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Skyfiya by The Uprising Roots
Skyfiya by The Uprising Roots
The debut from The Uprising Roots brings polished skills and vibes sure to please any fan of modern Roots Reggae.
Sampler
The concept of a full functioning, single unit Reggae band is one which has largely become lost within the current landscape of Jamaican Reggae. When normally the concept of a 'band' is thrown around, it is done so meaning a group of players of instruments and a lead singer, but in Jamaican Reggae, 'band' more often means something else - A group of players of instruments who unite under one name to back a variety of lead singers at any given time.
With that being the case, perhaps the mere existence, alone, of a group like the Uprising Roots is a big deal, even before you get to the fact that their music is absolutely divine. Fronted by Rashaun 'Black Kush' McAnuff who plays the drums and sings and is the son of reigning Reggae music royalty, Winston McAnuff, the URB is full of very skilled musicians who have come together not only as a backing unit for other vocalists, but as a BAND which makes and supports their own music which they've now released through Tru Musik Records in the complete and beautiful form of a brand new album, 'Skyfiya'.
The title track and first single attracted quite a bit of attention and served as a powerful example of the band's capabilities in several ways. Be it the superb craftsmanship and pure skill displayed on the tune (which has certainly lead many to not notice the fact that the scintillating tune has virtually no lyrics) or just the 'star quality' of it, the tune made a huge impression on fans across the globe who don't figure, at all, to be disappointed by what lies on the album behind that big song.
What is there? Check the organically powerful opener, King Rastafari, which comes in with such a heavy sound that tune, even before the message is clocked in, simply sounds important and the listener comes away with a sense that a great bit of attention was paid to detail on this selection and the album which follows it. That same level of fastidious planning is evident on the sublime Blessings, as well as other large efforts on 'Skyfiya', particularly on songs such as Marcus Garvey, Most Royal (a mighty tune in tribute to the great Afrikan women of the world). Listeners are also sure to react to the most interesting herbalist set, Steamers, which not only presents itself as what it is, but does so in a very clever and 'family-oriented' style, as well as the flaming 'Krash Like Lightening' which puts purveyors of wickedness on alert that their end soon come.
Still, the most interesting twist of the album seems to come within the title itself, both of the album and the group. The Uprising Roots, through the songs, Skyfiya, Brightest Light, Shinin' So Bright and Brighter Days pay a great tribute to the fire in the sky - The Sun - and their idea of its power in the world and how mankind should also seek to take hold of this strength. As is said on Brightest Light:
"The brightest light
Shines from within
The brightest light
Shines from the East
Rise from the East"
Prescribing, of course, the power and traits of the sun to the ability of man which is not only a very refreshing take on the whole 'fyah bun' rhetoric which has been so prevalent within Reggae for the past decade and a half or so, but is also a very poignant sentiment on its own merits.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that the URB does a bit of straight forward poetry, in a very Spoken Word style, which definitely adds another interesting dimension to their vibes and, perhaps it goes without saying, but the music here is top notch and virtually without flaw throughout. This album would also look quite well completely sans vocals.
'Skyfiya' is one of the biggest releases in what is still a very young year, but it's going to be hard to imagine such an excellent crafted and carried out set 'falling off' in the next nine months. Just as the Uprising Roots, themselves, their debut album seems to have the potential to mark a changing of the times as the Reggae band has returned to Jamaica. Well done.
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Read comments (2)
| Posted by Kuda Kwashe on 05.05.2011 | |
| Height of praises for the sounds they produce. It has not been often in recent times where you find a band who's live performances are spiritually charged. More importantly this energy is translated to recording without fail. This album is very well recorded and mixed, the vocals of lead singer and drummer Kush can only be described as rootical as his dynamic within the recordings are much like many who came before i.e. Burning Spear. Point is Uprising Roots is an authentic sound with no compromise on the mission and message. "The brightest light shines from within" Brightes Light, Uprising Roots RASTAFARI |
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| Posted by MaMa G on 06.16.2011 | |
| Ites that great men rise and kept , was not attain through sudden flight but Up-r -I - Sing Roots Band while others slept, keep on building , SEEN!!! IONITES...MacaNUFF !!! nuff love...keep on...I sight Glory forward forward iver inna iration ites up or I sing......... Dego duma!!! Akin "sankofa" !!! Blak kush, money green, omi!!! Pot a rice bassie!!! Jr. congo bongo!!! Fya ishel!!! love for iver | |
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