Search - Midnite :: Infinite Quality

The Final Midnite Album of 2007!. . . Probably. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 11/18/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"2007 has been a very powerful and potentially landmark year for roots reggae music coming out of the Virgin Islands. The biggest occurrence of the year definitely was the fact that a VI artist finally cracked through the 'mainstream' reggae market of Jamaica and has all but established himself as a household name with one of the biggest songs of the year. Pressure Busspipe, a St. Thomas native, attracted the attention of Jamaican super-producer Don Corleone and dropped Love & Affection late 2006 and the song become a MASSIVE hit in 2007, being the first of its kind for a Virgin Islands reggae artist. International fans, perhaps have not even discerned the fact that Pressure is not actually Jamaican, but the reggae industry is paying attention, so much so that the tune would ultimately appear on two of the biggest reggae compilations of the year; The Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems from Greensleeves and of course Reggae Gold from VP Records. Alongside Pressure busting into the big time, there were also albums from some of the biggest names in the genre. Artists like Batch, Ras Attitude and Niyorah all released albums (in Batch's case, multiple albums). A next crop of lesser known but established artists, such as Mada Nile, Danny I and De Apostle also pushed albums. More even still were solid artists such as Xkaliba, Ickarus, Nubian Natty and Massiah made their official debuts as well. There was also a rather significant event in the second half of the year with VETERAN musician Tuff Lion finally reached the world with his official debut, the very nicely done Utterance. Combine all of that with a rather constant stream of singles and a few other events (such as releases from related artists to the genre such as Malika Madremana, Blaak Lung, Noble Society and Empress Cherisse) have definitely made 2007 more than just a year to remember for Virgin Islands roots reggae music. And then there is Midnite. By far, the trendsetter of the genre, Midnite was the group which initially made reggae coming from the Virgin Islands a subject of discussion, 2007 for Midnite has been nothing short of very very successful and equally very very strange. While typically, being prolific, much like their Jamaican roots counterparts, is a trait which Midnite definitely has exhibited over the years as `they' (`they' of course meaning front man and songwriter, Vaughn Benjamin) have routinely released three or four albums for three or four different labels almost annually. 2007 was even more different however, as `they' took the term prolific in terms of reggae, and virtually redefined it.



Typically (however odd it may sound) Midnite will load up early in the year and release three albums between the months January and February and that was the same in 2007. This year saw the early months PACKED with Midnite releases; There was the reigning crown jewel of the year, the nearly brilliant Rule the Time, the obligatory effort from the VI's premier label, I-Grade Records; There was the painstakingly DEEP and cryptic Aneed which was Vaughn Benjamin's pet album as he did virtually everything on the album (where he finds the time, I`ll never know!), put out by Groundbreaking Records; and there was the bigger, more ethereal vibed New 1000 for young New Mexican label, Full Grown Records. But they didn't stop there for the early months, instead Vaughn (apparently before leaving New Mexico after recording New 1000) also released the more roots (and BASS) heavy Suns of Atom for fellow NM label Fifth Son Records as well. All four albums appeared within a single month of each other (actually, probably it was more like three weeks) and it was everything Midnite fans who buy their albums were used to dealing with each and every January. In the summer there were two more Midnite albums. First up was the rather typical for Midnite, but still oddly addictive, Better World Rasta for Florida based Rastar Records. Better World Rasta just had a more solid and well engineered power style to it which sounded almost like an ever so slightly exaggerated form of what Vaughn typically puts out. Following BWR was the EXCELLENT Bless Go Roun for the California label Higher Ground Records (are you still keeping up???). Bless Go Roun was/is an album which really showed Vaughn in a different light, the album is much more dynamic and melodic than what you typically hear from the chanting Benjamin while not deviating his style too much at all and it is definitely one of my favourite Midnite releases to date. Bless Go Roun was truly a very nice way to cap an excellent (albeit definitely overdone!) 2007 for Midnite. However, apparently no one bothered to tell mention that to Vaughn himself as he wasted no time in releasing what is undoubtedly his most anticipated and popular release of the year since Rule the Time. Infinite Quality comes at the hand of what is in my opinion the finest roots reggae production house outside of Jamaica (and I-Grade Records definitely as well, and I'm sure I'm probably missing a very large one as well) and the Caribbean as a whole, the excellent Lustre Kings Productions of Oakland, California. Lustre Kings has been making a very fine brand of roots for roughly a half decade, and doing so with many of the biggest names from the island. Names like Sizzla Kalonji, Capleton, Luciano, Anthony B and Turbulence have all voiced for the label. They have also released albums for Turbulence, Lutan Fyah and VI chanter Ras Attitude in the past as well (there`s a long overdue album from Norrisman in their ranks as well), definitely making themselves a label to keep an eye on for good quality roots. The label has also had a fantastic relationship with artists coming from the Caribbean outside of Jamaica, as alongside Ras Attitude, Lustre Kings has voiced artists such as Khari Kill and Marlon Asher from Trinidad and St. Thomas residents Pressure and Niyorah . The question of exactly when the label might make its way to Midnite, the undisputed biggest name in reggae in the Caribbean outside of Jamaica, was only a matter of time.



Enter Infinite Quality. This album greatly interested me going in because I figured that because of the type of music LKP has released in the past, which is more along the lines of what you hear here in Jamaica, we might finally get to hear Vaughn consistently go over riddims which are presented and voiced by the Sizzla's, Capleton's and Luciano's of the world (ultimately I would love Midnite to come here and voice for someone definitely!). The results are not exactly what I might've expected as Vaughn's inimitable style (as it usually does) outshines the riddim on virtually every track, but it sounds closer and closer to more of a Jamaican vibes and there are some very nice twists on Infinite Quality. Twist number one is definitely the opener which sounds like something one might expect to hear on a traditional Japanese sound with a very string-heavy sound for Dew. Dew is definitely a changeup and a `twist' but it's the type of thing that you wouldn't necessarily place out character for Vaughn Benjamin to record. After awhile the backing (which is quite lovely actually as it gets better as it goes along adding newer slight nuances all along the track) almost disappears under Benjamin's flowing chant and I have to say of all the downright strange tunes I've heard from Midnite over the years (and there have been MANY) by far Dew is one of the ones which grew on me the fastest (check the shockingly addictive The Gad on the Let Live album for another). Things point in a more familiar direction on the second track, the wonderful Right Here. Right Here is a very lovely song over an equally lovely and bubbling riddim complete with a very nice horns sectioning. Of ALL the tunes on Infinite Quality, the one which I think would be the best performed live is without a doubt Right Here. The song just has a very nice and vibrant vibe to it accompanying Vaughn's unusually lively chanting as well. The title track, which comes third on the album flows over an older Lustre Kings riddim which I recognize as the Shining riddim (most notably it also served as backing for what is my favourite tune on the riddim was Lutan Fyah's Fire in the Barn) is a song which is fairly standard Vaughn Benjamin but with a slight twist. The chorus is exceptionally strong with a very random background chanting to it (which I believe was Vaughn himself) and combined with his typically STRONG message, definitely make the title track here one of the absolute best efforts (and you have to check the very nice touch at the end of the song, which I won't spoil here).



The real highlight on paper of Infinite Quality is without a doubt the song which Lustre Kings tipped earlier this year on the Rastafari Unity EP, Stay With His Majesty, a solid combination with blazing Jamaican chanter Lutan Fyah. Fyah is without a doubt one of my current favourites overall, and the song is very solid, but I would definitely like to see the pair get back in to the studio (maybe even on another LKP riddim) for another go. As it is, Stay With His Majesty is a very strong knowledge track and works completely on Inifinite Quality as aside from the occasional appearance of Jah Rubal or Pressure and the likes, you really won't find too many combinations with Vaughn Benjamin, and certainly not with top notch roots talents from Iland. Stay With His Majesty begins a stretch of about four or five tracks which really sends the album on a very high note. Its following track, Hymns is another track which we've heard before as it appeared on LK's Red Razor riddim which was released as an album in February. The Red Razor is the perfect backdrop for one of the most powerful message tracks on the entire album, definitely dig into the words on this one and the production (helmed by Zion High and includes a virtual all-star group of players of instrument including Wadi Gad and Tuff Lion) is so strong so as the riddim does not get overlooked in the slightest bit. Hymns precedes what is definitely my choice as the finest track on Infinite Quality altogether, the OUTSTANDING Before David. Before David is a track which absolutely makes one proud to be of Afrikan descent (which I am) and combined with a `riddim' which almost isn't even a riddim, instead a backing track built to go around Benjamin's words (which is what often times it seems as if happens on Midnite's songs, but in the case of Before David, it seems purely INTENTIONAL). It goes on in such a style which is almost talking and in the middle of the track it seems almost endless. Definitely a real winner which takes Benjamin's style and doesn't change it at all but adds to it, the result is without a doubt the strongest material you will find on Infinite Quality and one of the strongest tracks I have heard from Midnite entirely. I would also go to mention that the tune which immediately follows Before David is the outstanding Dominion and it leads into a series of very strong tracks which culminates with the very lovely closer Heal Yourself, another one of the best tune altogether on Infinite Quality.



Other tracks on the album which distinguish themselves definitely include first and foremost, the very explosive Mic Row Assemble. Mic Row Assemble has almost a hip-hop feel to it or an experimental dancehall vibes even. Somewhere in the midst of the song I actually forgot I was listening to a Midnite song, it is actually a VERY fun track during which Benjamin flows a never ending current of knowledge (he even namedrops Marvelous Marvin Hagler!) on MANY things. Definitely a very nice addition and yet another solid changeup for the album. Also check Lose Everything. Lose Everything actually probably has the strongest message on the entire album as Benjamin encourages people to `lose everything to know Jah!'. the tune also features strong instrumentation from the likes of Tuff Lion, Tippy Alfred, fellow VI chanter Abja and Benjamin himself (soon I imagine Vaughn will develop someway in which he can perform and play EVERY instrument simultaneously). And lastly I'll recommend two more standouts from the middle of the album. Check both Attacking the Doves and More Love. The former is a very strong track empowering the women, while the latter sounds like something directly out of yard circa 1970 with a very strong one drop (also the song features a characteristically perplexing lyric from Benjamin, easily the most hieroglyphic-like on Inifinite Quality when he chants at the beginning of the third verse `Imagine to see all the different very same thing, in a game theory book', and in typical Vaughn Benjamin style, he ties it together, and in the end, it makes perfect sense what he was intending for the line).



Overall, as usual, I'm recommending the latest Midnite album to those who are fans of Midnite. I wouldn't exactly call it the most accessible Midnite album to date for newer fans (for that, from this year alone, because those album would be more readily available, check Better World Rasta and especially Rule the Time), but for more indoctrinated fans, you will enjoy this alongside each and every other Midnite release. I think Lustre Kings could have really done more with it, with their connections, certainly a few more combinations with Jamaican artists would have really pushed this one to the heights (including THE combination which I have been waiting for; Vaughn Benjamin alongside Sizzla Kalonji!). As it is probably the third or fourth best release of the year after Rule the Time and Bless Go Roun and perhaps tied with Better World Rasta.. However, Infinite Quality is the standard top notch rootical vibe we've come to expect from Midnite over the years, definitely doesn't disappoint, but I'll love to see what LKP and Midnite have in store for 2008 (it is only November though! They could have another album this year!)."

Is V. Benjamin human?

who? | Burlington, VT | 02/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"..another killer Midnite production. Just curious though, why are the tracks labeled as "explicit" Amazon?"