Mellow Mood - 7 + 7 Riddim Edition (La Tempesta Dischi)

Musically, twin brothers Jacopo and Lorenzo took a similarly stripped-down approach, opting for a vintage-leaning, analog sound shaped once again by producer Paolo Baldini.

Spanish-language influences, already prominent on their previous release ‘Mañana’, take centre stage once more, pushing aside their native Italian with track titles like ‘Candela’, ‘Isabela’ and ‘Rub A Dub Suavecito’.

But even while the vibe feels warm and laid-back, ‘7’ doesn’t shy away from addressing the harsh realities of the world. The anti-war anthem ‘Warmongers’ makes this perfectly clear:

Cyaan take it no more 
Not another war 
How we fi live so 

Inna dem time yah mi haffi look over mi shoulder
Dem loony bigga head deh must be getting bolder
Woi!
Look in the eyes of the warmonger 

We don’t want no war nor guerrilla
Mr. Bigga Head, Mr. Killer
Throw down your rocket and gun
A nuh likkle bit a blood run 
We bawl
Oh what a woi!
Too much weapons deployed
Oh what a woi!
Dem really want we dead oi!
…

And in light of the media circus surrounding Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s celebrity wedding in Venice, opener ‘Propaganda’ hits an even more pointed nerve:

Whole heap a dollar
A spill ova dem head like rainfall
Whole heap a dollar
Pour money inna crisis and money will follow 

It a di thirst fi money and power
A dat a mek dem waan screw we over
Truth stinks, dat dem try cover
Cyaan hide dem stench from da nose yah

Propaganda
Spreading all ova
Europe America
Madness a run the place
This cyaan work Jah

Whole heap a dollar
Nuff a dem man yah dem nuh get enough
Some a dem ah get too much a dat
Dem fall in love with the dollar
Careful, never you follow
Play we music, we nah care ‘bout dem

Propaganda
Spreading all ova 
Europe, America
How we fi live this way?
Help I, Father 

D-O-L-L-A-R
Nuff a dem a make it inna war, so sad
D-O-L-L-A-R
Feed up dem demons and forget about God
D-O-L-L-A-R
Nuff a dem a make it inna war, oh Lord
D-O-L-L-A-R
Man ah bun Babylon with me bars

As always, Mellow Mood put together an impressive guest list for ‘7’. After already appearing in the remix of ‘I And I Chant’ on Mañana, Anthony B stuck around long enough to record the infectious ‘Home Or Abroad’ alongside French crew Dub Inc. Romain Virgo lends his voice to the sound system anthem ‘Pull Up’, while Hawaiian singer Mike Love brings soulful depth to ‘Heavy Load’.

Not every track on ‘7’ hits with the same force, but the highlights are more than enough to keep this a rewarding listen. We remain devoted fans of this ever-evolving Italian duo.