Faya Indeed !!!
Am 14. Mai 2008 von Achis geschrieben.
The well packed twenty tracked Lyrical Faya gives a very strong introduction to Cali P the artist, with Pow Pow leaving no stone unturned. After a brief intro (which is in some language I have NEVER heard before) which is a basic chant, Lyrical Faya gets started with the very strong and fitting Redemption. The song is the first which shows off Lyrical Faya's. . . lyrical faya. For his part, Cali P definitely crafts the tune very well and the fact that its built over the LOVELY Aqua riddim (which has a very laid back tropical, almost ska bounce in the vibes at times) doesn't hurt at all. The tune is about focusing on the very important things in life, most importantly of course, being His Majesty. Following Redemption is I Consider which is a tune which I just LOVE. Partially due to Cali P's wonderful vibes which probably produces the finest chorus on the entire album and the tune is one of several which shows his range both in singing and in Djaying as he uses a more aggressive style at times. Also, I love the riddim, Das Vibes' wicked Gloria riddim which I know VERY well as the backing for Daddy Rings' (another Jamaican artist very popular in Europe) AWESOME Dispensation of Life (definitely check out Rings' Most High album as well), even though it lacks the wicked string intro which I so loved on Dispensation. I Consider has a bit more lyrical depth than both of its two immediate predecessors as Cali P actually ties the entire song around the downright marvelous chorus. The tune stresses watching your actions and the actions of those around you for better or worse and its definitely a wonderful message. Closing the opening of Lyrical Faya is the big stepper of the three, High Grade, the obligatory ganja tune here. The tune definitely changes the vibes of the album in the early going as it is a bit more up than the first two tracks, flowing nicely over Austrian label Bassrunner's HEAVY Tragedy riddim (and for some real faya, check out the lyrical tirade Cali delivers near the end of the tune when the riddim gets even a bit heavier). Very strong tune.
Lyrical Faya is full of nice tunes throughout. The ones which really catch the attention on paper are definitely the combinations. The first here is Settle The Score, seriously one of the biggest tunes here altogether alongside strong Jamaican chanter Ras Charmer. The two make a very nice duo on the laid back vibes of Settle the Score which talks about all the negativity and horrific acts Babylon has done to the people and bringing vengeance (in the spiritual form) against the system. The tune is one which took a bit of time to grow on me and when it finally did, I definitely got the vibes harsh! Big tune. The second combination, African Love was DEFINITELY one which I was looking forward to a great deal and it didn't disappoint at all. The tune features SUPERB Gwada chanter Tiwony who also made his solo debut in 2007 with the serious Fly (PRIYE JAH!). Unlike Cali P, Tiwony goes in French all the time, and his skill is probably the highest OVERALL I have heard from any French speaking artist to date all around in reggae. The tune is more of a dancehall and maybe even hip-hoppish stylee over Pow Pow's African Love riddim and both carry their vibes and I always love to hear such tunes which keep a rootical message and vibes but deliver them in dancehall fashion (there's a similar, but less powerful tune, Africa, earlier in the album as well). Another tune here which I was very much looking forward to and the next combination was Its Not a Dream which features Martinique native, the solid Straika D. The song is one of my absolute favourites on the album as the two styles even more so than either of the first two tracks really show a nice chemistry in the vibes. Straika, since I've been listening, has always shown himself very skilled as well and although the tune never loses its focus, it just sounds like an utter joy to have made, the two really put in a strong vibes for the tune and done so, of course, for His Imperial Majesty. However, all that being said, the combination of all combinations and the tune of all tunes on Lyrical Faya and seriously one which literally SHOCKED me when I realized it was on the album is Right Time which features AWESOME Trini roots Empress, Queen Omega. The tune flows superbly over Swiss Weedy G's Soundforce and I've yet to see the Queen do anything but help push the vibes of the artists that she works with (even NINJAMAN!) and Right Time is no exception. The song speaks of NOW being the right time to start preparing and literally taking over for the future, just a powerful vibes and a truly SUPERIOR combination for Lyrical Faya, worth the price of admissions itself. The balance of Lyrical Faya, for the most part, is filled with very listenable material, I actually found myself getting the vibes of early Turbulence in listening to the album (but way more dancehall) in that, at least for right now, no matter which style Cali P seems to touch, he seems virtually incapable of making bad tunes. Even the tunes which I don't necessarily enjoy seem to have something in them which make them decent for the album (such as Got It Deh which is an average dancehall vibe but features a far better than average flow and some serious FAYA from Cali P). The best of the rest is probably the single from the album (check the very nice video) Keep In Touch, the top notch lover's selection here. The tune is produced by Austrian label House of Riddim under their Slave riddim and it definitely works. The tune is actually very good, and its really important that such a song is here, not just remembering about the Black woman, but of course the interactions with the Black woman and just doing so in a SIMPLE, yet strong vibes. The biggest dancehall tune here (and there are several) is definitely the hypnotic Hypocrites which, due to the odd way in which I listened to the album at first was my favourite tune for awhile. It is another rootical dancehall track with a very strong edge and it again shows Cali P's wonderful straight forward style which is maintained regardless of the style he chooses. I could seriously go one and on! You'll probably recognize both Smilin Faces and (definitely) Forward which flow over two very popular Pow Pow riddims, the Overstand and the big Superior; and I'll recommend the STRONGEST message on the album overall on the wicked Take Care of My Family which just speaks for itself after the very first few opening lines. And lastly, Lyrical Faya ends with a tune which just doesn't belong here but I'm so glad it is. Right Around the Corner is probably a tune Cali wrote while listening to Baby Cham's big Ghetto Story hit as it almost uses one of the same punch lines (on the cornah!) and has a strong similar old school vibes due to the WICKED old dancehall vibed riddim from Swedish label KBC Music, on the Tsunami Punani riddim.
Overall, I'm so close to giving this one a five star rating as Cali P just delivers on nearly all bases and definitely impresses at least this reggae head. I love the hearing the artists from other places in the world taking the vibes and strictly making them sound so authentic and Cali P has captured that to a great detail. Where even artists such as Tiwony himself or Admiral T or Lady Sweety may do something (and I will say that having more experience with them, I still rate them more than Cali P at this point, but he is gaining fast!), their vibes are something which find a way to let you know (besides just the language, at least I THINK) that this is something which is different. Cali P, however even further blends the edge as he pushes forth not only what is certain to be one of the biggest debuts of 2008 in Lyrical Faya, but maybe one of the biggest albums period.
Cali P.