Busy-Signal
Jamaica's most versatile artist (and one of my personal favorites, as is well-documented) Busy Signal has switched lanes on us yet again with his new LP, descriptively titled Reggae Music Again. A throwback to the foundational rhythms of one drop reggae, the tracks here are clear, um, signals of both Busy's staying power and perhaps a sea-change in Jamaican music. The throwback vibes read as a manifesto of sorts, coming from the man who helped usher in both the JA rap sound of The Alliance and the Tropical Bass movement, collaborating with M.I.A. on mixtape tracks and introducing African and Brazilian rhythms to dancehall. LargeUp editor Jesse Serwer said it best:
With his frenetic, nimble chatting style and addictive hits like “Tic Toc” and “Da Style Deh,” Busy Signal has held down a steady place at the front of the dancehall pack for most of the last decade. But the versatile deejay has taken a different path with his fourth full-length album. Reggae Music Again, out today through VP Records, sees “Hott Ed”voicing a full LP’s worth of reggae rhythms produced by longtime collaborator Shane Brown.There’s nuff sunny feelgood business (see lead single “Come Over”) but really grabbing our attention are the darker-hued tunes like “Modern Day Slavery” and “119,” the latter featuring some murderous guest vocals from the one and only Joe Lickshot as well as Anthony Redrose. Sample Reggae Music Again below:
