Words by Kaya.lah, Photo by Martei Korley— 
You know when an artist is catching his stride, you feel it. Over the last few years we have seen that culmination of development in reggae through names like Konshens, Romain Virgo and Tarrus Riley. A compatriot from a different region of the Caribbean is now settling into his proper stride, too. Today, St. Thomas’ Pressure Buss Pipe releases his fourth album, The Sound, worldwide, with production from Zion I Kings, the esteemed roots stable of Tippy from I-Grade Records; Jah D from Miami, Florida’s Zion High Productions; and Andrew Moon Bain from Brooklyn’s Lustre Kings.
The melodic ballad “Rain” on Zion I Kings’ Songbird riddim and the new VI anthem “Virgin Islands Nice” were among the five tracks to give audiences a taste of what to expect ahead of the album, along with “Serious About It” and “Run Away,” tracks with high-quality roots production showing Pressure’s lyrical ability in fine form. The latest, “Show Love,” is a timeless reggae track, emblematic of the musical and personal growth Pressure has endured since bursting on the scene with his huge hit “Love & Affection.” With smooth chords and a Pablo-esque melodica solo supplied by Tippy I-Grade himself, the track (recorded at South Beach Studio, Aqua Sound Studio, and Big Yard Studio in Jamaica) is sure to be an instant favorite, while reminiscent of nothing we’ve heard before from Pressure.
LargeUp spoke with Buss Pipe briefly today while he was in Jamaica preparing for his album launch party at Dubwise in Kingston tomorrow night. With assured resonance, he described The Sound: “[It’s] so different than my albums before, because it carries a message and frequency the world is yearning for right now. Far displaced from the lover’s rock and romantic tunes, there’s nothing pretty about this album, and I like to say that. It is rugged and raw, foundational and grass roots. It’s sole purpose is for upliftment.”
Describing his relationship with Tippy and the Zion I Kings, he states, “This has been over 10 years in the making, something Tippy and I knew we had in our minds to do. So we came together, held the same head, and manifested the works as Jah see fit.”
Look out for our official interview coming soon, and get ready for information regarding the US album release party for The Sound (which you can buy here). LargeUp has got a lot more Pressure Buss Pipe to apply to you. Stay Tuned!