PRESS RELEASE
(taken from www.reggae-vibes.com)
OBAMA RIDDIM
It was never a question whether it would happen, just when, only a question of who'd be the first to commercially release a complete riddim selection called the 'Obama'-riddim as Cocoa Tea already beat everyone for having a single and album entitled 'Barack Obama, Yes We Can' out on the streets. The honor goes to Toronto's Hard Drive Productions, who release excellent tunes over their soft, but (especially after spinning it more often) extremely impressive 'Obama'-riddim. And the fierce stance of the first black president of the USA seems certainly to have inspired the artists voicing the riddim as Lutan Fyah opens very convincingly with "Moving Fire" followed by Turbulence with the absolutely smashing love song "Always".
The completely unknown (at least to me) singer J Murj delivers the excellent
tribute to "Barack Obama" giving this riddim its historical name before Anthony
Q delivers one of the best sufferers/reality tunes in recent years, the complaint "Zinc Fence". Both Natty King and Gyptian deliver very compelling songs with "Roun' De Corner" and "Solution" but especially Canadian singer Blessed from Toronto with his upful "Jah Lift Me Up" and Brian, one half of the Big Yard singers duo Brian & Tony Gold with the superb prayer "El Kuluwm" deliver the
absolute standout tracks across this riddim. It is however proof of the strength of the vocals voiced over this riddim that "Stay Sweet", a beautiful love song by Ginjah and "Strictly Reggae Music" by Tony Curtis with its lyrically more banal approach don't seem out of place at all.
Another very impressive (DJ-lovers) tune comes courtesy of Portmore newcomer Dan Lou, whose "Girl" is an absolutely convincing debut deejayed lovers-slow-jam and another half duo excels as well as Devonte, one half of the very successful Tanto Metro & Devonte gives thanks and praises in the wonderful "Thank You Lord". And although he voices less currently than a year ago, Pressure Buss Pipe shows with "More Love" that he is gonna be once more a force to be reckoned with in 2009. And luckily this album includes to close it the clean "Obama Rhythm" by producers Paul 'Spoon' McLaren,
Raymond Downer & Errol 'Minimum' Graham as well. A must buy one-riddim-album and for its musical value alone, although the historical value won't hurt it either in the future I suppose.
TRACK LIST
Title: Obama Riddim
Artistes: Various
Moving Fire - Lutan Fyah
Always - Turbulence
Barack Obama - J Murj
Zinc Fence - Anthony Q
Roun' De Corner - Natty King
Solution - Gyptian
Jah Lift Me Up - Blessed
El Kuluwm - Brian Gold
Stay Sweet - Ginjah
Strictly Reggae Music - Tony Curtis
Girl - Dan Lou
Thank You Lord - Devonte
More Love - Pressure
Obama Rhythm - Paul 'Spoon' McLaren, Raymond Downer & Errol 'Minimum' Graham
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