Alborosie Meets The Roots Radics: Dub For The Radicals

by Jeff Becker

Alborosie was born and raised in Marsala, Sicily, Italy, but now residing in Kingston, Jamaica, he is a multi-instrumentalist, who is proficient in guitar, bass, drums and keyboard. His musical career began in the Italian reggae band Reggae National Tickets, from Bergamo city, when he was 15 years old in 1993, in which he was known as Stena.  In 2001 Alborosie embarked on a solo career. He moved to Jamaica to emerge himself in reggae music’s roots and Rastafari culture.  He began as a sound engineer and producer. He has also worked with artists like Gentleman and Ky-Mani Marley. His first solo album was titled Soul Pirate. In the summer of 2009 he released a second album which was called Escape from Babylon.

The name ‘Alborosie’ comes from a name he was given in the early years after moving to Jamaica. “Borosie was what they used to call me. Let me put it like this. My early experience in Jamaica was… not nice. Borosie was a name they used to call me and it has a negative meaning.  “I’m gonna use this name and mash up the place turn a negative into a positive thing,” explains Alborosie.

His hits include “Rastafari Anthem,” “Kingston Town,” and “Call Up Jah”. Alborosie recently started his own record label, Forward Recordings. In 2011, he became the first white artist to win the M.O.B.O. (Music of Black Origin) Awards in the Best Reggae Act category. In 2014, Greensleeves Records released Specialist Presents Alborosie & Friends, a collection of collaborations with other artists.  In May 2016 his album Freedom & Fyah was released by VP records. His 2018 album Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets the Wailers United and now, he has collaborated with Roots Radics on the 2019 album Alborosie Meets The Roots Radics: Dub For The Radicals.

The title track kicks off the album, with a space infused reggae beat and jamming rhythms.  His Jamaican dub sound is electrifying. Followed by “The Revelation Dub,” that echoes of jams and riffs of its heritage and grounding in dub sounds that Alborosie is known for.

“Flabba Dub Step,” is an earthy groove, laced with driving rhythms and creative sonic textures that add to the flavor of the track.  While “Outcome Dub,” blasts off with screaming siren effects an illusive outro to the albums closer. Each track offers its own unique

The album has an authenticity to its sound, recorded on vintage analog gear, complete with dub sirens and reel to reel  tape that offers a depth of sonics unmatched by digital recordings.  This release marks the first album to come out of VP Records 40th anniversary collection.

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