Search - Sizzla :: I-Space

When He's On. He's ON!. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 06/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Releasing just two albums in the first half of any given year its still considered ultra busy for most artists (particularly when the artist just released one of the most commercially successful albums of their career the previous October) these days. Imagine having a responsibility to promote both albums, to tour for both, to do interviews for both and even before that; having to actually MAKE both albums. Things are different in reggae music however, and especially on the roots side. With artists such as Luciano, Turbulence, Anthony B, Jah Mason and now seemingly Lutan Fyah and Natural Black adding themselves to that mix releasing multiple albums per year with absolutely no problem and still managing to tour several times per year and record year round as well, roots reggae music is a genre of music so hungry for vibes that it seemingly demands more from its greatest champions than any other musical genre. And arguably the greatest champion of them all is not only not immune to such demands, he is in fact the undisputed leader of them. Should I take a count on how many albums he has done in the 12 years since he made his first (the now ultra hard to find, and wonderfully solid Burning Up, both covers!) , the number would hover right around (but probably over) a stacked forty eight studio albums, not to count the various greatest hits, region specifics, anthologies and mixtapes, putting his average right at around 4 or so a year (and there was a year or so in there where he had no releases as well). Sizzla's fans ostensibly have no problem pushing the money for his albums, tours and various other forms of media to which the August Town native comes to them during a given year. Should you follow through with each release and every time he comes near your town, you could probably expect to have a `Sizzla budget' of around $100US each year just to keep current! To himself he has always maintained that what happens on the release side is of virtually no concern to him and his ridiculous recording schedule has only remained so high, in an attempt to keep up with the overwhelming demands from his fans of needing something new at ALL times. Of course, Sizzla at times suffers from over-exposure and over-saturation of the market as the term `new Sizzla album' begins to become blurrier and blurrier given the fact that he often releases albums just one or two months away from each other (widely believed to be his two greatest creations to date, Black Woman & Child and Praise Ye Jah were released in 1997, just 36 days apart); `new Sizzla album' can mean any two or three albums at any time of the year.



So what is the reason such cost uncaring fans can rather zombie-like head to retailers, money in hand to pick up the latest Sizzla release(s) (myself firmly included!). In our generation, in all of music, one could rather easily make the case that no musical artist, no writer, no poet or any other wordsmith has created such wonderful pieces as Sizzla Kalonji. When he is at his best (which is a case of apparently however he feels at any given point, or the riddim on which he voices) reggae music itself, blessed with a rich history of well sharpened pens and even sharper wits has seen few as sharp as Sizzla's. The legendary Ninjaman once boasted (and probably still does) that one could wake him out of his deep slumber and he could DJ on any stage for any group of people from just the top of his head, the same could be said for Sizzla when it comes to roots music which often appears to come too easy to him (check the Black History album, and the studio half of the Words of Truth project). The result of this has drawn heavy criticism as the lyrically gifted Bobo has delved and continues to, into the dancehall side of things which includes quite often recording slack and violent tracks, and even to the point of making albums in that vibe (check the ridiculously hard to find Blaze Fire Blaze album) (and I do mean RIDICULOUSLY, Wha Dat? Records apparently was created for no other purpose than to release that album, as they have promptly proceeded to vanish from the face of the earth since). This `experimental' vibe culminated in 2003 with the release of the downright ODD Rise to the Occasion (which has since been called both rubbish and brilliant by critics). His shot at the mainstream was also quite unusual, in the form of 2006's The Overstanding as well as albums such as Soul Deep, Ain't Gonna See Us Fall, Brighter Day and Up in Fire, which all seemed somewhat stuck between the dancehall and roots, reflecting the perception of the artist himself. However, mixed in between such pieces, the most stalwart (and stubborn) of fans were treated to such undeniable gems as the MASSIVE Da Real Ting and its LIVE version, Bobo Ashanti, Royal Son of Ethiopia and just last year's bar of gold, Waterhouse Redemption. Greensleeves Records has always been a staunch supporter (and beneficiary) of Sizzla's talents as they have virtually changed the game of releasing albums for artists, releasing a Sizzla album every year since 1999 (with the brilliant Royal Son of Ethiopia beginning it all)! Perhaps only Elephant Man who had a three year continuous release streak with the label before reaching a major has had such a success with the label (were he not to have made it to a mainstream, he would seemingly be still releasing for Greensleeves who all but cleared their schedule for each Ele release) which was notorious for its horrible artist relations; having had several signed artists (neither Sizzla, nor Elephant Man have had official contracts with the label for their releases) such as Predator and Kid Kurrupt go without a release at all for years and other ones still, such as Vybz Kartel, Macka Diamond and Fantan Mojah grow impatient with the label, and in the case of former signed artists, Ward 21, just leave altogether, with Greensleeves seemingly more intent on releasing their riddim album series. However, the label has seemingly had a change for the better, and in the last year, was purchased by Zest Music.



The two questions which always precede a Sizzla release are: Who Produced it? And is it dancehall or slackness? This question is perhaps amplified on a Greensleeves release given the motley group of previous releases, however, just like last year, if you seek the good natured and roots imperial sound on which Sizzla made his name, expect to be supremely satisfied. While last year's Waterhouse Redemption was a wonderful throwback roots piece produced by the legendary Waterhouse resident, King Jammy. This year's nicely titled, I-Space, comes not so shockingly produced by album producer of the moment, Byron Murray and this one is for all those who aren't too high or don't know exactly what to think about Sizzla in the dancehall style. YOU NEED TO CHECK I-SPACE! Murray has been releasing albums for the likes of just about everyone in the roots side of reggae (and managing to stay current with the dancehall riddims as well). Just in the last year or so, Murray has produced albums full of materials for the likes of Norris man (Home & Away), Jah Mason (Wheat & Tears) Turbulence (Stronger Than Before), Lutan Fyah (You Bring Blessings) and the legendary Messenjah Luciano (Child of a King) (with apparently Natural Black still to come in August with his , it was seemingly only a matter of time for him to strike with an album for Sizzla Kalonji (now it wouldn't be too bad should he have a hand in producing the next Capleton album, that is of course, unless Calibud doesn't produce the entire thing on his own) and I-Space doesn't disappoint at all. It doesn't reach the stratosphere as such pieces as the great Black Woman & Child (my personal favorite), Praise Ye Jah or Royal Son of Ethiopia, but it fits firmly that next group of pieces such as Da Real Ting (of course some make the argument that Da Real Thing does fit into that first group, which is an argument that could be made successfully ) and Freedom Cry and Bobo Ashanti. I-Space is modern roots mastery at nearly the highest of levels.



Pushing his tenth Greensleeves album to date (Black Woman & Child was originally a Greensleeves release just 3 months shy of ten years ago) Sizzla offers I-Space, an album full of gems, some of which ascending to the heights of being able to probably fit on the BW&C album (although the brilliance that was that incorporated a sickly high level of vibes, lyrics as well as MELODIES) and not bring that album down at all. Particularly shining here are the three greatest pieces which could only help any Sizzla album ever released and ever to be released. Check the previously released brilliant Chant Dem Down. Chant Dem Down was (a rather nice local hit) a track that appeared on Greensleeves One-Drop Anthem album last year and was one of the better tracks on that forty track monster. Flowing nicely over Murray's excellent Street-Swing riddim, the track Sizzla engages in a rather odd style of flow which almost distracts from the message of the song. Take away the unusual voicing style (which seems lost somewhere between his standard chanting style and that high falsetto he pulls out when needed) and just listen to the lyrics and you have a tune in Chant Dem Down which is good enough to be one of the very best roots releases by ANYONE over the past few years, and just through my cursory initial glance over the track listing, I had it marked as possibly the biggest track here, and should you want to call it that after listening to the entire piece, I won't argue against that at all. Then you check the wonderfully vibrant Long Live the King of Kings over Murray`s older, yet still powerful re-lick of the I Shall Be Released riddim. Pushing what is easily the greatest message on the entire album, Sizzla chants a song to His Imperial Majesty so powerful that it alone, would be worth the price of admissions for I-Space. As the first verse of the tune opens, he so simply states it, `All praise to HIS Majesty, give thanks for HIS love and HIS honesty'. Long Live the King of Kings is a track which could fit into any era of roots music certainly and let the critics tell it; this is a Sizzla that is long gone, let me tell it; and this is a Sizzla who could appear at any time he so wants it to. The biggest tune here finds the arguably greatest champion of this era showing honor to the greatest champion of all-time. I-Space opens with the peak setting Really & Truly which again finds Sizzla chanting over a riddim originated by Nesta himself. Earlier this year saw the release of the nice track Blaze the Fire by Sizzla which flowed over the `Old Pirates' riddim (which would have fit excellently here as well), the riddim was a re-lick by Gaddafi of Marley's `Redemption Song riddim'. Really & Truly finds Kalonji going over probably the riddim to my favorite Marley song ever, Natural Mystic. The message of the song is another powerful praising track, and Sizzla (combined with some excellent background singers) create excellent MELODIES on the Fatta & Bulby York re-lick. My favorite artist over the backing riddim for one of my favorite songs of all time, yeah I'm partial, but really, how could it go wrong! Really & Truly has proven to be a large local hit and is a MASSIVE track.



The balance of I-Space is still top notch material and finds him going on a STRICTLY ROOTICAL vibes. Check Jah Protect My Life very powerful track over one of Murray's stronger riddims (which is saying a lot, his stable of roots tracks are amongst the most powerful in all of current modern roots) the Devil's Pickney riddim. I'm loving now the two tracks near the middle of the album which find Murray refashioning some older vibes for Kalonji. Check both Show Some Love and the lovely Talk About, both two of the stronger tracks on the album which change up the vibes just a little bit, but don't change them to the point where you're left wondering exactly what happened, but just enough to give I-Space a nice balance (think Princess Black from Black Woman & Child style changeup). Sizzla has his run of pretty much all the nice In the Streetz riddims as well, check the very nice Stop the Violence over the Mo Bay riddim, very very minimalist production (which is generally Murray's style); Make Me Yours flows very nice over the Girls Like Dirt riddim originally a Coxsone Dodd piece I believe (Murray did an excellent new school impersonation of Studio One however, if its not), and Make Me Yours is probably the most powerful lover's track on the album. Have to mention the very powerful Be Careful with the nice warning to all to live righteously and (that nice nyah drum opening!) just an all around powerful vibes. LOVE the drumming on the foundation track Nothing But Love! The album ends with the nice acoustic set Put the People Interest First which ends rather poignantly with Sizzla rather matter of factly saying, `Who Jah Bless, no man curse': An excellent way to end one the midway choices for album of the year (which at this point, in my opinion is a three way `battle' between I-Space, Ras Shiloh's Coming Home and Tony Rebel's MASSIVE I-Rebel).



Overall, although he has gone six months with just two albums (more like one and a half because the mess that was Penitentiary's Children of Jah) apparently nothing is wrong with Kalonji s I-Space finds him in just about as good as condition as one could hope. I'm super saturated on this one in bias because Sizzla is my favorite artist, but even if you don't rate him so highly, I-Space is to be recommended to you as a very very strong roots piece. The year is just half over and most likely he'll make yet another appearance (Cousin's Records seems a likely choice as they have to date released albums by old Xterminator heads such as Turbulence and Luciano with Chezidek releasing his very strong Firm Up Yourself in just 3 weeks, so unless they plan to do a Prince Malachi piece (which isn't a bad idea) or give Congo Jesse his long overdue sophomore set (TOO overdue at this point) or go turn up every stone inna Kingston to find (Roaring) Lion or Shadowman, then they're running out of Xterminator alum, having already released Lutan Fyah, Xterminator's most recent occupant) but it'll be a mighty big feat overcoming I-Space, one of his best in a while."

Solid as a rock!

Kishman Spence | North York, Ontario Canada | 07/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, so I'm not as prolific as collecting Sizzla's album as he is at making them. But with a dozen or so and counting I consider myself a real fan of the authentic roots Sizzla. In one word, I-Space is SOLID. It easily ranks into my top five Sizzla albums, loaded with lots of nice rootsy ballads. On a album nicely balanced with SOLID tracks "Really and Truly", "Make Me Yours", "Chant Dem Down" stand out as some of the more potent. For all the real roots Sizzla fan, this is definitely one for your collection! Great job Miguel!"