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In Transit by Ziggi

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In Transit by Ziggi

In Transit by Ziggi

By Angus Taylor on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - Comment

The Netherlands own reggae sensation returns with a new album on Greensleeves and Rock N Vibes.

Sampler

It is a testimony to reggae’s status as the most widely enjoyed music in the world that every country now has its own star. Ricardo Blijden (AKA Ziggi) represents the Netherlands – having grown up in colony Sint Eustatus before moving to Europe, hitting the local reggae charts and supporting UB40 on their Dutch tour.

His second album In Transit, on Rock N Vibes/Greensleeves, is a high budget affair featuring some choice rhythms, resulting in a set of poppy AOR tinged roots and dancehall in the vein of Morgan Heritage. The Morgan comparison is a fair litmus test for prospective buyers – if you find their take on reggae a tad cheesy, Ziggi probably won’t be for you.

One of Ziggi’s finest outings on 7 inch was Fade Away on Gibbo’s Washbelly rhythm and there are several tunes of similar standard here. Opener When The Youths Cry is a blazing horns statement of intent of the sort that kicks off many a reggae disc; Cry Murdah is a catchy pop tune with a hip hop beat, a naughty synth bass line and an anti gun message; whereas Shackles & Chains strikes gold with the same Bim and Bost produced backing as Sizzla’s Tender Touch.

The schmaltz factor is ramped up a little high in places – particularly on the poodle rock meets bashment of Code Red – obscuring the worthy sentiments of the lyrics. Furthermore, Ziggi’s many ebullient vocal gimmicks (“how you mean!”) and Marley style yodels can at times start to wear thin.

But while slightly uneven and perhaps aimed at the younger end of the reggae market, In Transit is a highly polished sounding album showcasing the Ziggaman’s keen ear for a catchy vocal line. If you’re a fan of Euro acts like Seeed and Marlene Johnson or of the aforementioned Morgan family, you’ll enjoy what’s on offer here.