Troddin'

1. Troddin' Thru

2. Boom Bangin'

3. Best Creation

4. Buff Bay

5. Accident

6. Reprimand

7. More Than a Feeling

8. Never Been in Love B 4

9. Woman Like You

10. Good Girls, Bad Boys

11. Keep on Singin'

12. Keep On

13. Me and Them

14. Sniper - Sleepy Wonder

Tracks:

Troddin' Thru
Boom Bangin'
Best Creation
Buff Bay
Accident
Reprimand
More Than A Feeling
Never Been In Love B4
Woman Like You
Good Girls, Bad Boys
Keep On Singin'
Keep On
Me and Them
Sniper - Sleepy Wonder

Average customer rating:

WHOA!
awesome cd

Troddin to Zion: A Midnite Production

Manufacturer: African Roots Lab
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000BM74W4

Product Description

1. Jah Will Lead The Way 2. Love Is Jah Jah 3. Wha Happen To Dem 4. Fast Life 5. Dem Skylarkin 6. It Is Written 7. Rising Angel 8. Troddin To Zion 9. Let Jah Take Control 10. War Monger 11. Struggle Goes On

Customer Reviews:

WHOA!.......2006-11-24

I've had a fairly good track record when it comes to listening to the various roots reggae artists coming from outside of Jamaica, particularly in the Virgin Islands. While other islands, mainly Trinidad, are going about making a name for themselves just now in reggae music (and Trinidad is coming up HUGE!) the Virgin Islands have been making their name for in reggae for more than a decade. With names like Bambu Station, the up and coming Star Lion Family with standouts NiyoRah and Pressure, the I-Grade label of artists (which includes such names as NiyoRah, Ancient King, Army and Guyana native Yahadanai), and of course at the helm of the movement is the Midnite Band.

And it is Midnite who is at the helm of Troddin to Zion, the debut (and to date only) album from St Croix native singer, Ikahba Stone, who has such an unusual vibe and makes the album easily one of the best reggae debut's I've heard in a very long time. I had only heard of the artist through a brieft interview clip prior to a friend a few months ago making a recommendation that I IMMEDIATELY check out Trodding to Zion.

So I took her up on the offer, (as she had previously made a rec. that I check out the truly WICKED Sabbattical Ahdah, also of St. Croix). And the results were amazing. Ikahba has a very different style which is not derivative of anyone directly, however, he sounds like several different artists put together. In the interview clip I heard, he mentioned one of his greatest inspirations was late Jamaican dancehall singer Tenor Saw, and you can somewhat see that vibe as well as a style somewhat derivative of Midnite lead singer, and primary executive producer of this album, Vaughn Benjamin. He drifts in and out between pure chanting and pure singing and I love the vibes!

So unusual is this combination of inspiration, that often times you might find yourself wondering through the duration of Troddin to Zion's relatively short 11 tracks that a different artist is taking almost every track. However, credit is due to that versatile style of Ikahba for pulling off such a magnificent album.

The best song here is probably what is lyrically the most aggressive song on the album, Wha Happen to Dem?. The song is built over a well powerful one-drop, and Ikahba goes about casting down nothing but condemnation for the wicked, as he mentions in the hook, "Ask dem what happen to dem? Rastaman come happen to dem. Then ask dem again!". Wha Happen to Dem is a huge huge tune!

I gave this album a 5 star review (which I hadn't been doing that much recently) because every song on here could be a winner on its own. Check every last one of them! Particular standouts include Fast Life, a song not too dissimilar to I-Wayne's Can't Satisfy Her. Also loooooooove one of the only two combinations on the album, Dem Skylarkin (a rather poignant tune for the time) with the even more unknown Mash adding a nice nice aggressive chant to go with Ikahba's singing. The combination, which was originally due to be well known St Croix chanter Batch with Ikahba, works even better as Mash actually sounds like a younger version of Vaughn Benjamin.

Two of the other really big tunes here include the first song on the album which made me know this was a truly big album, the opener, Jah Will Lead the Way. The song sounds like a complete midnite production and had I not known they (pretty much just Vaughn Benjamin himself) were at the helm before, I would have almost surely gone rummaging through the liners looking for a production credit for a 'V.Benjamin'. The other really really super strong track here is the title track and the second combination. You can almost immediately tell when the mighty-voiced, strong and sassy Dezarie touches any track and she blesses Troddin to Zion with a supremely divine touch making it one of the more powerful combinations I've heard on a VI roots reggae track in my rather brief experience with the genre (also check NiyoRah & Pressure on the nice Afrikan Chant on Niyo's latest album, Purification Session). The two generally tour together (and Dezarie STAYS on tour) and its nice to seem them voicing a song together in the studio, having previously seen clips of the two, together sharing a mic on stage.

And check the rest of the tracks which I didn't mention, particularly the closer War Monger, with the nice nice nyah drum backing over a strong one-drop and the penultimate Let Jah Take Control.

Overall, definitely stamping a large stamp of recommendation on Ikahba Stone's Troddin to Zion. The album, which was released nearly 3 years ago, desperately needs a followup. This artist is entirely too crucial to bringing VI reggae to frontlines, where it deserves to be, not to be heard. Definitely go and check this one out (it is apparently pretty well available on the west coast of the states and of course through ordering), and see one of the truly wonderful pieces of roots reggae coming out of the Virgin Islands.

awesome cd.......2006-01-22

Ikahba voice is awesome. This is one of the best reggae cd's I have ever heard. Excellent beats. A must have.

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