Roots Manuva Vs Wrongtom: Duppy Writer
British rapper, Roots Manuva has been making music for the better part of the last decade and a half. In that time he has built a steady following by mixing the sound of his Jamaican ancestry with modern hip hop, electronica, and dub. On Duppy Writer, South London producer, Wrongtom reimagines songs from Roots Manuva’s four main albums.
From the get go, the album reminded me of another super duo that teamed up to make Jamaican-tinged electronica, namely Major Lazer. Sadly, it does not contain any song as great as “Hold The Line” but it does have several songs that give the rest of the Major Lazer album a run for its money.
The only completely original track on Duppy Writer is the album’s lead single, “Jah Warriors”. The track features Ricky Ranking. The track has a Jamaican-tinged grime feel to it that is both unique and neck-breaking. The understated dark synths and electronic arpeggios add to the track’s menacing mood.
Duppy Writer feels like Wrongtom is playing with loaded deck. Of course the album is going to be great, he got to choose from the greatest Roots Manuva tracks to compile his remixes. Still Wrongtom does a great job with the instrumental portion of the album to the point where his remixes are almost more memorable than the originals. While It is unfortunate that “Jah Warriors” is the only completely new track but it does not deter too much from the album.
Rating: 9.7/10
MP3: Roots Manuva vs. Wrongtom “Jah Warrior”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!