Compromised Friend

Y-Bayani and His Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love feat. Baby Naa “Rehwe Mie Enyim”

I’ve heard a good amount of roots reggae over the past several years, mainly Studio One stuff, but I’m nothing close to an expert. I just have a reasonable frame of reference. And I say that to say this: I have never heard a roots song that sounds quite like this. The melody, chords, and rhythm are all very familiar, but the tone of the keyboards and recording is fresh. There’s a disorienting quality to the keyboard tone straight away, and it pushes the chill feeling of a slow reggae rhythm into something more loopy and dazed. It’s not a radical departure from tradition – this is in many ways retro enough that it could pass as much older, but it’s just off enough so the particular zonked-out vibe feels novel to me.

Buy it from Bandcamp.