Creatively bridging the gap between nostalgic reggae and the contemporary hip hop and alternative pop realms, Jah Sent delivers a five-track EP of originals, which prove as diverse as they are heartfelt and melodically engaging.
Reggae
Reggae breakthrough Caleb Hart continues to bring catchy songwriting and originality back to the timeless genre. Emancipation is beautiful, an anthemic arrangement with softly passionate vocals, and a lyrical core that inspires and celebrates liberation.
From smooth and unplugged beginnings, through changing paces and catchy flows, Ayana John and Peter Ram carve out an intoxicating lane of good vibes and striking vocals, for the unforgettable Do Bad Remix.
Come And Get Some V2 is a brilliant track – not overly performative but kind of confident and satisfying in its own way. Think Will and The People, Sticky Fingers, Sublime, but with a more relevant kind of indie-pop production and versatility to the lyrical and performative spread.
The deciding factor is not always just my enjoyment of the track, sometimes it helps to note the response of others who hear it playing. My three-year-old son is not easy to please musically, but as I turned this one up loud, he ran into the room dancing, and openly declared it ‘his favourite song’. Strangely enough, it quickly became mine, too.
The song has depth – the verses hold tight to your attention, the delivery is smooth, beautiful to listen to, and the words have poignancy; fusing truth & poetry, honesty & metaphor.
Built around a timeless reggae rhythm and groove, with nostalgic pop vocals layered throughout the arrangement, For One Day is a catchy pop hit that naturally showcases the energy and fluidity of Jermaine’s writing and performance style.
The rest of the That’s life project follows suit in terms of the genre freedom, this Folk-meets-Ska approach to organic and colourful music. Think Sublime with a twist of The Pogues, only here we get stories and sentiments, structural songwriting and musical freshness, that all proves true to the disco partisan approach.
Paying tribute to the carefree hits of time’s past for its sense of enjoyment and freedom from the weight of the world, Party Hard – Jiggle Wiggle acts as a genre-fusing pop hit but with a clear level of character and effective production that lets the Original Weez style maintain its recognisable integrity.
Indie rock and ska’s unmistakable Startz and Endz showcase the full breadth of their ability as an organic band, with the newly uploaded live stream of their festival show from Levitt at the Falls, South Dakota.
Great vibes and conceptual poignancy grace the airwaves – Introducing a superb new song, an instrumental and melodically euphoric reggae track, with soulful vocals, wonderful melodies, and a powerful hook resolve.
Honolulu’s Azato recaptures the soulful essence of reggae, with a fresh take on both the genre and songwriting. When We Gonna Start? is a mellow and increasingly hopeful, uplifting ode to unity, and provides an active opposition to the rise of division and fighting.