Top 10 Albums of 2020: Positive Vibrations

Positive Vibrations

DJ Michael Kuelker
Saturdays | 9:00pm-11:00pm

For new original reggae and dancehall from our community, it was a most excellent year. In alphabetical order, here are 10 crucial cuts.

Fire N America - Diallo St. Clair & Mandrake Wallace (Diallo St. Clair)

Hypocrites - Diallo St. Clair & Mandrake Wallace (Diallo St. Clair)

Happy - King Z (Oil & Powder Records)

Roll Up - King Z (Oil & Powder Records)

Dem a Talk - Ras Stan (Overall Records)

Covid - Rayne Overall (Overall Records)

Rum and Boom - Rayne Overall (Overall Records)

Bailar -  Linval ‘Ashaka’ Thomas (Ramjam Records)

Haters - Linval ‘Ashaka’ Thomas (Ramjam Records)

Mandela - Tom Wood – EP: Resilience (Tom Wood)

From Michael Kuelker:

In spite of the pandemic, reggae and dancehall artists in our community continued to compose, record and produce music of quality. Artist-producer Rayne Overall cut an EP, Educated Criminal, in June and pumped out singles all year including “Rum and Boom,” a classic party anthem, and the topical “Covid.” King Z’s “Happy” has penetrated Jamaica radio and house parties; it’s a great musical tonic for the kind of year we’ve had. Diallo St. Clair & Mandrake Wallace hit in early 2020 with a must-hear realtytrac, “Fire N America.” Meanwhile, Tom Wood paid tribute to an icon, Ras Stan came out with some of his best work and Ashaka reinvented himself.

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