Lutan Fyah - Strength & Resilience (I Grade Records)

Musically, this collaboration does not disappoint, with tracks featuring the signature flute of Sheldon Bernard and the trumpet of Okiel McIntyre taking centre stage once more.

The album carries a strong thematic thread, reflecting on the current state of the world. Right from opener ‘Warning Dem’, Lutan Fyah laments: “Why people lose dem common sense? Madness take over dem!”. A personal favourite is ‘Drain The Swamp’, a title that speaks for itself, while closing track ‘Tomorrow From Today’ delivers a message of perseverance: “When struggle comes, please stand firm and overcome!”. Title track ‘Strength & Resilience’, follows a similar theme, offering encouragement in difficult times: “You’ve got to have strength and resilience, to get the I through these tough times…”.

Mama tunes have become somewhat of a reggae cliché, but ‘Listen Mama’ is a heartfelt tribute that holds its own.

The album also features strong guest appearances from Akae Beka (Vaughn Benjamin) and Queen Omega. Akae Beka elevates ‘Just The Time’ to a higher spiritual plane, while Queen Omega injects extra energy into ‘Days After Summer’.

Of course, no Lutan Fyah album would be complete without tributes to the Most High, and tracks like ‘Leader Before Me’ and ‘Freedom Sound’ - once again featuring Vaughn Benjamin’s voice in the background - pay due respect to Jah.

With ‘Strength & Resilience’, Lutan Fyah proves once again that his collaborations with Zion I Kings and I Grade Records are a hallmark of quality.

Lutan Fyah will bring Strength & Resilience to life on stage at Het Depot in Leuven, where he will perform alongside Jah Mason and Zhayna on Sunday, March 9th.