SHOK WAVE is your weekly new REGGAE music blog. SHOK WAVE finds music that is out there in the form of Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Ska, Dub, Reggae Rock & anything else musical with a Caribbean origin and in any language.
Here is what we found this week.......Enjoy!
Instead of not doing a blog this week we decided to list a bunch of good songs that released. I did not find anything great just good. Maybe this should be the start of an additional playlist? What do you think?
REGGAE
Zoe Mazah "Higher Vibration"
Zoe Mazah is new. We first heard her with her new album's first single 'Black Girl Magic.' A jazzy reggae ditty that uplifts the women. Her singing also has a jazz style with melodies from the genre as well. As a German, she has released 3 other albums and her latest "Higher Vibration," is solid, not a bad track on the album and full of roots reggae. She has a bit of an unorthodox style/sound. Listen a few times and she grows on you. This album is about staying true to yourself, your values and beliefs and expressing them. 'Boogie Rock' takes us back to her childhood, where the music began. Nice groove. The horns give it that jazzy feel and set them apart from the rest. We all have our pillar and in 'I Turn To You' is Zoe's song about hers. She is 'Unbreakable' and 'when the devil comes we make them run.' A true 'Soul Rebel' & rasta, Mazah vibrates higher & lights the fire in this one, possibly the title track. She has the light and is building her rock by 'Leave A Light On.' Reggae enthusiasts when they hear a song named 'Skylarking,' they think of Horace Andy's classic and rightfully so. Andy's is about being lazy. Zoe's is about 'Skylarking' with your lover and doing nothing than spending time together doing nothing. Those days are the best, enjoy your time together when and where you can. 'Ummmuh Ummuh, one thing at a time, take it slow.' Love the melody of the slur and the lyrics and good advice from Zoe Mazah. Probably our second favorite tune. This song also has those jazzy horns. 'Give thanks for life everyday.' What more does she need to say. Her lyrics speaking about life itself. Honest, real and even raw, the artist sings about her personal experiences. About being human, a mother, a woman, a lover, a friend and most of all, a musician, who does not only want to entertain but share a message with her audience
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad “Love In Time”
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is a good clean of positive vibes. "Love In Time" features many artists: legend Clinton Fearon on 'Chants,' The Movement 'Revolution,' longtime friend & collaborator Double Tiger, the lyricist, songwriter & performer Blakkamore on 'Eyes Can See,' The best combination on 'Love' comes from the least known Skribe Da God and is a definite album highlight with 'Love Each Other.' A sweet roots rocking and catchy instrumentational tune is our favorite because we have to live together and love each other. Also the song has lead singer singjaying, which we've never heard and brings nice variety to the tune as well. Honorable mention in the combination department comes from Anthony B because they 'Keep It Nice,' real nice.
The first tune to really catch our ear is 'LifeTimes.' We are who we are is another nice song because the 'Light in you, is the light in me. In the end this album is 'For You.' The song itself has a hawaiian, slide guitar, almost rocksteady feel all in that song somehow. The end result is GRGDS will be there for you, so you should be there for them.
Joe Yorke & The Co-Operators "A Distant Beat"
I hear it all the time, 'I only like the reggae oldies, it's that sound' and my response is there's plenty of music that has the sound you're looking for and it's new.' You can find it in 'The Singerman' himself Joe Yorke, a unique falsetto who's backed by The Co-Operators on his new album 'A Distant Beat.' This album has many of the great traits of the golden age of reggae: lyrical content, the harmonies and the most importantly the music, the sound. You hear it the first song mentioned earlier as well as 'No Good For Me,' which says 'Forward ever backwards never' and is a stand out. Interestingly, 'Mr Officer' sings 'you're my brother, you're my sister' and it shows Yorke is a true human. 'Last Night's Tune' is stuck in my head as it really takes us back to the days of 'rockin & groovin.' Joe asks 'What Kind Of World' are we living in tomorrow with all this sadness and sorrow... This lends it's hand to a modern day classic of classic reggae produced and released in 2023. It is out there my people, you just have to dig for it. (That's my job) Five of eight songs make the cut. Enjoy!!!
Bitty Mclean with Sly & Robbie "Forward"
As a huge Bitty Mclean fan, I will tell you that all the ingredients are there for a great album: Bitty's amazing vocals, the music instrumentation, production and sound of Sly & Robbie. So, where's the magic in their new album "Forward?" This is the Prince of Lover's Rock. So all those elements are there in many of the songs like 'Be Accepted,' 'Back In My Arms,' the single 'Let's Make Up,' 'The Best Part' has a true sounding Sly & Robbie riddim, 'Love Has Gone,' 'Beauty You Are,' 'The Need In Me,' and 'Where Is The Love.' These are all his lover's rock tunes, thats seven of twelve tracks. One is a dub of 'Where The Love.' So the remaining are 'One Nation,' which is about his homeland of Jamaica, 'Glass House' which is based on the old Jamaican saying and 'Far As Eye Can See' is a real roots reggae tune.
Some sound better than others yet we can't find that tune that jumps out as a stand out. It has grown on me, still no hit\. I hope you feel different because I want to like it more than I do.
Busy Signal 'Cool Down'
Busy tackles the Gregory Isaac classic 'Cool Down' with mastery and even presents it in a way that I hear lyrics I never heard before and know they are right. Sounds great and shows his versatility.
REGGAE ROCK
Dub Town Rockers feat The Movement 'Vamanos'
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