Abstract Index Playlist - June 24/10

Annette Brissett's been around for many years, but her career finally seems to be picking up steam in the last little while.

She's worked with Sly And Robbie and Bullwackie, but this past decade the tough yet tender vocalist has found greater success in South Florida's considerable market.

Comparisons to Horace Andy are inevitable, but the junked-out twilight of Billie Holiday's career is not a bad reference point either. Brissett has the phrasing and POV on songs that only comes from experience.

That's what makes "Lift Your Head Up" such a powerful tune. The production is merely OK, but her delivery sounds both anguished and hopeful, which makes the song's message seem less generic. The album isn't a corker all the way through, but her vocals are very versatile in customizing the lovers rock tropes which dominate the proceedings.

I don't get a sense of what sets South Florida's reggae apart from the rest of global roots reggae just based on this album, but given the generations of Jamaicans who have lived there I understand the scene is quite a hotbed. And once you've had your fill of South Beach and glitzy salsa, you'll be needing some quality time with music well under 100BPM.

Podcast (starts with Mikey Dread)


Claudia quintet – keramag (cuneiform)
Seu jorge – errare humanem est (now again)
Mikey dread – jumping master (hearbeat)
Lennie hibbert – village soul (studio one)
Joergmueller – peel and dub again (zeecc)
Annette brissett – lift your head up (TAC)
Citizen sound feat treson – come what may (VX)
Mr. OK– poto mitan (masalacism)
Sound iration in dub– seventh seal dub (year zero)
Suns of arqa – gavati drut (arqasound)
David starfire/sub swara cobra (no label)
Filip fillipi feat Collie Buddz, Schlachtofbronx rmx – huricane ana (no label)
Interceiving – can’t stop dancing (no label)
Claudia quintet – crane merit (cuneiform)
Eric chenaux – am I lovely (constellation)
Vinnie golia mark trayle – cheapman and the sweater he cherished (9 winds)
Rainer wiens – blood fever (ambiances magnetiques)
Morphosis – musafir (MOS)
Soul center atom tm – switch it (curle)
Sandra st victor – cosmos (soul strategies)
Q orchestra – ritmo diabolico (freestyle)
Vieux farka toure – diaraby magni (six degrees)
Sugar minott – never give up (soul jazz/studio one)