Protoje ADD

Review

EP Review: Protoje - The Jamaican Situation (Side A)

10/18/2024

Never one to approach music in a mediocre way, Protoje has returned with a curious release: seemingly half (or less) of a soundtrack to an unreleased short film about life under Babylon/capitalism in Jamaica.

The Jamaican Situation (Side A), released via Ineffable Records, sees KingDigg release five cuts from the upcoming soundtrack – all of which tell part of the story. The film is set to be released in summer 2025, in his co-directorial debut with SAMO. Protoje himself said:

“The Jamaican Situation tells the story of a man returning home and grappling with his identity amidst the complexities of modern Jamaican life. My music intricately weaves into this narrative, enriching the dialogue and themes explored throughout the film”.

So, what of the music?

The previously released 30 Million opens the EP and sees Protoje and long-time collaborator Iotosh bring together numerous elements to create a thoroughly modern Roots-based sound. Bubble rhythms join forces with a drop-beat, rich, and rounded bass – but in true Protoje style this is more Revival Reggae, as drums stroll a Hip Hop path. There’s Dub engineering a plenty across reverb and breaks, plus the distortion on Protoje’s chorus line works well. The lilting second piano delivers something soulful, as does Lamont ‘Monty’ Savory’s electric guitar. Of course, Protoje himself delivers in droves – with a pensive vocal performance, and narrative around the ills in Jamaica under the system – poverty, violence, inequality – that resonates globally. Slick and efficient.

Mariposa, also previously released, is a strange creation – not least because you have the usually Roots-based Zion I Kings team producing what is essentially an Alt RnB-meets Dancehall track. The latter is present across David ‘Jah David’ Goldfine’s bass, which mimics a broken Dancehall clave rhythm with the distorted kick and snare. The rest of the production is brooding and ambient – from the synths to the pattering keys and the heavily embellished engineering. This creates a simmering undercurrent of smoky seductiveness – fitting of the lyrics, as Protoje opines that “self-belief is the secret, believe me; you see, you - you make me meditate and talk about some things that I would never say”. Ghetto love, you could say, in the context of The Jamaican Situation.

Back to Revival Reggae we go, with Where We Come From (again, previously released) featuring Jahshii and IzyBeats – the latter who produced. However, this is thoroughly modern Roots, as the more traditional elements like the bubble rhythm (here, tinny and laced with decay) meet Trap buzz rolls on the hi-hats and a dominant kick. There’s some keen attention to detail across the secondary instrumentation, including a well-placed electric organ running heavily vibrato’d chords. Jahshii understood the assignment, delivering a vocal that is urgent and matching Protoje’s. Lyrically, Where We Come From is a metaphorical call to arms for the yutes against ‘crab in a barrel’ mentality: to revolt against the system’s agenda and what it would have you be, because “we’re in the struggle, and still surviving, because they don’t want to see youths rising”. Stirring stuff.

80's Wild is indeed ‘wild’ – seeing producer Will Tee bring the Revival Reggae beats harder across something that’s still traditional Roots but stripped back and messed with for 2024. It is a more strikingly sparse arrangement that uses traditional Roots devices like a bubble rhythm, a skanking guitar, and a drop-beat bass, interspersing them with some nods to Dub via the engineering and use of synths, but also something Hip Hop with the drums. The sonics overall feel like a tribute to Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – and it is very much a ‘back to the 80s’ affair, also in the lyrics, of course, which track the path which led to not only Jamaica being in the state it is in, but also the concurrent rising up of Roots Reggae. You know “they’re not going to teach you this at school”.

The Jamaican Situation concludes with the Ziah.Push-produced Barrel Run – a pacey, forward-moving affair which is perhaps the straightest Roots track of the EP. Keys run a bubble rhythm, drums are on a sort-of one drop, while the bass winds around. There’s excellent horn work via Oshane Love’s alt sax, Randy Fletcher’s trombone, and Okiel McIntyre’s trumpet – which strut across the track with aplomb. Again, this is Protoje so there’s some glorious additional interest – like the return of a theremin (remember A Matter Of Time?), but here, engineered to sound like a choral vocal. Sherita Lewis-Rodney’s background vocals are first class, too. Lyrically, Protoje has crafted a veritable sermon on how the system in Jamaica (and everywhere) subjugates us with coercion to continue to do its bidding (at the expense of us and everyone else around us) – but reminding us that, yes, “the system a ruff, everybody wicked and tuff”, yet there is another way. A fitting conclusion to this part of the project.

Overall, The Jamaican Situation Side A is a welcome return from Protoje. It is difficult to truly rate it until Side B and the accompanying film are both released – as context here will be crucial. But as a starting point, the record is strong, lyrics thought-provoking, and Protoje enigmatic as always.