7″ singles from Rafeelya, Shanti Yalah, and Dawitt

Towards the end of the year 2022, the avid reggae fan is served very well with the release of three 7″ vinyl platters. Involved in all three is Robert Sánchez, whether as producer, co-producer and/or mixing engineer.

RAFEELYA – JAH HAFFI COME / THOMPSON SOUND – JAH HAFFI DUB

UK-based songstress Rafeelya, winner of UK competition Britain’s Got Reggae 2017, presents her brand new 7″ single on the legendary Thompson Sound imprint, which is distributed via Roberto Sánchez’s Ark Distribution. Besides songs with a lover’s theme, Rafeelya has turned heads with several great roots tunes and the downright stellar Jah Haffi Come is the next roots piece that deserves kudos. Rafeelya’s unique and stylish voice comes on top of a wicked Roots Radics riddim laid at the legendary Channel One studio in 1981 that originally underpinned the Linval Thompson produced Peaceful Man by Freddie McGregor. The single has been mixed by Roberto Sánchez from the original master tapes at his A-Lone Ark studio. Jah Haffi Come has the songstress talking about the pain poor people encounter and the need of Jah guidance to ease that pain. The rub a dub riddim has been expertly stripped-down by Roberto Sánchez and comes full force with the emphasis on sound of the drum and bass.

SHANTI YALAH – MODERN BABYLON / LONE ARK RIDDIM FORCE – MODERN BABYLON DUB

Talented Spanish singer Shanti Yalah (artist name of producer Santiago Villaverde) is known from a variety of singles, the 2017 debut album Creation, and the noteworthy 2021 album Friends Of The One. He’s back with a brand new roots reggae effort called Modern Babylon. The latter, released on his Nansa label, is the title track from Shanti Yalah’s forthcoming showcase album. The sweet-voiced singer delivers a message tune in which he talks about the new world order imposed by the economical leaders of our time to control humanity. The pleasing mid-’70s style riddim has been built by Lone Ark Riddim Force and was recorded and mixed at A-Lone Ark studio by Roberto Sánchez. The flip side features a raw dub version that listeners will certainly fulljoy.

DAWITT – JAH LOVE / LONE ARK RIDDIM FORCE – JAH LOVE DUB

Dawitt is a talented upcoming Spanish singer who has teamed up with Roberto Sánchez to work on his forthcoming showcase album titled I Man I Am. What can be expected from that album is shown with the release of this 7″ single, Jah Love, which will be featured on Dawitt’s debut album. The riddim may sound familiar to the ears of those who are devoted fans of A-Lone Productions. It was laid by the Lone Ark Riddim Force with the late great Style Scott on drums (courtesy of Thompson Sound) and underpinned Ras Tweed’s song No Balagaan from the artist’s 2021 album Balance. Dawitt’s gorgeous vocal cut is accompanied by its superbly done dub version with a powerful drum and bass and vocal snippets going in and out of the mix.