iLLBiLLY HiTEC ADD

Review

Album Review: iLLBiLLY HiTEC - Reggae Not Dead

11/20/2015

by Gardy Stein

Massive squad of high-quality brain-and-ear-food

Take one of Germany's most talented MCs, add his musical brothers in arms, sprinkle it with a decent mix of spicy international performers, blend everything in the capable hands of Aldubb (Planet Earth Studios) and wrap the result in beautiful art-work of Mexico's gifted visual artist Gran OM – voilà, your musical meal is served!

Our trusted gourmet chef Echo Beach presents the powerfully entitled new release of Berlin's "live reggaetronics", iLLBiLLY HiTEC: Reggae Not Dead. Their second studio album is jam-packed with 18 extremely danceable tunes, introduced by a reflective Conscious Dub that makes clear that, for full enjoyment, you need more than headphones – bring out the subwoofer! Longfingah jumps in with a considerable amount of oomph in the title track featuring Ceshire Cat, continuing alongside Paco Mendoza with an infectious Bubble.

Some of the tracks should be known to you already: both the fabulous Tribuman & Lengualerta combination Pas D'Probleme and the strong and simple Head Up have been out and around on video since summer 2014, the latter also on 7-Inch (nothing beats the live-experience of that one, though). A bit younger, but in its vinyl edition already a collector's gem for insiders, is one of the two outcomes of a one-day Berlin recording session called Essential, which is pressed on this release in the fascinating Cumbia remix Essencial.

This breathtaking ride through Reggae's genres and voices continues throughout the album, and especially enjoyable is the local flavour the pieces derive from artists such as Tribuman (who adds some more French lyrics in Talking Everyday) and the Argentinian band La Yugular, singing a Spanish Combinacion Andina and even using the Jujuy region's traditional instruments such as Charango and Zampona in it's process. The crazy Mexicans Sonido Satanas contribute a style that needs some getting used to in Suena, which however accounts for the immense versatility of this release, bravely experimenting with exotic tastes.  

And what's for dessert? Well, hopefully you are not too full yet because it comes in two courses: Bonus part one features Lengualerta once more as well as The Hempolics (UK) and Germany's Benjie and Don Caramelo who all pick up on the Reggae Not Dead riddim. Part two adds some delicious remixes by Jstar (his version of Bubble for me is one of the shining stars of the album), Zion Train, KRAK in DUB and Greece's FLeCK.

With this massive squad of high-quality brain-and-ear-food, iLLBiLLY HiTEC have more than proven their point and shown that Reggae is very much alive, even in the non-Jamaican diaspora. And once we've all taken a long digestive stroll after this lavish feast, press play once more!
 

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