RANDY VALENTINE

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Review written by Irie Nation on Tuesday, May 12th 2015 - 25 282 views In the music industry, most artists choose to produce as many songs as possible and to work for as many producers as possible. The idea is to always have something new online and to reach an increasingly fickle audience. That is not really the case for Randy Valentine, who carefully doles out his releases. After a mixtape based on Studio One riddims in 2012, and an EP, "Break the Chains", last year on which he mostly voices current one-drop riddims, he has just put out another EP. This one is called "Still Pushing" and this time the angle of attack is mostly rub-a-dub and Lovers’ Rock. Which is not surprising when you know that the production is shared by Joe Ariwa, the son of Mad Professor. The "Still Pushing" EP is ambitious, wonderfully composed and polished down to the smallest detail, from the mixing to the writing of the lyrics. It begins with a long and moving acoustic intro, Still Pushing, then moves on dynamically to Wake the Town, a track with a fast, joyful rhythm despite serious, committed lyrics. Mama Said is another "reality tune". It reminds us that we are the only masters of our destiny and that we must "not let anybody call you a sufferer because you didn’t come on this Earth to suffer". Black Cinderella is a lover’s rock gem, the kind they no longer make anywhere but London, and even there, you have to look hard. The influence and experience of the Ariwa stable are most certainly recognisable in this track. Randy Valentine delivers a truly bewitching vocal. The theme of The Question is also love, but it is not a romantic ballad, rather a reflection on our world. This song has its dub version on this EP, Dub Is The Answer, mixed with infinite precision and detail by Joe Ariwa. The most striking track on this album is probably Consequences, set on a remake of the famous "Police in Helicopter" riddim. It is a superb tune that prompts us to ask questions about the consequences of each of our actions, especially the negative ones. And on the last track of the EP, what an old-school sound! Roots & Culture is a rub-a-dub the likes of which are no longer made, proving, as a conclusion to this EP, that Joe Ariwa listened closely to his father’s lessons.

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