7. Iba Mahr – Diamond Sox
Iba Mahr, the youth from Harar with the most distinctive vibrato this side of Jacob Miller, has been at the midstof the so-called “reggae revival” movement, making a name for himself with brilliantly-penned and soulfully sung singles over modern roots riddims. With all the hype surrounding artists like Chronixx, Jesse Royal, and Protoje, Iba is one of the few revival artists to drop a full-length studio album (the others being Protoje and Jah9). The Diamond Sox LP is a worthy follow-up to his stellar 2014 EP Great Is H.I.M., which is far and away the best release from a revival artis, and features several of the same tunes, such as “Sound A Alarm,” and “Will I Wait (In Vain).”
The album, produced by Jermaine Edwards and Roland McDermot for Born Rollin Productions, showcases Iba’s unique vocal style over no-nonsense, dubbed-out roots riddims. Diamond Sox features a whole heap of guest artists including Capleton, Jah9, Notis, Dean Frazier, and Jahmali. Also featured on the LP is a killer remix of Iba’s “Diamond Sox” featuring Tarrus Riley. —Midnight Raver