Celt Islam : Dervish { Album Review }

by Ranking John

From Celt Islam comes this unique fusion of electro, Arabic, dub and dance rhythms. There is a combination of middle-eastern, roots and psychedelic influence throughout this intriguing selection of tracks, with a recurring tabla sound running through the rhythms. The album opens with Halaqa, slow steady ambient dub with some dance-based synth in the background. An Eastern-tinged reggae inspiration is up-front on tracks like Resonate and Revolution Inside Me (the latter featuring Polish band Masala) while the reggae feel of Justice (featuring Danman) is given a darker tone by the electronic wash of sounds in the background. After a slow build-up, Bloodstain resolves itself into a credible dance track, while drum-and-bass is the driving musical form in the closing track Accelerator. The drum-and-bass of Illumination is a little different, with its deeper layers of electronic sound back in the mix. Meanwhile, Haq Ui Yaqin takes us closer to contemporary dubstep. The album brings together styles and sounds in a way that, despite the assertive titles of most of the tracks, is remarkably relaxed in its overall feel.

Celt Islam (Muhammad Abdullah Hamzah), from the North West of England, is a convert to Islam and, specifically, to Sufism – as reflected in the album's title. The chosen name Celt Islam itself signifies this cultural mix, a blend of influences and sounds brought together on this album. The music here reflects an underlying mysticism and tranquility alongside some strong bass-driven dub and dance breaks: quite a combination. For anyone interested in enjoying music that transcends the arbitrary boundaries between roots, electro and dance this is essential listening.

Release: 16th October 2009 on Urban Sedated Records

Reviewed by Rankin John for reggaemusic.org.uk

Mathew Tembo and the Dark Black - Anthem Album Review

From Urban Sedated records comes his album by Zambia's leading reggae artist, Mathew Tembo. Since releasing his debut album in 2000, Mathew Tembo has built up a reputation in mainstream reggae, but has latterly turned his attentions to indigenous Zambian music. This new album is the celebratory sound of the traditional marimba together with electric instruments, brass and keyboards. Recorded in Lusaka, the dominant instrument is the silimba, a wooden marimba struck by mallets to produce the sounds which then use resonators (in this case, calabashes) to amplify the music acoustically. Add to this a characteristic ascending and descending southern African guitar style, call and response vocals and an assertive electric bass holding the rhythm together and you'll have some idea of what to expect.

The album opens with Seven Hours and its repeated marimba phrase and bass line. Then it's into Ndiyanda Chikolo (I Want to Go to School) where the brass section makes an appearance, taken further on Kakulya Alimange (Eating with your Hands) with its unorthodox vocal harmonies. The only song that could be described as in a reggae style is Kufuma Kujombo and an outstanding track it is too: a vocal hinting at the strength of a master reggae singer in the classic tradition, a love song expressing its sentiments ‘from my boots to my brain'. The opening chords and arrangement of Koleta Tulo (She Puts Me to Sleep) suggest the wider rock influence while Ndatopa Nazo (I'm Tired) is a good old fashioned misunderstood relationship song (guest vocals from Noreen and Cactus) with the addition of marimba, acoustic guitar and keyboard instrumental breaks in between the vocals. It's back to the repeated marimba phrasing in Muli Nkalamu (There's a Lion), adapted from a traditional song, its strong bass and drum pattern providing a framework for the vocals and their metaphor of the lion as embodiment of world problems. The song is reprised as the final track on the album, this time with evocative poetic words in English, providing a powerful close to the album.

The themes of Anthem are those of everyday life, matched with a vital and optimistic sound. It is not for the most part reggae but it is, as Mathew Tembo intones on the opening track, strictly roots. This joyful album deserves to be widely heard.

Review by Rankin John www.reggaemusic.org.uk

Global Reggae selection Vol 1 {Review}

With the traditional music industry in disarray (as the big labels brazenly recycle their back catalogues to pay off their debts) we're seeing something of a resurgence in the reggae underground. Compilations from labels of a leftfield bent or unusual remit appear to be on the rise, gathering together diverse ranges of artists the listening public would otherwise be unlikely to hear.

Urban Sedated records are a small outfit based in Dartford in Kent with a truly international and expansive vision. Global Reggae Selection Volume 1 celebrates what the label calls "a new genre of reggae music that incorporates elements of hip hop dub and world music", featuring vocalists and recordings from all over the earth. In the spirit of global cooperation, 50% of profits from the cd go directly to the artists themselves.

Though the rhythms used may be instantly familiar, the abundance of influences, languages, deliveries and styles is anything but. Senegalese deejay Elhadji praises the prophet Mohammed amidst lion roar FX over the real rock rhythm; The Angolan Prince Wadada showcases his Bounty Killa like delivery while riding a sparse digibass cut to Heavenless. Europe is represented by Slovenia's King B Fine (with a brisk happy jaunt entitled Picture On The Wall), the UK's Solo Banton (also a member of the Reality Shock crew) and Serbia's FC Apatride Utd, whose strict and stringent views on how their miserabilist anti-dancing brand of roots be played are testimony to how global and individual the notion of reggae has become. The USA's contribution is Reason & Prezident Brown with their synth dub meets hip hop beats ode to Mother Earth, Her Beauty. Australia gives us Babylon Mixed Business by King Tide, who (with producers Martin White and Tony Hughes) have a Mungo's Hi Fi like touch when mixing the different eras of Jamaican music. And whilst no Jamaican artists are included, Mistry Babylon by Trinidad's I Ancient bears the standard for the Caribbean with one of the strongest offerings on the disc.

What's heartening about the Global Reggae concept is that it makes no attempt to play up to the false authenticity of the "world" music market. The arrangements are often bright, upbeat and fuse acoustic elements like hand drums with unashamedly digital keyboard sounds. The idea of "global reggae" could easily have been married to a nebulous "one love" roots-only philosophy yet dancehall influences are also given plenty of airing. This fits neatly with the Urban Sedated theory (as expounded upon in the sleeve notes) that all bass heavy rhythmic styles have united as one in the new millennium, but is also symptomatic of a refreshing desire to show the music as it is and not as foreign audiences prefer.

Whether Global Reggae is one genre or many, whether there is common ground between all its exponents, and whether the globalisation of reggae is a good thing - all these questions are up for debate. What is surely beyond doubt is that compilations like this keep the discussion going, opening our minds to the latest developments of an art form that respects no boundaries as it travels from country to country and from ear to ear.


Reviewed by Angus Taylor

See the full review at reggaenews.co.uk

Fc Apatride Utd - Rural 12" { Review)

Serbian Marxist rebels FC Apatride Utd have released a new 12” on UK based label Urban Sedated Records. The band deny a split with previous label Makasound, who put out their albums On The Frontline Menu and Them, simply wishing to safeguard their underground credentials.

“We decided to keep our independence and offer our material to whom we like,” said singer Abdelraheem Kheirawi. “Urban Sedated records contacted us over myspace a few months ago. They said they were fans and wanted to release something by FC so we happily agreed to it for the very fact that they were open and straight forward...also the UK is our weak spot since we are admirers of UK roots from the seventies...”

Rural Lovin' is the first of three 12-inch releases planned by the philosophically rigorous, politicised Muslim collective – all of them outtakes from the sessions for their upcoming third album. In a statement to United Reggae Kheirawi appraised the material thusly:

“We don't consider them good enough to be on the third album but good enough to be released...thanks to all the crap reggae scene feeds us with these days which makes my heart bleed.”

FC Apatride Utd frown on dancing and the smoking of ganja at their shows and these two factors have an audible effect on the music, which lopes to a lilting phlegmatic beat that seems on the verge of dropping out of time. Unusually, the multi-layered guitar work (in the style of Misty In Roots or Capital Letters) takes precedence over the bass, whose tone is thinner and less woolly than in traditional reggae. A side Rural represents a definite progression in their song writing. It has a catchy call-and-response three-part harmony vocal based on assonant vowel sounds that captures the spirit of the more sombre end of the seventies roots spectrum, and an interesting bridge that switches the song temporarily from swing to straight time. Lovin' maintains a tad more of the bluesy mainstream rock flavour found on Them.

Coming from the hard leftfield of the Euro reggae scene Rural Lovin is out now on Urban Sedated Records

See the full review at United Reggae

Global Reggae Selection vol1 - Album Review

Urban Sedated Records, a UK based record label promoting Reggae and Roots influenced music from around the world, have released a compilation set entitled "Global Reggae Selection Vol. 1". The latter features fourteen tracks contributed by (except for Prezident Brown and perhaps also FC Apatride Utd) unknown Reggae artists from -- as the title clearly indicates -- all over the globe. Unlike most record labels, Urban Sedated Records is dedicated to fair trade as it operates an equal exchange policy, giving the artist 50% of the sales, directly opposed to the 7-12% from a standard record contract. The artists retain the copyright of their music (Authors rights) and enter into a non-exclusive agreement allowing the label to promote and sell their music. Without doubt a very praiseworthy policy, in particular for those artists who can hardly make a living from their record sales and are struggling for recognition.

"Global Reggae Selection Vol. 1" is a thoroughly enjoyable album, filled with heavy basslines, concious lyrics and appealing riddims. It perfectly combines elements of Modern Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dub, Dancehall and World Music pulled together by a heavy Roots vibe. Kicking off with the "Real Rock" riddim -- including a nice Djembe intro -- for "Baay Faal" by Senegalese deejay Elhadji, the listener is treated to quite a few solid efforts including the joyful "Picture On The Wall" by Slovenia's King B Fine, the awesome "Babylon Mixed Business" by Australia's King Tide, the dark sounding heavy political roots of "War Party" by Serbia's FC Apatride Utd, the great "Mistry Babylon" by Trinidad's I Ancient, and "Aya Way" by the Angolan Prince Wadada, who delivers his lyrics over a relick of the classic "Heavenless" riddim.

Besides music "Global Reggae Selection Vol 1" includes real nice original artwork by AndreasOne and a 12 page booklet chronicling the history of Reggae to the present day. Definitely an interesting release for those with an open ear and mind for Reggae coming from the four corners of the world and everything in between.

See te full review at reggae-vibes.com