Already Sizzla's third album this year: after "Nuh Worry Unu Self" produced by John John, then the compilation of unreleased material ("Radical") put out by his son Burrell, here is "Born A King", the fruit of his collaboration with the Australian producer Mista Savona. A curiosity in itself: Kalonji albums produced outside Jamaica can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Sizzla's last venture beyond his home turf was in 2006: "Overstanding" came out on the American label of Damon Dash (founder of Roc-A-Fella Records).
This time he heads in the opposite direction, towards the southern hemisphere. In 2011, the compilation "Warn The Nation" (on Soulbeats Records) sealed the Savona / Kalonji meeting with the track Why does the world cry, on a recut of the Drum Song riddim. Two years later, in 2013, the single I'm Living (followed by an EP) made a strong impression. So when the full album was announced, we could not help salivating.
Jake Savona has plenty of ideas and a desire to knock down a few musical borders. He leans on the versatility of a Kalonji in excellent form, and offers him a musical patchwork to match: nyabinghi, reggae, dancehall, hip-hop… when he is not taking Sizzla into uncharted rhythmic territory (Cold War) or offering acoustic versions (Got What It Takes and I'm Living, with Bongo Herman on percussion). Savona distils breaks and samples with inspiration, adding a delicious oriental touch to the nervy dancehall of Blessed, or to Why does the world cry.
He pumps up the bass on Born A King, which opens the album at full tilt. Would a Jamaican producer have invited the veteran Errol Dunkley onto the fantastic combination Champion Sound? Or even the late Alton Ellis, on Give Jah Praise, a recut of the Chant Rasta Sound that the "Godfather of Rocksteady" had recorded for Savona, one of his last records. Bathed in melodica echoes, the monster riddim I'm Leaving shows everything he can do with his musicians. The collaboration between the deejay and the Australian producer has all the makings of a summit meeting. As long as he keeps releasing albums of this calibre, Sizzla is not about to lose his crown.
Pull Up :
Champion Sound
I'm Living
Born A King
Why Does The World Cry
