Black Light (A Star, 2007) Rag Manuk is an intriguing singer from England who combines roots reggae, dub, dancehall, folk, pop, and lovers rock in a serene package. It's hard to pin him down into one definitive style, because on Black Light he ranges from the acoustic guitar ballad "Mighty Sword" to the bouncy old-school dancehall of "Walk Reggae" to the catchy pop reggae of "People to People" to the dubby title track. For the most part, though, I'd compare Rag Manuk to Pablo Moses. His singing voice is strikingly similar -- subdued and meditative -- aided by mixing that accentuates the music over the vocals, even on more energetic tunes like "Chapter a Day." His vocals actually meld neatly into the music due to layers of echoes and digital effects, which also heighten the trippy, spacy dub vibe that delves into Lee "Scratch" Perry territory at times. All in all, Black Light is a nice set for sitting back, chilling out, and pondering, well, whatever it is you want to ponder. |
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