A hard-hitting blend of rock, reggae and soul, “Need You to Care” by America’s Talia Keys packs a punch on all three levels, as well…
It’s Got What You Need
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
Spot-On Brazilian Symbiosis
Her skill set includes work as a producer and sound designer, but it’s the voice of Brazilian artist Cammi that matters on “Azul Neon,” rising…
Reggae Roots Planted Brazilian Style
Brazil’s homegrown reggae scene is long-established and ever-robust, with “Lua” by André Ayel a recent example of how well Jamaica’s signature sound fits with the…
Well Connected
With so many connection options available nowadays, a title like “To Connect” could have whatever meaning one chooses. But one thing’s for sure, this piece…
Getting the Party Started
New Cool Collective, a band out of Amsterdam, makes it clear that they’re in a celebratory mood with “The Party,” a funk-filled, Latin-tinged dance track.…
A Reggae Win for a Finn
One never knows where an authentic-sounding reggae track might come from nowadays. Federal Dee, whose home country is Finland, exemplifies as much with “Good Dayz,”…
Reggae Time for Bonzo
Reggae from Italy is no longer a novel thing and if what I’ve heard of it is any indication, it rings true in comparison to…
On the Spot and Spot On
Freestyling in a completely off-the-cuff, improvised manner, Caleb Hart (a Trinidadian based in Canada) displays a knack for Jamaican deejay chanting as well as wrapping…
Stepping Forward
Mexican saxophonist Gerry López gives an Afro-Cuban jazz twist to John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” taking a classic to new heights by keeping the melodic essence…
88 Keys Plus Natural Beats
Greece’s Yiorgos Bereris seasons his own expert touch on the piano with jazz drumming, Cuban and Brazilian-inspired percussion and melodic interplay to spare on “Cruza,”…