03/12/2020: “Vibes Is Right” by Barrington Levy

This one really took me by surprise. Barrington Levy is a great singer, for sure. But this burst of sheer soulfulness stands out!

Instead of a traditional reggae or dancehall track with a heavy bassline. Instead of dancehall toasting, you get a song which blends assertive piano chords, soulful horns, cavernous guitar riffs, and a huge wash of atmosphere.

It doesn’t sound like a 1980s song. It kind of sounds like an especially talented early jungle producer making a song specifically to close a set with.

It’s brilliant though, and quite unlike much else I’ve heard.

The song was released in 1985, as a single and on the seminal Here I Come.

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