While Elliphant is a Swedish native, her proclivity for sunnier weather shines through in her music. An established name in Europe, the album is her trying to make more of a global mark. As for Ziggy Marley, his surname speaks for itself. Winner of a Grammy for his previous Fly Rasta album, ZM is his latest.
Elliphant — Living Life Golden (Kemosabe Records, available on Amazon.com). She may hail from Sweden; but the music of rapper and R&B artist Elliphant takes you to sunnier Caribbean climes and heats up like a torrid summer day. Given she isn’t a household name in the local music scene, I would best describe her music as what Rihanna would be mining if she stuck to her musical roots and didn’t go all pop. Or if we had a young Gwen Stefani breaking into the music world today, she would create music like this. The opener Step Down, Thing Called Life, and One More are my current favorites. The likes of Azealia Banks, Skrillex, Twin Shadow and Major Lazer guest on various tracks. A very interesting artist who incorporates a world sound.
Ziggy Marley — ZM (TuffGong, available on Amazon.com). While Ziggy’s previous album was cited for its crafty blend of rock elements within his trademark reggae music, the new album has some rock touches, but generally has more of a “back-to-roots” approach. Listen to Start It Up, We Are the People, Love Is A Rebel and Marijuanaman, and tell me if these tunes would not have felt at home in any of Papa Bob’s iconic albums. If anything, the influences here have more to do with funk (I’m Not Made of Stone), and gospel (Better Together).
Also worth noting is how the lyrical content of Ziggy’s tunes, some 40 years later, still talk of war, of race, of understanding our fellow man and of compassion. Some things just don’t change.