"Spit Hot Fire" by Spit Hot Fire (Reggae Artist from New York City, New York(NY))

"Spit Hot Fire" self titled album is a stellar throwback to the reggae dub rock mix that reigned supreme in the 90's. The arrangements are fantastic in the album, with a great mix of reggae styles that feature heavy bass lines and melodic vocals. The album is chock full of upstrokes, head nodding drum beats and creative harmonies. The stand out track is "Good morning" which brings about the urge to want to roam the famous Orange County beaches as these east coasters fill your ears with sounds made famous by bands like Sublime, 311 and The Long Beach Dub All-Stars. Other highlights are the opener "Poet on Payday", which bangs right into it with a big electric reggae riff, and "October Night", with it's gritty bass line and catchy melody. Hey Ska fans, these guys are your new favorite band.

-Ross & The RadioIndy.com Review Team

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“State Of Our Affairs” by Solomon (Reggae Artist from Trinidad and Tobago)

"State Of Our Affairs" is a great roots rock reggae album from Trinidad and Tobago's own Solomon. Though his vocal performance is true to the roots reggae tradition popularized by Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley, Solomon's musicianship expands beyond reggae genre and into the pop, rock, and world realms. No matter the creative choice, the arrangements are solid and centered around excellent guitar work. Solomon is renowned for his lyrical expressiveness and content that toes the line, as he sings about faith and Rastafarianism, race relations, women, and the Caribbean. "State Of Our Affairs" is well-produced and sounds clean and professional. The opener, "Am I of God" is a great roots rock reggae number with a great arrangement and lyrics about faith and religion. "Some Want It All" has a great bass line that fuels the track, an accompanying piano and guitar arrangement, and profound lyrics that offer the Native Caribbean's perspective on Caribbean tourism. Solomon is a promising artist for the future of reggae, as well as of reggae/rock fusion, who offers outstanding, thought-provoking lyrics and great, diverse accompaniments. Fans of roots reggae and reggae/rock fusion should definitely give Solomon a listen.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
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“Compilation Disc" by The Fabulous Stroka Band (World Artist from the Virgin Islands(VI))

The Fabulous Stroka Band have kindly compiled all of their greatest hits on one release, simply entitled "Compilation Disc." Straight out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Fabulous Stroka Band play world music with an island and Caribbean flavor, incorporating r&b, hip-hop, and Latin elements into their sound as well. Listening to this album makes you feel like you should be sipping daiquiris beneath a large umbrella, looking out into the crystal blue water from a beach in the Caribbean. The songs are upbeat, with catchy lyrics, great rhyming verses, extreme danceability, and are sung whole heartedly with a great world music feel in strong Caribbean accents. "Compilation Disc" is well-recorded and ready to burst through the speakers, poolside or beachside. "Why Oh Why" is a song in hope of a better world with quickly-delivered rhyming verses and a simple melodic chorus. "Baila," considered one of the hottest songs in the Caribbean, has a great island feel with more fact-paced rhyming verses, alternating lyrics between English and Spanish, and embodies an overall catchiness. You can't help but sing and dance to it. Fans of world music with an island flavor, break out the Hawaiian tee and check out The Fabulous Stroka Band.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
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“New Life” by Errol and Kaye Leslie (Reggae Artist from Florida(FL))

"New Life" is the third gospel reggae release from impressive writer/composer duo Errol and Kaye Leslie. Originally from Jamaica, but currently taking up residence in Florida, Errol and Kaye smoothly incorporate Caribbean reggae rhythms into their gospel songs for their music ministries. The result is twelve upbeat and rhythmic tracks about the importance of Jesus in our day to day existence and the necessity of putting one's life into God's hands. Errol and Kaye, combined with the backing vocalists, create some great vocal dynamics on this album. Errol has a great booming bass reggae vocal, and Kaye a strong alto more lenient to the gospel end of the sound. "New Life" features great production quality. It sounds very clean and makes you feel as though you are in a Caribbean tent revival. "Caribbean Gospel Medley" defines Caribbean gospel perfectly with an attention-getting beat, great vocal layering, and lyrics about redemption. The title track, "New Life," is an Elvis-esque southern gospel track with great booming doo-**** vocals from Errol, more great vocal layering, and a classic arrangement. Overall, "New Life" is an accomplishment, as it combines the fun, upbeat sounds of the Caribbean with serious and heartfelt gospel lyrics. If the fusion of reggae with gospel appeals to you, I strongly recommend that you check out Errol and Kaye Leslie.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
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“The Dub7 E.P.” by 27 Lights (Reggae Artist from Pennsylvania(PA))

"The Dub7 E.P." is a three-track prequel to an upcoming full-length release from reggae rock outfit 27 Lights. All three tracks feature the calculated upstrokes of the traditional reggae sound, though there are clear alternative and psychedelic elements within these songs. One aspect of their sound that makes 27 Lights stand out is their ability to disperse jam sessions throughout the EP that are fresh, listenable, and danceable. The reggae inspired vocal performance, combined with the arrangements, sound similar to Bob Marley, Incubus, and RX Bandits. The production quality of "The Dub7 E.P." is perfect for this type of recording. It's not too overproduced and focuses on the natural rawness of their sound. "Flat a Dub" begins with a seventy-five second reggae-inspired jam then introduces 27 Lights' vocalist with the repetitive line, "Where did you go." "India" has some great rhyming verses and a sound you can't help but dance to. "Pakalolo" has a psychedelic bass opening, some more great rhymes, and nice solo guitar work. "The Dub7 E.P." certainly wets the appetite for things to come from 27 Lights with its three original and memorable tracks. Fans of reggae rock, give this EP a listen.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
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“Kingfish Riddim” by 5 Rivers Entertainment Inc. (Reggae Artist from Ontario, Canada)

"Kingfish Riddim" is the premier roots reggae compilation from an up-and-coming music label entitled 5 Rivers Entertainment Inc. Featured on this album are established, legitimizing reggae artists that include Richie Spice, Richie Stephens, Glen Washington, and Pliers, as well as up-and-coming 5 Rivers artists Jahsmin and ChilliRootz. It appears that 5 Rivers created a single arrangement with piano, horns, and a great reggae vibe and asked various reggae artists to dub their own version of the track. The result is thirteen tracks full of positive and meaningful lyrics, many involving love, that discuss political, spiritual, and cultural aspects of life. This compilation is well-produced, with each track maintaining the raw roots reggae feel while giving the vocal performances a clean sound. "Love for Jah" plays off of the arrangement with spiritual lyrics about love and unity. "A Wha Dis" features a female vocalist that sings about spreading the love through music. "Kingfish Riddim" is a promising compilation from 5 Rivers Entertainment Inc. that lures you with established artists and gives you a feel for what to expect from their own artists and the label in general. Fans of Bob Marley, Wyclef Jean, and roots reggae should pick up this compilation and keep an eye out for more 5 Rivers releases.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
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"Universal Love" by Istan Black & The Sweets & Friends (Reggae Artist from New York(NY))

"Universal Love" by Istan Black & The Sweets & Friends is a smooth R&B/reggae album full of wonderful performances from a healthy lineup of musicians. The album combines the optimistic idealism of reggae with the slick sweetness of R&B. The arrangements lean more toward the reggae end of things, but the R&B elements add a dimension that makes the sound truly unique. The songs have a big full sound, with lots of interesting musical layers and unique instrumentation. The diversity between tracks is also quite noteworthy as each song is a new adventure. The album is very well produced and these songs are definitely radio ready. Highlights include the opener "Universal Love 1," which kicks off the album with a bang and introduces all the elements of the sound, with great performances all around. "Good Feelings" is very stylistic and features a nice range in the lead vocal performance and a creatively quirky arrangement. "Family Ties" hits home right away with a memorable riff and a great message. If you enjoy reggae that has a lot of style put together by talented performers, give this great collection a try.

-William
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“Native Slovak” by David Martinka (World/Instrumental artist from Michigan (MI))

 

"Native Slovak" is a flute-infused instrumental world music album from flutist extraordinaire David Martinka. With this album, Martinka digs deep into his flute repertoire and presents the listener with classic flute styles inspired by both Native Slovakian and Native American flute courting styles. Some of the sounds Martinka creates are familiar and clear, like those one would expect from an woodwind ensemble. Others are drastically different, tribal sounding, and similar in sound to the didgeridoo. The songs on "Native Slovak" are pure, powerful, and spiritual and match the emotional feeling that each song title suggests. The album is also very well recorded, so the listener doesn't miss a single note. "Rodný Slovák (Native Slovak)" opens the album with an intense Native American sound that gives the listener a feel for the entire album, created by Martinka's use of the Fujara to give much of the song that didgeridoo-esque sound. "Do videnia dievča (I will See Her Soon)" is a mellow, calming, and emotional track with a more orchestral flute sound that tells the story the song title suggests. Overall, "Native Slovak" is an impressive album that shows Martinka's talent as a flutist on a variety of different flutes. If you enjoy world-class flute playing that tells a good story, check out "Native Slovak."

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
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