Sound the System Showcase

Released

A dreadlocked, Rastafarian Italian with a rockstone voice right out of the 1980s dancehall, Alborosie (né Alberta D’Ascola) has emerged as one of Europe’s most effective reggae ambassadors and an international star. He earned his reputation the hard way, relocating to Kingston, Jamaica in 2001 and withstanding strong initial pushback from the local community. His hard-won success is down to not only his musical skill (he’s proficient on multiple instruments as well as being a talented singer and songwriter) but also his evident love and respect for the music he has adopted. Sound the System Showcase is, as its title suggests, a “showcase” album on which dub remixes are appended onto all the vocal tracks, turning each one into an extended “discomix” style production. It makes an excellent introduction to this gifted and unusual artist.

Rick Anderson

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