The Tighters - Differently (A-Lone Productions)

Ante already made his mark as part of Swedish outfit Lide Najs, with whom he released the album ‘Högre Perspektiv’ back in 2013. On ‘Differently’, a nod to his Swedish roots can be found with ‘Närmre Tillsammans’, which translates to “closer together” and features Ante singing entirely in Swedish.

This release also brings us back to the almost unavoidable Roberto Sánchez - and we’re certainly not complaining - who mixed the album and provided the accompanying dubs.

Three of the five tracks on ‘Differently’, opener ‘One Drop’, ‘Everything And Quickly’ and ‘Sweet Melody’, are built on the same riddim. Yet, thanks to The Tighters’ selection of talented guest vocalists, each track has its own distinct flavor.

Title track ‘Differently’ features Toviga Love, a fellow Swede, while ‘Sweet Melody’ is a solid collaboration with Joe Pilgrim. However, our standout pick is the slow, meditative roots of ‘Everything And Quickly’, a duet with Ras Hassen Ti, with Renaud Blachier’s melodica and Julien ‘Yout’ Barker’s repeater/kette drum taking center stage.

Enjoyable rootsy release that leaves us eager for more!