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Vybz Kartel – Kingston Story: Deluxe Edition album review

Kingston Story proves that Vybz Kartel is much more than controversy. From the skin-bleaching scandal that shocked those across the music world to his conviction for murder that garnered international attention, with the release of Story months before his incarceration, solidified Kartel as not only a force in Dancehall but in contemporary music as well. The album, while still following in the traditional steps of island music, was given a contemporary, hip-hop feel being brought together by Brooklyn-based producer Dre Skull. This along with a wider array of content made this one to remember in the genre.

The ode to country track ‘Jamaica’ is a fitting beginning to the album; getting you into the mood of the overall work and directing your attention to all the rhythms in the track. For me, the track ‘My Crew’ was possibly the most fun on the album-while gritty in the sense of contemporary Hip-Hop, it still served up the traditional dancehall rhythm that made me want to get up and move. However, the icing on the cake would be the mid-tempo, ‘dutty-wine’ spectacular known as ‘Half on a Baby’. The song packs a catchy punch in it explicit hook, but still somehow contains the exotic, sultriness of its R. Kelly, R&B cousin.

Story does a magnificent job of branching out into the unfamiliar while sticking to its roots; something I feel a lot of Reggae/Dancehall artist struggle with when trying to break into a new audience. The album is unique in this sense and makes it perfect for creating that much needed break in the party or a change up to your typical road trip play list. Not being your typical dancehall, Kingston Story will serve as an excellent final work of a great artist.

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Samsonation – Restless Dreams album review

To say this album is very dreamy would be both a pun and an understatement. Released in July, Restless Dreams borders on the lines of Soft Rock, is steeped in Electronica, and manages to put you to sleep – in the pleasant means of course. Still with all of those positives, for me, the album failed to deliver. In both of my listens, be they closely or through the midst of background noise, the music failed to capture my attention.

Some can argue that if one is not accustomed to listening to this particular style of music that they would not know the first thing to look for. However, in giving the entire album an uninterrupted listen, nothing stood out to me in the terms of mind blowing or “new and exciting”. The album did and excellent job of pulling the dreamscape concept together in both production and track placement itself and with tracks like ‘Wild World’ and ‘FallingCity’, Restless Dreams received a slight jolt of life that kept me somewhat interested. The basic duty of an album is to ebb and flow, find its climax, and gently come down to its wondrous finish. Here that job was completed almost effortlessly which, for the listener, begs the question, “How did I get lost?”

In all honesty, Restless Dreams play wonderfully as your sounds that  get you to sleep or the filler for the shuffle on your iPod play list. And to be fair, this album is a excellent artistic endeavor that serves as a shinning testimony to conceptual music making. However, if its focus had married captivating entertainment with the high drama of concept, I would have possibly been more enthusiastic about my listens. I would suggest this album to anyone who is curious about the genre but not yet ready to dive in headfirst.

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Drums of Death – Blue Waves album review

Immediately intrigued, I turned the volume to louder levels and let the music move over my body. I let every track replay in a loop, almost in a hypnotic trance by mixture of unique sounds and beats.

Born Colin Bailey, Drums of Death, gathers an acute blend of techno, old school, house, punk rock and electronica to create his own distinct sound that has made him a staple in the British club scene. Since his debut in 2005 with Love Songs & Rave Horns he has come into his own, making a signature sound in the midst of a highly conceptual genre. However, it is with his new release Blue Waves, that Bailey has merged both his own musicality and gave a nod to the gimmick nature of contemporary electronica.

Completing a series started in early 2011 with Black Waves and Red Waves, this five track album brings the series to a beautiful close. While undulating melodies married perfectly with the pounding bass on songs like ‘Wave City’ that create the sound that is standard of the genre, it is tracks like ‘Let No Shadow Fall Upon You’ and ‘Transistor Rhythm’ that shows his ability to pick out the subtle nuances of samples and fitting drops almost at perfect timing. This also causes for an even flow to the complete work, allowing no skips and leaving the listener to decide whether to bask in its complex simplicity or move to its driving, forceful rhythms.

While Blue Waves is not typically an album I would pick up as I’m pursuing the local record store, it rightfully deserves a listen. It serves as a wonderful testament to the growth and musicianship of Electro-club music as it moves forward with a new audience with bigger expectations. Plus, it serves as excellent background music for your weekends around the house or it can serve as the soundtrack for a potential weekend to remember.