Antigua-based producer and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Ron Benjamin quietly dropped his latest project at midnite last night. Bring It Anu finds Benjamin teaming up with Tamera George, AKA Tamera, an Antiguan singer. Benjamin, along with his late brother Vaughn, took the reggae industry by storm in the late 1990s with their groundbreaking roots reggae outfit Midnite. Over the next 20 years, working from his Afrikan Roots Lab studio, Ron would produce what many consider (including myself) to be the very best modern roots reggae albums of the 2K era with Jubilees of Zion (2002), Seek Knowledge Before Vengeance (2002), Ainshant Maps (2004) and Lion Out of Zion (2013).

Bring It Anu finds Ron Benjamin in familiar territory, producing deep, spiritual, and hypnotic instrumentals for an uber-talented female lead (check his work with Dezarie). Tamera is a supremely talented vocalist who can both sing and chant with the best in the industry. Less militant than Dezarie, Tamera’s sound and vibe is more neo-soul, however Benjamin keeps the sound firmly rooted in reggae. Known primarily for his distinctive production sound, as a musician, Benjamin doesn’t get the acclaim that he truly deserves. The thunderous yet punchy sound of his bass and the crispness of his drum sound is unlike anything else I’ve heard. His basslines on tunes like “Free Your Mind Soul Body”,” “Bring It Anu,” and “Youths Dem Yearning” are just mesmerizing. The album is truly a work to behold. Listen for yourself…

My favorite tracks so far are “Free Your Mind Soul Body”, “Defend Your Essence,” and “Bring It Anu.”

Ron Benjamin Music Group