Jack Riddim of Californian-based I Dwell Records has produced one of the best albums I’ve heard in a while.
Deeper Roots is Lymie Murray’s first album since Only Conversation in 2001, and his first album solely in a roots reggae mood. He has previously mostly recorded in the lovers rock vein.
But Deeper Roots is something else. This album is captivating and enchanting. It has a warm Studio One sound with Lymie Murray’s passionate and soulful delivery floating across the live played riddims.
His voice has been compared to the late and great Garnett Silk, and that’s a fair comparison. Even though he sounds even more like Aaron Silk with a bit of Chezidek added.
Some of the many highlights include the haunting Captive and Marcus, with their memorable and spooky falsetto backing vocals, along with Milk & Honey on the Fyah Fureal riddim and the relentlessly skanking Cool it Down.
Deeper Roots certainly lives up to its title. This is profound roots reggae of the highest order.
Lymie is one of the best-kept secrets outside of the Jamaican recording studios, where he makes a living singing and arranging backing harmonies for the top vocalists in reggae. He was Freddie McGregor’s backing vocalist on his international tours for quite a few years.
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