Cali P ADD

Review

Review: Cali P - Healing Of The Nation EP

11/10/2014

Healers are the most beneficial beings on this planet, don't you agree? Treating physical and/ or mental ailments, they dedicate their lives to make us feel better and thus deserve our deepest respect. Who knows where we would stand today (or if we'd stand at all) had it not been for the wise-women, herbalists and doctors who cured our ancestors and keep looking for remedies against the diseases of our times. On a mission to bring us musical healing, Pierre Nanon a.k.a. Cali P has just released an EP called Healing Of The Nation on the Hemp Higher label. While his last release Unstoppable (2011) was leaning heavily toward HipHop & Dancehall, the present album bears proof of the spiritual home the singer found in Jamaica. Unmistakably depicted in the cover, it is deeply rooted in Reggae, presenting nine tracks of as diverse producers as Evidence Music (Switzerland), Jugglerz & Junior Blender (Germany) or Pharfar & Jahdil (Denmark). This multiple provenance assures a refreshing variety of sound, so there should be something in for every ear!

The EP starts with My Home, yet another homage to the mystic Mama Africa. It is easily the best track on the album, the beautiful instrumentation providing a perfect background for Cali P's mature voice, sweet background singers included. The problem with such a grand entry is that, inevitably, the following songs have a hard time living up to the high expectations thus raised. Wha Gwaan, for instance, isn't as melodious as the first track, but might appeal to those who value toasting qualities; it gives us a short overview about the singer's biography, and we learn that he's only 29, that he grew up in the Caribbean and made his first steps as an artist in Switzerland, acting as an MC for the Gideon Soldiers Soundsystem. In for a taste of his lyrics? "Let's try make it better for each other, instead of looking down on the brother." is taken from Bed Of Roses, a pensive reflection on the difficulties life has up it's sleeve sometimes. This young man is undeniably a conscious artist, a fact he proves again in Solution. It's a plea for wealthy people to remember where they come from and think about the poor.

I Am Bless, One Step and Carry The Load are average pieces, both musically and lyrically, but the next track United We Stand is highly interesting. The arrhythmic percussions stick out at once, apparently off beat; however, the more closely you listen, the more they blend into the song. Good job, Teka (Rootdown Music)!

Closing the album, the title track has the potential to rock the live shows that are hopefully lying ahead. "Let there be vibes, cause music is the healing of the nation." is a chorus line as true as it is easy to pick up and chant along. People come on!

In case you are craving for more, rest assured you won't have to wait long: for three years now, the artist has been working incessantly on a new album entitled musiCALI sPeaking, and given the list of producers (Sheldon Stewart, Craigy and Bobby Digital), the upcoming thing will be well worth the wait. Yes, we want more healing!