Various – 18 Karat Reggae Gold 2020
Release Info
Various – 18 Karat Reggae Gold 2020
Label: 18 Karat Reggae | Format: DR | Street date: January 7, 2020
Tracklist
- Mr. Bertus – Ganja For Life
- Fitzroy Face – Smile
- Rasta Progrez – One Day
- Melanie – Stepping Out Of Babylon
- Mr. Bertus – Plastic Smile
- Fitzroy Face – Fallen Fighters
- Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks – Rise Up
- Rasta Progrez – Video Light
- Cane Juice – Jah Is Watching
- Mr. Bertus – Jah Make The Mountains
- Cane Juice – Life Ain’t Easy
- Rasta Progrez – Smile For A While
- Cosmore feat. Rashalamar- Blessing
- Fitzroy Face – Best Of Me
- Stormy – High Horse
- Rasta Progrez – Bloody Street
- Chamaine Johnson – Can I Be Loved
- Rasta Progrez – Mother’s Love
“18 Karat Reggae Gold 2020” is an entertaining 18-track compilation set, produced by Cosmore Thompson and Devon Powell of the 18 Karat Reggae crew. The selection brings the listener tunes from Rasta Progrez, Mr. Bertus, Fitzroy Face, Cane Juice, Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks, Cosmore feat. Rashalamar, Charmaine Johnson, Melanie and Stormy. Not a group of big reggae artists, but that doesn’t matter at all as can be experienced when listening to this collection.
Mr. Bertus, one of the top artists out of Portmore, Jamaica, has made collaborations with reggae greats like the Mighty Diamond and I-Wayne. His song “Ganja For life” across a relicked version of the “Israelites” riddim is a tribute to Desmond Dekker and Peter Tosh. It’s an infectious ganja anthem worth hearing. His cover of Black Uhuru’s “Plastic Smile” is a nice effort, but it’s “Jah Makes The Mountains” that stands out. Reggae singer Michael Marsh aka Cane Juice was born in Maroon Town of St. James, Jamaica, but currently resides in New York City. Here he contributes the song “Jah Is Watching” and the great “Life Ain’t Easy”, which see him shine bright, vocally as well as lyrically.
Fitzroy Face is a versatile reggae crooner from Maroon Town in St. James Jamaica. He’s featured with 3 tunes; the enjoyable “Smile” (from 1999), the impressive reality tune “Fallen Fighters” and the nice lovers piece “Best Of Me”. The two reggae songstresses Melanie and Stormy have toured as backing vocalists with singers like Beres Hammond, Maxi Priest and Barrington Levy. Melanie nicely covers Marcia Griffiths’ “Stepping Out Of Babylon”, while Stormy comes up with an original piece called “High Horse”. Rasta Progrez, who like Mr. Bertus is also from Portmore in St. Catherine, Jamaica, is present with no less than 5 tunes. In particular “Smile For A While” and “Mother’s Love” are earworm songs. Don’t overlook “One Day” either, as this one is a very infectious and danceable effort. Serious message tunes are the dark sounding “Video Light” and the great “Bloody Street”.
An album packed with real reggae music coming out of Jamaica.
