Artist: GyptianTitle: My Name Is GyptianRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Metanoya Z. Webb
The world came to know him as Gyptian; the 23 year old Rasta bred, St. Andrew’s born, vocalist, whose old-school Lovers Rock sound urgently
demanded attention back in 2005 with the release of
his conscious tune, “Serious Times.” The song exploded in
Jamaica and infiltrated foreign airwaves with a humble
vibration. Trotting up the same righteous hill as
rookie culture favorites, I-Wayne, Jah Cure and Fantan
Mojah, Gyptian’s debut, My Name Is Gyptian (VP Records)
introduces a collection of passionate, soothing,
socially uplifting tracks that validate the
authenticity of Windel Beneto Edwards-a well-balanced
young singer who is committed to creating love
saturated roots music.
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Infusing digital riddims with Nyahbinghi drums and
melodic scatting with lyrical singing, Gyptian’s
16-track debut is a soothing collection. Like any
true Lovers Rock deejay he sweets up the ladies on
songs like, “Beautiful Lady,” “Around the World” and
“You never Know,” melting hearts with realistic epics
conveniently accompanied by live one-drop music. And
with the help of DJ Flavor out of Kingston, Jamaica who
produced every single track on the album, excluding
“Serious Times” (Kenneth Wilson), My Name is Gyptian
is the proper way to introduce yourself to a tainted
music scene that has lost sense of what true artistry
really is. With a calming sound very reminiscent of
Reggae favorites, Beres Hammond and Sanchez, Gyptian’s
promising voice garners and deserves your undivided
attention.
But the album is not strictly Lovers Rock (sorry
groupies). Gyptian rightfully speaks out to the
conscious scene throughout his record, exposing his
humanitarian roots, inherited from his Rastafarian
selector “pupa” and devout Christian “muma” who
collectively instilled a socially aware perspective in
Windel from a young age, successfully translating into
a voice that is able to soulfully expose the hardships
governing the rough roads of Jamaica. And from the
very first track of the album, “Beng Beng” a ballad
condemning the violence occurring throughout the
island, Gyptian makes it clear that unlike the
majority of his peers, his music actually has an
uplifting message. Crooning over African drumming at
the end of the second verse, “But what about the
youth of tomorrow, where do they stand/If we as the
older ones keeps on shooting each other down/But too
much Beng Beng, show some love a town,” reinforces the
fact that Gyptian’s music has the power to help revive
reggae.
