Real Life (Lightningball, 2004)

Jahranimo (pronounced like Geronimo) is an up-and-coming DJ who was born in Jamaica, but relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1991.  While he made a bit of a splash in his homeland as a teenager in the '80s and early '90s, his change of locale brought about a respite from the musical scene until the turn of the 21^st century, and now he's preparing to break through.  While he's still a fairly obscure artist in the reggae landscape, it's evident that Jahranimo has been in the game for a while.  His craftsmanship comes through on Real Life, which has as polished a sound as I've ever heard on such an independent release.  The clean sound, crisp production, professional musicianship, and tight performances have all the quality of a VP or Greensleeves product.  Jahranimo's Canadian ties come through in the hip-hop and R&B sound running through Real Life.  In truth, only 6 of the 17 songs here are so inclined, but the impact of the non-reggae elements is lasting -- for better or worse.  This style may be a bit too "jiggy" for some listeners, but it certainly sounds like a hit-making machine.  With hip-hop and dancehall both experiencing highs in mainstream popularity, it makes sense that combining the two could prove to be fruitful.  That said, Real Life occasionally sounds like it's trying a bit too hard to reach the mainstream market.  "I Wanna", for instance, sounds way too much like an attempt to recreate Kevin Lyttle's smash hit "Turn Me On".  Not surprisingly, this is the first single from the album.  Granted, I'm probably not the target audience for the hip-hop stuff (Personally, I'm OK with hip-hop beats combined with reggae, but usually not rapping, which you get on four tracks here.  But that's just me...), but I found the more straightforward dancehall material on Real Life more palatable and distinctive.  "Must Get Betta" and "Wrap It Up" have a wonderfully vintage dancehall vibe, and although Jahranimo cites his influences as Bob Marley and Super Cat, his stern vocals compare favorably to the great Cutty Ranks -- albeit with a more cultural, Rastafarian bent.  "Up Deh" has a more modern dancehall feel -- something akin to Sean Paul's "Get Busy", though not as mimicking in sound as "I Wanna" -- and is one of the most infectious tunes I've heard in a while.  "Mi Never Tell You Say" is another energetic dancehall standout.  For fans of a more mellow sound, there are even a few nice, rootsy numbers in "Opposite", "Jah Jah Love", and the lovers-inclined "Stop".  All in all, Real Life is a slick set packed with enough to satisfy both dancehall and hip-hop fans alike.