Not since
Bassnectar
has a band combined so many different musical sources into such a compellingly coherent dance music whole.
Ex-Centric Sound System
bassist and bandleader
Yossi Fine
starts out with a fusion of Jamaican and African sounds, but brings in a variety of other elements, including musical influences from Latin America, New Orleans, London and New York. Like the group's 2004 release
Electric Voodooland
,
Afro Riddim Sessions, Vol. 1
takes those disparate elements and combines them into something simultaneously fresh and familiar. Guest vocalists on this album include such modern roots legends as
Prezident Brown
and
Anthony B
as well as an assortment of lesser-known names, including
Jah Maison
Doniki
, and
Kulcha Knox
. Not everything works out perfectly:
"1-2 Nayabingy Order"
starts out brilliantly, but when the bass kicks in you realize that the singer and the rhythm are in different keys; both the vocal and the rhythm are excellent, but sadly, they don't actually fit together at all. Much better are
"Hardcore Reggae Ambassador,"
which features exquisite toasting by
Lisa Denja
, the old-school
jungle
groove of
"Put on the Dancing Shoe"
(featuring
) and the album's spectacular centerpiece,
"Babylon by Bus,"
on which
earns his title. It's followed by a very fine
dub
version. Overall, this album can be confidently recommended to any fan of modern, adventurous
reggae
. ~ Rick Anderson