Toppa Top 12: Twelve Caribbean Albums We Loved in 2016

Words by LargeUp Crew
Photo by Martei Korley

The art of album-making in the Caribbean, it appears at first glance, is dying out.

Albums have always been an afterthought in singles-driven genres like reggae, dancehall and soca. Even in the best of times, only a handful of full-length releases per year were afforded the luxury of major publicity, worthy of the heated debates and repeat plays granted to LPs in the rock, jazz and hip-hop arenas. Thanks to sub-par promotion, rampant bootlegging, the disappearance of physical record shops, and the fracturing of the music market online, this deficit has only become more pronounced. Album sales by even the biggest reggae and dancehall acts have been alarmingly low for years. As music distribution continues to shift away from sales towards streaming —  and reggae artists and labels continue to lag behind in adapting to the new climate — even the best and most acclaimed reggae and dancehall albums are struggling to find listeners.

Yet, we found plenty of deserving albums worthy of our time and attention in 2016. Some have been on repeat around LargeUp HQ all year long. Others, we must admit, we’ve just recently gotten hooked on. But the point is good albums are still being made in the Caribbean, while music inspired by the region continues to make its presence felt.

You won’t find most of these among the nominees for Best Reggae Album at the Grammys, which continues to put forth tone-deaf selections in the category. We’d never even heard of half the albums they nominated, let alone heard them.

Here’s 10 Caribbean albums we couldn’t stop listening to in 2016.

1. Agent Sasco, Theory of Reggaetivity (Sound Age Ent.)

2016 has been the worst year of my life. I started it in hospital, fighting for my life. The doctors said that I wouldn’t make it. I literally went to the grave and then turned back. Sometime in mid-February, I started coming back to life (although still in hospital), when a bredrin sent me the link to Agent Sasco’s Theory Of Reggaetivity. The first songs I played were “Health & Wealth” and “Stronger.” Before listening to the rest of the album, I played these songs on repeat for some hours. Then I listened to the album on repeat for an entire week. In my opinion, this album is the best reggae album of the year and probably one of the best of the last couple years. Of course, Theory Of Reggaetivity means a lot to me because I listened to it when I was going through a rough time. But that’s not the only reason for why I rate this masterpiece. The whole package is a piece of art; Sasco being the lyrical genius that he is, the message he delivers, the productions and the comparisons to physics. This is one of those albums that should have been nominated for a Grammy. — DJ Shirkhan

2. Akae Beka, Portals (I Grade Records)

Vaughn Benjamin is making music under a new name, but he hasn’t changed the way he does business. The co-founder and frontman of iconic Virgin Islands group Midnite has continued to release his lyrically-dense brand of reggae at a stupefyingly prolific clip in his new guise as Akae Beka. Portals was the first of two Akae Beka albums released this year, followed by October’s Livicated, and, in our estimation, the superior of the two. Benjamin has never left listeners with a lack of food for thought, but musically Portals was one of the most challenging releases to date, adding rock and jazz influences to his typically rich reggae stew.  — Jesse Serwer

3. Alkaline, New Level Unlocked (DJ Frass Records)

The rise of Alkaline over the last few years has perplexed many dancehall listeners who initially counted him as another Vybz Kartel knockoff. Known early on more for his publicity stunts than his music, Alkaline has cultivated one of dancehall’s most loyal followings, as he’s dropped more and more hits each year. This year, the 23-year-old cemented his place as the genre’s top-ranking contender, adding an indispensable number of tracks to selectors’ arsenals. New Level Unlocked gathered many of these tunes, like the ubiquitous “City” and “Champion Boy,” however it seems he was just getting started, as he’s since released at least a half dozen more hits. For those still new to Alkaline — and he’s still fairly little known outside of the core dancehall market — the 15-track LP offers a decent enough introduction to his now-distinctive style. — Jesse Serwer

https://play.spotify.com/album/05xMWpyiP4kKVg112pPBwB

4. Equiknoxx Music, Bird Sound Power (DDS)

Equiknoxx Music are the production team been behind some of the most progressive dancehall riddims of the last decade, and Spice’s brilliantly sleazy 2010 hit “Jim Screechy.” On their first full-length album, Gavin Blair and Bobby Blackbird took things all of the way left, with an LP full of wacky, off-the-wall instrumentals with track titles like “A Rabbit Spoke To Me When I Woke Up” and “I Really Want To Write On Her Purple Wall.” It’s not for everybody, in fact it’s probably too weird for most, but Bird Sound Power is one of the most stupefyingly original projects to come out of the dancehall sphere in a long time. — Jesse Serwer

5. General Roots, Walk Tall (Evergreen Recordings)

An influx of new artists (Stylo G, Don Andre, Kiko Bun, The Skints) producers and sound systems (Mungo’s Hi Fi, Cadenza, CRT CLSSX, Swing Ting, Madd Again!) have been fusing Jamaican and British rhythms, heralding a new chapter for U.K. reggae. Amidst this wave, General Roots released their debut album, Walk Tall, receiving support from BBC Radio 2 and 1Xtra, while the group toured the U.K. supporting the Specials at sold-out shows. The group enlisted maestros Top Cat, Horseman and British reggae icon Dennis Bovell (Matumbi) as special guests, to complete one of the most exciting reggae albums to come out of the U.K. in recent times. “Little Sun” transports you to Kingston via North London with a killer horns section and nods to the UK’s rich dub tradition. “We thought they ended slavery but we never were released,” Top Cat sings over a rockstone roots beat on the track called “Freedom.” Most definitely a sign of the times. Keep an eye out for these guys, they are one of the next reggae bands to watch. — Casey Oliver

6. J Boog, Wash House Ting (Washhouse Music Group)

J Boog has taken a unique journey to reggae prominence. The California-born singer of Samoan descent moved to Hawaii in order to advance his musical career, gaining his first taste of international success in 2010 with the release of the Don Corleon-produced “Let’s Do It Again.” His latest album Wash House Ting, which went straight into three Billboard charts, includes a trio of songs from his Grammy-nominated Rose Petals EP, released earlier this year. Boog’s ability to convey raw emotion through his lyrics is perhaps his greatest asset — as demonstrated on “Let Me Love You” a reggae ballad, and the soulful “Sweet Love”. The project comes to a close with “Raggamuffin,” which features guest verses from Gramps Morgan and Buju Banton. Recorded during the currently-incarcerated superstar’s Rasta Got Soul tour in 2009, the previously unreleased collaboration feels highly relevant today. — Gibbo

7. Olatunji, Awakening (FoxFuse)

Soca albums are a rare thing, with few artists beyond Machel Montano and Bunji Garlin able to generate sufficient demand – or enough catalog — to warrant them. Add Olatunji Yearwood to that exclusive list. A year after winning the International Groovy Soca Monarch title and effectively launching the Afro Soca wave with “Ola,” the Trinidadian singer released his debut album, Awakening. The 17-track effort collects all of the singer’s releases for Trinidad Carnival over the last few years, including 2016’s “Oh Yay” and “One Life To Live,” his collaboration with Trini EDM outfit System32. — Jesse Serwer

8. Raging Fyah, Everlasting (VP Records/Dub Rockers)

Kingston-based outfit Raging Fyah spent much of 2016 on the road, performing extensively throughout America and Europe. Their efforts spreading their message overseas were duly rewarded, when their third album Everlasting entered Billboard’s Reggae Albums Chart at No. 2, before receiving a Grammy nomination for 2017. The follow-up to their previous full-length projects Judgment Day and Destiny is their first on VP Records’ Dub Rockers imprint. Producer Llamar “Riff Raff” Brown expertly fuses the vocals of frontman Kumar Bent with the musical backing provided by the band, with recordings made live at Tuff Gong International. The unapologetic “Raggamuffin” and the thought provoking “Getting Dread” are contrasted by the playful “Dash Wata”, and the melodic upbeat “Live Your Life,” which includes guest vocals from J Boog and Busy Signal. Well rounded and more polished than their previous efforts, Everlasting is surefire proof of Raging Fyah’s maturation. — Gibbo

9. A Tribe Called Quest, We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (Epic/Sony)

Hip-hop received a gift on November 11th, when A Tribe Called Quest issued their sixth and final album. Released days after the election of Donald Trump, We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service was an uncanny, timely meditation on America, Blackness and 2016, and as perfect epitaph for one of hip-hop’s greatest groups as one could hope for. Started before and finished after the passing of Phife Dawg, the album has been lauded for all sorts of reasons; we’d like to take this opportunity to highlight its substantial Caribbean influence, though. Phife, a proud Trinidadian, often pulled from the vocabulary of reggae and dancehall on Tribe projects, but never as consistently as he does on We Got It From Here. This is particularly notable on the tracks featuring long-time collaborator, honorary fifth Tribe member, and Jamaican-American MC, Busta Rhymes, like “Solid Wall of Sound,” and “The Donald.” Elsewhere, echoes of Musical Youth can be heard on “Dis Generation,” while the dubwise “Whateva Will Be” samples a little-known 1970s recording by Jamaica’s Nairobi Sisters. It’s not the most prominent feature of this sweetly imperfect album, but a critical one nonetheless.— Jesse Serwer

10. Vybz Kartel, King of the Dancehall (Zojak Worldwide)

“Trust me, this album is the #1 dancehall album of the year and in the last 10 or so years,” Vybz Kartel told me when we spoke this summer, before the release of King of the Dancehall. I don’t know if I can agree: Kartel’s 2011 album Kingston Story might deserve that second title. Like that album, released through Dre Skull’s Mixpak Records, King of the Dancehall is a collaboration with a single producer, Linton “T.J.” White of TJ Records, and achieves a similar cohesion. The 22-track LP contained “Western Union” and “Fever,” the biggest hits in what was a big year for Kartel, and a gang of lesser-known and previously unreleased tracks, in both clean and dirty versions. If it doesn’t quite match the highs of Kartel’s best LP, it’s still a proper runner-up within his ballooning catalog. — Jesse Serwer

11. Bulby York, Epic & Ting (VP Records)

You won’t often find debut albums stacked with as many high-profile featured artists as Epic & Ting, but Colin “Bulby” York isn’t your average debut artist. The fact that the LP includes appearances from so many is evidence of the respect and status York enjoys within the music industry in Jamaica and abroad. Production-wise, he is responsible for the Hot Wax riddim, one of the most recognizable dancehall beats of the ‘90s, while his engineering credits include American rock band No Doubt’s multi-platinum album Rock Steady, among countless reggae classics. His varied résumé is reflected in a release which draws upon Jamaican and international influences to produce a hybrid sound. “Anything Goes” caters to the dancehall crowd, pairing Beres Hammond’s smooth vocals with Bounty Killer’s impactful delivery, whilst the dub-tinged “Held Down” with Lutan Fyah, and the EDM infused “Moola” featuring Cherine Anderson, demonstrate Bulby’s diversity as a producer. — Gibbo

+1: Jus Now, Alone EP (Feel Up)

This one doesn’t qualify as a full-length, but the latest release from Jus Now — Trinidad’s LAZABEAM and England’s INTERFACE — deserves at least an honorebel mention. The trans-Atlantic production combo dropped more of their signature orchestral soca bangers on this four-song EP, as they continue to broaden the scope of Carnival music with new flavors and directions. Our favorite track was “Alone,” featuring up-and-coming Trinidadian vocalist Chalmer John, and a rhythm which seamlessly blends soca, Afrobeats and dancehall, and maybe a touch of Latin jazz and hip-hop. Yes, if that sounds like a paean to the Beatnuts’ “Watch Out Now” (by way of their sample of Enoch Light’s “Hijack”), that’s because it is. We’re definitely looking forward to their six-song Way Up EP, now due in February. Listen to the first single, “Dun D Place” featuring Stylo G, on our Now Things playlist on Apple Music.