| Global Reggae Selection Volume 1 (Urban Sedated, 2008) It's always interesting to hear reggae from various parts of the world, but it's difficult to know where to start. That's where a compilation like Global Reggae Selection comes in handy. It gathers 14 reggae acts from 14 countries and four continents (still waiting for you, Antarctica) in one nifty set. The liner notes proclaim the content to be a new genre called "global reggae" -- basically a combination of Jamaican reggae with American hip-hop, dub music and other worldly influences -- but that proclamation is a bit too drastic; fusion isn't new, and this collection actually isn't especially eclectic in sound, despite its worldly origins. Apart from a hip-hop-edged "Her Beauty," "Power of the Word" and "Some of Them" and the folksy "Travelling," this "global reggae" is pretty much straightforward reggae...which isn't a bad thing. The album starts out slowly, with a pair of old school DJ tracks that don't bring much new or interesting to the table. "Picture on the Wall" picks things up with an interesting DJ riff on Freddie McKay's tune, and King Tide hits a home run with the exuberant "Babylon Mixed Business," a throwback rock steady jam that's guaranteed to have you skanking whether or not you -- or anyone else -- want to do so. Three other tunes approach that brilliance: FC Apatride UTD's typically somber "War Party," the warped sound of Iyared Militant's (love the name) "Lord Have Mercy" and Silaba's acoustic "Travelling." The rest of the tracks are mostly unspectacular tunes led by DJs over roots riddims and the occasional hip-hop beat, but any album that gives you a chance to hear FC Apatride UTD is worth a listen in my book. |
| Track Listing 1. Baay Faal -- Elhadji 2. Aya Way -- Prince Wadada 3. Picture On The Wall -- King B Fine 4. Babylon Mixed Business -- Kingtide 5. No Way -- Solo Banton 6. Her Beauty -- Reason featuring Prezident Brown 7. War Party -- FC apatride UTD 8. Mystery Babylon -- I Ancient 9. Onooba Mukyala Ki Gwe -- Ras B Ssali 10. Some of Them -- Unicef 11. Lord Have Mercy -- Iyared Militant featuring Mama Amber 12. Power of the Word -- Dub One! featuring Reason 13. Nelar -- Mathew Tembo 14. Travelling -- Silaba |
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