O’Neil Dyer emerged in the early 1980s, a gifted artist whose contributions to reggae music remain underrecognized despite having hits such as Ah Dat She Want and Apartment under his belt. His emotive, soul-stirring voice truly shines one one of his first singles, Robbery, produced by Franklyn Irving. The single, issued in small quantities on Hitbound, features a relicked version of the Gun Man riddim by the Roots Radics band, renamed Robbery, mixed by Cedrica Anthony Hamilton, better known as Soldgie or Soljie.
Irving, popularly known as ‘Ben Up’, revived the captivating rub-a-dub riddim he originally produced in 1982 alongside the Roots Radics at Channel One studio by calling contemporary artists to ride the riddim track. He then released the fresh cuts alongside Dyer’s original and its dub counterpart on 7″ vinyl through the Berlin-based Buyreggae label under his own Shamala Production imprint.
Ever since Micah Shemaiah stepped into the reggae spotlight, he has captivated listeners with his raw, soul-stirring vocals and genre-blending lyrical style. His dynamic approach comes to full bloom in Back To Those Lemonade Days, where he delivers a vibrant take on the riddim that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly original. On the flip side comes Blaze Mob, the powerhouse trio made up of Shaka Rock, Gyasi Gong, and King Saeed, sons of reggae legend Garth Dennis from Wailing Souls and Black Uhuru. With Waste No Time, they deliver a stirring tribute to classic roots reggae, staying true to its essence while leaving their own fresh imprint on the riddim.
The third single features a double offering from Infinite and Irina, delivering the songs Country Bus and Love Detective, respectively. Though not household names in the reggae community, both tracks are worth hearing. Infinite eases into mellow, laid-back grooves with his track, while Irina (Mossi) — a versatile RnB/Soul/Reggae singer hailing from Biel, Switzerland – shines with Love Detective, a compelling piece co-written with Blvk H3ro.