“When Will We Learn?” is the well-worth-answering question posed by the U.K.’s Frenchie King. He does so in a classic roots reggae style, ever an…
Frenchie King’s Enticing Classic Roots Reggae
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
Laid Back Storytelling by Kyle C’Ettore
On “Storyteller,” U.S. artist Kyle C’Ettore sounds every bit like he’s got a musical tale to share. He does so with grandly acoustic backup (including…
Idiosyncratic Latin Sounds by Danish Percussionist Benita Haastrup
“Boogaloo For Bees” has not only a nice literal and figurative buzz to it, but also a quirky cool Latin feel courtesy of a band…
Ukulele MJ ‘s Optimistic Uke Sounds
The Netherlands’ Ukulele MJ skillfully demonstrates the emotive range of her chosen instrument with “Lost World,” a grand mosaic of strummed and picked sounds that…
The Bolokos, High energy Gwo Ka from Guadeloupe
A mix of punk rock and Guadeloupean gwo ka? I’m game. The Bolokos, a hard-hitting trio from Guadeloupe, achieve that blend with “Koute Pou Tann,”…
Chinese Reggae Discovery
I know precious little about the reggae scene in China as a whole and even less so about how it stands in the remote province…
Remarkable Reggae by Babylon North
Some surprisingly authentic roots reggae has come my way from the unlikely locale of Sweden over the years, and the latest example of such is…
Splendid Middle Eastern Fusion by Mixed World Ensemble
Israeli Guitarist Guy Gottesfeld and the aptly-named Mixed World Ensemble shine brilliantly on “Origins,” an exquisitely layered piece with Middle Eastern inflections, hypnotic wordless vocals…
Yeisy Rojas presents Sizzling Afro-Cuban Rhythms
Yeisy Rojas, a Cuban who relocated to Norway to earn a master’s degree in jazz violin, teaches a potent lesson of cultural respect with her…
Train to Roots Appeal for Peace
“Paxi (LKJ)” by Italian reggae band Train to Roots effectively cops the riddim and melody from dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson’s “Bass Culture” and turns…