Abstract Index Playlist - October 14/09

You don't need me to tell you about Chezidek if you're an enthusiastic gamer. The sweet yet urgent singer's "Call Pon Dem" was featured in Grand Theft Auto 4 not too long ago, giving his recent wealth of material even more currency.

Hopefully this album further capitalizes on this exposure. His passionate, soulful delivery is not unlike Tarrus Riley's, though he's not quite in the same league of pure vocal ability.

Still, Chezidek is the kind of singer that Sly and Robbie have always loved to work with - Tarrus' father, Jimmy Riley, Junior Delgado and Dennis Brown all have had great great success leaning into their bionic dub. Equal parts conscious and romantic, there are clear references to the duo's past both sonically and in some of the hooks, but this pop-friendly yet deep production is strong all the way through.

There have been a few instances in recent years that I've thought Sly and Robbie 'have done their best work in a long time' - among them their collaboration with Amp Fiddler, and one of my favourite singles of this year Courtney John's "Lucky Man". This is another back to the future triumph for them.

French label Tabou 1 has risen from the ashes (RIP 2002) as a netlabel and has made this release available for free download. As a bonus, there is a companion album of dubs - this is what I've been playing again and again on the AI. This is first class electro/organic dub, and I would rank this bonus set highly in the Sly and Robbie catalog.

My limited graphic design skills turned out my own dub version of the album cover...

Podcast

griot - lloyd mcneill (baobab 1)
a tree is like a man - healing force (cuneiform)
saz dance - abaji (absilone)
strategy of tension - filastine (jarring effects)
mets neidude vahel - collage (wool)
sling shot pt 2 - lefties soul connection (visions from the roof)
me de ma gnin messe - orchestre poly-rhytmo (analog africa)
jet biguine - les loups noir de haiti (soundway)
mindgames - cooptrol (no label)
take it dub - sugar minott (interchill)
nephesh alpha - cheval chamber orchestra (no label)
green light - relic (no label)
p.m.a. - caballo & the mothafu kings (no label)
haxan dub - demdike stare (modern love)
roll and tumble - spit brothers (full melt)
the raft - fat freddy's drop (no label)
whatever we do - ruts dc rmx by salz (echo beach)
delhi/kathmandu (live) - high tone (jarring effects)
surrender dub - chezidek (tabou 1)