““celebration of South African music” that Elba curated, wrote and produced alongside SA and British collaborators. The single blends harmonies from 60s Mbaqanga ‘girl group’ Mahotella Queens over an infectious afro-tech concoction from producer Aero Manyelo. Elba’s idea for mi Mandela was conceived while he was in Johannesburg filming Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. Recorded between in Johannesburg, London and Mali, the album will feature an eclectic cast of contributors including Mumford & Sons, James Blake, Cody Chestnutt, Nothembi Mkhwebane, Mr. Hudson, Phuzekhemisi and more. Idris Elba Presents mi Mandela will be released on November 27 on 7wallace (Elba’s own imprint)/Parlophone., pre-order it here.

Alo Wala - Timbuktu (feat. The Clerk) | Cityboy

A monster of a song, “Timbuktu” by rising global bass rapper / group Alo Wala melds into all sorts of moods–calm, jumpy, even forlorn. Opening with a small percussive swirl of taps, jangles, and pings, the song suddenly stops: “Here we go/See me flow/’Round and ’round I go,” the project’s Chicago-born, Copenhagen-based vocalist Shivani Ahlowalia (aka Alo Wala) starts in her candied voice, hand claps and drum bangs circling under her. Strings and a cascade of muffled electronics then crash hard as she continues, “I rolled through Timbuktu a long long time ago, I got my people and fresh heat no matter where I go.”

As it turns out, Ahlowalia spent time in a different part of West Africa: Guinea-Bissau. It was there that she co-founded the country’s first quality recording studio. Prior to the professional Cobiana studio being built, Bissau-Guinean artists would need to travel to Lisbon or Paris for quality recording sessions, Ahlowalia says. “I worked very hard in particular on a project called Hip Hop Harmony,” a program that brought her to Senegal, The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania and Morocco, to work with regional unification through hip-hop. After joining with tropical bass group Copia Doble Systema and VJ Mad Es to become a full band, Ahlowalia / Alo Wala toured India earlier this year, and went on to play shows in Morocco (at L’Boulevard Festival– more on this to come on Okayafrica) and Russia. This Monday, the group is set to release their debut EP, Cityboy, which closes with “Timbuktu.” Speaking on her connection to the Malian city the song takes its name from, Ahlowalia explained:

“It’s a common expression to say ‘from here to Timbuktu,’ Timbuktu referring to a place far away, almost intangible or impossible to arrive to. So what happens when you’ve been there to the impossible place so very far away? Where do you go from there? That’s what the tune is about. For me Timbuktu represents the turning point, where the journey becomes less about a destination, and more about knowing one’s self; the journey within.”

Listen to “Timbuktu” & her other releases below. Alo Wala’s Cityboy is out November 10th via Enchufada.







OUT NOW ON ALL MAJOR DIGITAL STORES:
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Captain Planet | Fall All The Way

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Order the 'Esperanto Slang' Album on 2xLP, CD, Digi or Vinyl Deluxe Pack:
bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/esperanto-slang-2

Released by:
Bastard Jazz
Release date:
6 October 2014

Ibeyi | Better In Tune With The Infinite | Jay Electronica cover

Late last month, French-Cuban sisters Ibeyi played one of their very first UK live appearances with a set at Rough Trade West. The twins went behind the counter, beyond the vinyl shelves to perform a handful of songs, and their set closed with an eerie cover of ‘Better In Tune With The Infinite’ by Jay Electronica.

Now a live recording has emerged of the track being played at Residence La Revolution, all booming piano notes and inventive percussion. The original song is taken from Jay’s ‘Act II: Patents of Nobility (the Turn)’ album.

Ibeyi’s previous output has included ‘River’, ‘Oya‘ and ‘Mama Says’, with a Richard Russell-produced debut album slated for an early 2015 release on XL Recordings.

Watch Ibeyi's Cover of Jay Electronica's 'Better In Tune With The Infinite', recorded live at Residence La Revolution, July 2014.

Flamingods | Hyperborea

Flamingods started life in a defined place - someone's bedroom, in fact.

Hinging on Kamal Rasool, the experimental five piece were suddenly thrust into a strange, stressful situation. Rasool was asked to leave the UK following a change to Visa rules, meaning that the songwriter was left in a curious, strenuous form of limbo.

Drifting into his imagination, Flamingods began inhabiting the dream-world of Hyperborea. Using instruments collected from around the world, the group used these strange sounds to craft something entirely new.

New album 'Hyperborea' is due to be released on July 21st and it is, simply, incomparable to almost anything you've heard. Gilded baroque pop melodies mixed to Eastern drones and all manner of bizarre noises, the title track is now available to stream online.

Obeying no rules but its own, you can listen to 'Hyperborea' below.



Flamingods are set to release new album 'Hyperborea' on July 21st.

Maryam Saleh | Nouh Al Hamam | Produced by Oddisee

At the time and still today especially musicians and especially women were and are trapped in a spiral of repression, discrimination and violence.

"Sawtuha" (Arabic for "her voice"), the album that is the product of the 2-week session, is a vital encouraging testament of rebellion against the repression of democratic rights, gender inequality, and lack of inclusion.

The music is an organic mixture of traditional Arabic music, regional influences and various forms of contemporary Western musical genres. A mixture that may sound contradicting at first but makes total sense once you listen to the music.

Pre-order of Sawtuha including immediate download of 1 track in the high-quality format of your choice (MP3, FLAC, and more), plus unlimited mobile access using the free Bandcamp listening app.
releases 24 January 2014