Search - Show Love Riddim :: Show Love Riddim

Showing Love WORLDWIDE. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 06/22/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've always maintained that if someone, somehow and someway managed to get to the planet Mars and drop a boom riddim, that I would then, somehow and someway find a way to track it down. While I have to admit the globalization does tend to make things a bit more `complicated' tracking things down (especially here in the Caribbean) which are produced abroad, the rewards for doing almost always outweigh the troubles. Within the last couple of years I virtually learned the French and Creole languages just to be able to fully enjoy the ridiculous cache vibes emanating from France and the French West Indies. And these days, I'm slowly but surely catching up on the local scene picking up on artists from St. Maarten and the extended Netherlands Antilles (biggup Ambassador Junior Lion, wicked artist from the French side), which means my Dutch is being sharpened as well (Suriname, big big reggae country). And while I may be the exception for the moment, I don't think the day is too far away when, because of the true STRENGTH of the vibes, reggae heads will have to become multilingual across the board just to really take everything in. All the while I've been doing my island hopping, a far more familiar territory has been burgeoning as well as it has become all but impossible to ignore what is going on in the States' reggae scene and particularly that on the west coast of the country. My first real experience with the vibes came through a label (still functioning and with current 2008 releases as well) by the name of Lustre Kings Productions (most notably, last year, they released the solid Midnite album, Infinite Quality) who definitely caught my eye with a wicked compilation by the name of Culture Dem featuring many of Jamaica's finest artists (including Sizzla, Capleton, Luciano, Anthony B, Jah Mason, Lutan Fyah etc.). A subsequent Vol. 2 of Culture Dem, a big mixtape (Calling All Jah Children), and album releases from Lutan Fyah (Time & Place) and Turbulence (The Future, through JetStar) not only really pushed the label to near the top of my favourite production houses (where it still remains today) anywhere, it also opened the flood (at least to me, and probably literally), to other such labels such as Zion High (which I believe is in the state of Florida), Royal Inity Records (big Ras Attitude release, Royal Lionage), Greensphere Records (several BIG BIG recent releases), Irie Sounds, I Dwell Records (released the last Al Pancho album, My Story) and now, Itation Records. All these labels, interestingly enough, have rather easily managed to attract some of the BIGGEST of big name reggae artists from all over the Caribbean (and the entire world for that matter).



Speaking of some of the BIGGEST names in reggae, that is ultimately (at least in part) what brought me to sight up Itation Records even more so than most of the other California based labels. You can't very well release a riddim with the likes of the expected names such as Sizzla and Jah Mason, but then back them up with the HIGHLY unexpected faces of Freddie McGregor, Wayne Wonder and even the Flames crew, Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica. On a riddim (I THINK) produced by Cruzan reggae wizard Batch and he himself voices the tune as well! Which is exactly what Itation did late 2007/early 2008 with its (to my knowledge) first set, the very nice Higher Meditation riddim (they even had the First Lady of the Ship, Shema on the riddim, a truly diverse landscape of artists). The riddim itself, was top notch, a very smooth and simple, yet LUSH roots riddim which really caught on. It attracted so much attention that I can actually recall hearing the riddim on local radio once or twice and I rarely pay attention to the radio at all (because they seem to love the absolute WORST riddims you'll ever hear and KEEP them on medley style spins constantly). Any riddim boasting such credentials is definitely something to keep and eye on and because I've long had both of my eyes on Batch (and the riddim is another notch in the belt of one of the most talented rootsmen on the planet altogether) and the riddim doesn't OFFICIALLY go to the credit of his own Sound V.I.Zion label, Itation definitely crept onto my radars full fledged. While the label will undoubtedly have a way to go to reach the heights of Lustre Kings (FOR ME PERSONALLY), it has definitely gotten off to a good start and I'll be watching for subsequent releases. Meet subsequent release #1, the very subtly beautiful (and aptly titled) Show Love Riddim. The riddim itself is actually produced by Zion High Productions (who you remember for having done the very MATURE Holding Firm album for Ras Attitude) and mixed by Dread Lion (who I believe is the head of Itation Records) and as it reaches its album form, is even more packed than the well stuffed Higher Meditation's eighteen tracks, `besting' its elder by one track. The lineup for the Show Love at first glance, is just mad! While gone are the rather `random' (but VERY impressive) names on the Higher Meditation such as McGregor and Rebel (both of whom record selectively these days yet tour constantly), they are replaced by more modern TOP NOTCH talents. Really, if you look at some of the names on the Show Love, it is the type of roster generally reserved for the likes of Bobby Digital, Xterminator, Don Corleone, Arif Cooper, No Doubt or some of the other larger labels on the island. The Show Love also avails itself to some of the top talents from the Virgin Islands as well, which is something you wouldn't find on the top Jamaican labels and as it would make since if there was an influx of local reggae labels in California, that there would be a steady stream of quality artists ready to voice. The Show Love riddim shows this definitely showing some of the top State born California roots talents (several of whom I've never heard of and I love hearing new talent) and displaying them alongside the Jamaican and VI veterans and up and coming artists. At thee end of the day the Show Love riddim `shows' itself to be VERY strong and its album definitely an interesting trip through reggae-California for me.



The Show Love riddim itself is a very nice piece. If you really take a listen to the clean version (which is thankfully included on the album as the final track) you can really see how subtle the track is. Notice all the sounds, ESPECIALLY the nyah drum which is just a nice touch and really gives a bigger vibe to the riddim. Taking the first shot at actually riding the Show Love vocally is a combination of veteran Jamaican cultural DJ Prezident Brown alongside Californian artist Jah Sun (who I believe actually co-produces the Show Love) with the title track. I have actually heard Jah Sun previously due to the MASSIVE combination he pulled off for his album, The (decent) Height of Light, No Bones, No Blood alongside wicked wicked chanters Lutan Fyah and Ras Attitude. Prezident and Jah Sun really get things off to a very nice start. The tune doesn't actually go anywhere which you might not expect, as it encourages to simply give thanks and show love (really something we SHOULD know already) (just have a hard time showing it at times), but the tune is well solid and really has one of the most memorable choruses on the riddim altogether. Up next is one of the real highlights on any riddim on which he appears, big baritone roots singer from out of St. Thomas (Jamaica) Natty King (currently playing on my tables with the WICKED Slew Dem In de Open on the Ilove Riddim), with the well powerful Let Them Live. As he says in the tune's punch line, "Leave Jah children and let them live", King really pushes a big and heavy message to the masses. You won't really find something obtrusively spectacular on most of Natty King's tunes , but his power comes through in tunes like Let Them Live which borders on VERY SIMPLE brilliance. Closing the opening is the first VI representative (you cover all corners on the opening tracks, first California, then Jamaica and then the Virgin Islands), St. Thomas resident (by way of Dominica) the typically WICKED Niyorah from the Star Lion Family with Biggest Thugs. To be perfectly honest, the tune took QUITE AWHILE to grow on me (and it still is) and I don't consider it to be amongst the artists' absolute strongest material that I've heard, but its much more of a message that he is obviously trying to get across for all to be careful of not confusing those who enforce the ways of the system. It isn't always the most pleasing thing to the ears, however, and it is almost always Niyorah's style to give BOTH, pleasing music and big big knowledge in his tunes.



Were you to continue just going through the tracks sequentially (and I will for at least a moment) the next two tracks on the Show Love riddim album are definitely my favourite two tracks on the riddim altogether. I don't know exactly whose idea it was to place Norrisman alongside Pressure Busspipe on a tune here, but whoever he/she is, is an absolute Genius! I had been one of the most vocal detractors of Norrisman as of late with several recent tunes (and a complete album for that matter) just not reaching anywhere near the normally wicked Trenchtown chanter's standards, but his combination with St. Thomas native Pressure is the strongest piece here! When Your Time Is Up is an apocalyptic warning to the masses carrying a HUGE HUGE vibes! At his best, Norrisman can make such tunes almost at will (check We Are the Creators on the Home & Away album) and for his part, Pressure more than holds his own on a tune reminding all to live righteously as those who don't will surely pay for their actions, When their time is up. BIG BIG TUNE (and I've just been told it is to be a part of the looooooooooong overdue Lustre Kings release from Norrisman, definitely looking forward to that)! Lutan Fyah checks in next with the second strongest piece here the BEAUTIFUL Trodding Alone. At this point listening to Fyah is like going to class daily the Spanish Town native chanter just drops so much knowledge in every verse! Trodding Alone is no different at all as he reminds all that even though you are out there alone, "The Most High see us through!". Another big tune. Batch comes back for Itation, this time as a vocal artist alone with his very impressive Righteously Starving. Batch is another artist who you really need to pay a keen attention to as he pushes so much knowledge in his music. On his tune I almost had gotten lost in the words, it could have been an accapella, just LISTEN and you'll catch a big heavy vibes. This time around Batch brings his good friend and protégé Ras Attitude (who was surprisingly absent from the Higher Meditation) for his go at the Show Love, Only Jah Knows. Again, I don't think the tune is even close to his best material (and if you haven't been vibing Attitude recently he has really set the bar SO HIGH for himself), but it works here just a bit. Who scores more than `just a bit' however is the only solo female artist on the riddim (biggup Fiona for her combination with Delly Ranks which could have been THE big lovers track for the riddim, but Fiona far outshines the annoyingly over-animated Delly there) Cruzan Lady Passion with her wicked I Am Blessed. Lady Passion is ever so quietly one of the most creative and impressive artists on the VI scene altogether. I Am Blessed is a tune which reinforces that as she employs several different styles (including one in a pure DJ style which appears to be a COMPLETE freestyle, very impressive) to a wonderful effect. Of all the various unknowns to me on the Show Love DEFINITELY the most impressive is Ishi Dube (WHO!) on Blessed Be alongside Jah Dan who I know from various Lustre Kings and Project Groundation productions (he was actually on the first Culture Dem if I recall correctly). Ishi Dube REALLY compliments Dan to a nice vibes on the tune and I'll be looking out for the artist in the future. Also well worth mentioning is Bermy Troy Anthony on his Oh Mama. Anthony I believe is a very new artist, however he has a very nice old school style of vibes in his singjay style which is a wonderful key to have as it separates him from the pack on his obligatory Mama tune for the riddim (and I guess I'll have to keep paying attention to Bermuda after Collie Buddz and now Troy Anthony, who was also on the Higher Meditation). Speaking of obligatory, closing the album (before the aforementioned clean riddim version) is Ras Indio from out of Belize. I've actually heard quite a bit about Indio (largely due to a big combination with Lutan Fyah, name Digital) and he's made a bit of progress in Jamaica. Indio is definitely a RAW talent which I'd like to see develop a bit more, but tunes like Healing of the Nation definitely help that cause as its very solid and probably a better effort on the subject then anyone could have wanted on the album (that is, unless they turned Batch loose on such a tune, as he has proven to craft BRILLIANT herbalist anthems almost at will). And I have to mention Army's well solid Turn Up the Heat which missed his recent impressive long player, Zion Soldiers Chant, but you can hear it here.



Overall, I don't want to paint the picture that everything is on the upside here. Notice I didn't mention bigger names such as Gyptian, Al Pancho and Binghi Ghost (alongside Luv Fyah) because I think they all miss the mark on their offerings. And the riddim is sans a big dominant lover's tune which it could have so easily supported. BUT such a STRONG riddim is just about a can't miss and even in the case of the tunes from the likes of Ras Matthew, Rocker T and ESPECIALLY the potentially wicked Ishi Dube, this is the type of riddim which gets their names out there even further to the masses (and people like me start talking about them, thus, people like you start reading about them) and really gives them an opportunity to develop as well. Big respect goes to Itation records and all the people behind the scenes on the Show Love for comprising such an eclectic group of artists to voice such a nice riddim and really doing EVERYTHING for it one could ask. As a new label, two releases deep, perhaps that is something which could become a staple of the label in that they offer such a wide variety of artists on their pieces and being in the reggae rich part of the world they are, they certainly have that opportunity. I recommend the Show Love riddim album to new and older fans of modern roots reggae music alike as it really PACKS a great deal of heavy vibes, very soothing and uplifting to the spirit. . . AND YOU JUST NEED TO HEAR WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP!









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