Brain Damage – “Walk The Walk”

bd_wtwAfter a genious album made by Brain Damage together with Vibronics it’s time for the next one. At the first look I’ve been scared by the number of vocalists (recorded in legendary Harry J studio in Jamaica by the way!), that was to appear on the riddims made by Martin. The first couple of minutes unveiled that my concerns were unnecessary and the step in the direction of more classic, roots music was a very good one – although I missed that recognizable, dark climate a bit. Any doubts were resolved by turning up the volume to the full, this is when my mental journey to Jamaica in the French dub style began. At the very beginning my senses got appeased by a great mystic Nyabinghi Ras Michael in an original roots&culture style, the second one is legendary Kiddus I who fits the rhythm brilliantly and makes me want to sing his refrain “Yes me Vamp Dem” alongside him on a track with a heavyweight bassline. Another artist that managed to ride a hard Brain Damage rhythm is Winston Mc Anuff, who pleases your senses like a vintage year Bordeux, similarly to Horace Andy in “Mama Words”, who shows all of his vocal assets on top of music supplemented by Mid-East influences and a lot of effects. We are getting to the entrée – Willi Williams who is proud of the young like the French are proud of their wine and this is just an appetizer as “Fyah bun” warms up like a good brandy. Then, the legendary Horace Andy gets back on a rhythm co-produced by Harry J with sounds of birds and amazing reverbs in the background. It’s a very joyful moment of the journey and we get to swing to the rhythm of the “Birthday song” alongside Winston, move to the dessert with Kiddus I and finish the album with one and only Ras Michael presenting what real dub poetry is.

On the album we can find the essence of dub – mainly for those who love roots singers, but don’t understand modern dub very well; but also for those who don’t know roots music and are able to get into its mysticism thanks to Brain Damage approach. A strong album-of-the-year candidate!

Links:

Home