Inner Strength (Higher Bound, 2007)

*GUEST REVIEW*
For the most part, reggae is usually dominated by male vocals with sometimes female backups. Of course, there are a few lone standout voices such as Sister Nancy, but there is much room for expansion of a feminine platform in the dancehall scene. I discovered this album out of pure curiousity and to my surprise, it's very refreshing to hear a young American-born Indian female toaster hold it down. Not only does she do a good job of chanting over unique beats, but she displays a very beautiful voice in tracks such as the strange and traditional Indian music sounding "Sweet Mama" to the soothing "Seek Jah First". The lyrics are personal to her, but are relatable to life and helping the youth. The rhythms to these songs are predominantly reggae though some tracks such as the encouraging laid-back "Life Is Love" show the apparent influence of hip-hop and some songs sometimes have a R&B feel to them. If you're not really into hip-hop and R&B, this might dissapoint a little, but don't feel the need to neglect the uniqueness of Sista Kat because she's truly one of a kind and you can feel the positivity coming out her sweet tender voice in the riddims and vibes. Definitely one of the most slept-on releases and probably better to play by yourself alone, since it will most likely have you thinking deeply about concious issues, but you'll feel relaxed the whole time.

- Frank