Raging Fyah

Everlasting

One of few self contained groups (as opposed an artist’s backing band) within contemporary Jamaican music, Raging Fyah is now poised for a significant impact upon America’s vast reggae landscape (dominated by homegrown bands) with the Spring 2016 release of Everlasting, their debut album forVP Records’ Dub Rockers imprint. Recorded live at Kingston’s legendary Tuff Gong Studios producer Llamar ‘Riff Raff’ Brown (whose credits include Stephen and Damian Marley, Richie Spice, T.O.K and 2016 Grammy Award winners Morgan Heritage) incorporates broad based influences, various acoustic subtleties, and a few guest artists, all of which enhances as well as expands Raging Fyah’s established reggae identity.

“Working on this album was very exciting but challenging; we wanted to stay within the context of who Raging Fyah is, but we never want to box ourselves in either,” explains the band’s bassist/backing vocalist Delroy “Pele” Hamilton. “Being free spirited as musicians, we spend many hours jamming all kinds of music when we rehearse so we said why not use some of what we feel naturally on our record?” The title, ‘Everlasting’, was chosen to convey the durability of Raging Fyah’s music and the long term effect collaborating with Riff Raff has had on the band. “We had the choice to work with any producer we wanted, locally or internationally and we chose Llamar,” says Raging Fyah’s keyboardist/backing vocalist Demar “Keysie” Gayle. “We have learned so much from him; the way he helped to shape our sound is an everlasting lesson.”

The set opens with Everlasting’s title track, its hypnotic dub effects and majestic brass summoning the eternal strength of Jah love while heralding the extraordinary musical experience presented on the album’s 13 tracks. From the carefree, easy skanking vibe of ‘Happiness’ to the unshakable spirit of resiliency on the roots rocking ‘Try Again’; from the melodious crusade for ‘Justice’ to the lush harmonies and gentle soulfulness of the “Ready For Love”, Raging Fyah’s varied experiences and broadening perspectives in recent years contributes to the sonic sophistication that characterizes Everlasting. The band has performed in such far-flung locales as Siberia, Russia and the South Pacific island of New Caledonia; they’ve developed a significant fan base throughout Europe where they have toured extensively and they are now gearing up for their first U.S. tour, supporting American reggae band Stick Figure on the latter’s Set In Stone tour beginning March 10, 2016 in San Diego. “From our last album until now, we have traveled so much, and experienced different scenarios that we felt should be a part of Everlasting,” says Pele. Kumar’s supple expressive tone persuasively delivers Everlasting’s array of personas, including the playful suitor on the album’s first single ‘Dash Wata’, the Jamaican roots revolutionary on ‘RaggaMuffin’ and the enlightened soldier in Jah Army on “Getting Dread” Each mood is ideally complemented by the band’s finely honed, faultlessly taut grooves.

Unlike their previous albums, Raging Fyah has chosen to collaborate with select guest artists on a few of Everlasting’s tracks. Rising roots sing-jay Jesse Royal joins the band in criticizing greedy, uncaring leaders on ‘Humble’; dancehall star Busy Signal, who was so impressed by the Everlasting recording sessions he is featured on two irresistible tracks, the pop flavored ‘Would You Love Me’, and the lilting ‘Live Your Life’, also featuring Compton, California raised reggae star J Boog, who cites Raging Fyah among his favorite bands. Raging Fyah collectively writes their songs, many conveying personal meaning while simultaneously addressing wider issues. “Wondering” asks how did we get here, seemingly questioning a relationship gone wrong but the song was penned in Haiti as the band considered the descent of the first independent Black nation into one of poorest countries in the western Hemisphere, despite its plentiful resources. While emphasizing personal accomplishments through small achievements “Get Up” was written to motivate the progress of Africans throughout the Diaspora, notwithstanding the lingering effects of historical atrocities: “locked up in captivity, shipped across the Caribbean sea, so many years of slavery I still don’t know my identity”, sings Kumar, the purity of his emotionally wrenching vocals framed by Demar’s classically influenced piano, a representation of the culture imposed on slaves, prior to the segue into an emancipating reggae rhythm. “We put the classical part in to represent colonialism,” Kumar explains, “because the song is about a belief system, the advancement of the Black race, creeping first then walking as a people and taking pride in our history.”

Certain to be one of 2016’s most celebrated releases, Everlasting signifies a milestone in Raging Fyah’s career by raising the bar on their already lofty musical standards. “The challenging lyrics on Everlasting challenged what we were able to do as musicians,” says Demar. “Musically, we kept our roots but went way beyond them because there is not just one shape to fyah, it takes on different forms.” Integral to the development and production of an album is the producer. After all the songs are written, the instruments recorded and the lyrics are voiced; the producer will mix and master the tracks for the final recording. Often the producer helps guide the vision and synergy of the whole project, but more specifically Intricate to this process is the layering and the arrangements of sounds, harmony, rhythms and voice to actually construct the songs. IRIE Mag took the time to sit down with Grammy winning producer Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’ Browne about his most recent work on Everlasting with Raging Fyah. As the touring keyboardist for Stephen Marley and professional producer for Damion Marley, Richie Spice, Duane Stephenson, Beenie Man and too many to name – his experience was welcomed by ‘The Fyah’ and we welcome him to Irie Mag!

The Interview

IRIE. Blessed Love Riff, Thanks for hanging with Irie Mag. Today is all about your most recent collaboration with Raging Fyah producing their third studio album, Everlasting. Tell us, when was your first introduction to Raging Fyah?

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: Well I attended Edna Manley for a brief time and was in the same year as Toni Drumz (Drummy) & Demz (Keysie). We all played music together and shared in the same creative circles in school. Demz actually played and helped start Further Notice (today NOTIS) with myself, Unga & Welsh. There was actually a time where Kumar sang a bit for Notis – yuh dun know – the camaraderie and the friendship followed us through the years long after school.

IRIE. Knowing them from school days, what did you think of the first two Raging Fyah albums, Judgement Day & Destiny?

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: Well to be honest I was heavily touring when these two albums started going into rotation from 2012 – 2015. From a producers standpoint, I didn’t get to sit and analyze the albums on that level – but every time I heard their music, there sound had feeling – they’ve always played great music and recorded well. But make me tell you see them live…zeen?

IRIE. How did you get to link up with Raging Fyah to produce this album?

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: Last year I was on Catchafyah tour with Stephan & Damion Marley’s & Morgan Heritage. I have done a lot of work with all of them in the past and they recognize my talent having worked with me on many projects and while touring – we’re like family. So Lukes Morgan, Raging’s manager and member of the Royal Family, and I had a conversation about working with Raging on the new album.

But even before that I had linked up with Raging and we had planned to collaborate from dem time deh. So yeah considering the idea to work together was coming from multiple directions everything just fell into place.

IRIE. Yeah it certainly sounds like it all fell into place – we’re giving thanks cause we LOVE the album. Can you tell us a little about the process, what was it like to work with Raging Fyah?

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: Easy Easy man! Make me tell you; on one night we recorded 7 tracks in the studio. We rehearsed for like 5 days and then we just went into Tuff Gong, and Jah know it was like rehearsing with your family it was easy easy. Everybody just came in with an open mind, we built everything together and u know say “boy we have to win with one yah”, so we came in with that frame of mind. And it was one of the most stress-free projects I’ve ever done so far — so we give thanks for that.

IRIE. Yes I – So tell us, are there any standout tracks for you on the album? Any you really fulljoyed producing?

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: All of them you know! Everytime I pick one, I just pick another the following week and jah know another – I’ll just cycle through them. I think probably “Wondering” is resonating with me right now, Ready for Love & Would You Love Me – Jah know I shouldn’t even give any names they all are great.

IRIE. Tell you what Riff, I know people are really looking forward to this album, the whole fyahsquad, all the Irie Mag readers what do you want to tell everyone about Everlasting & Raging Fyah.

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: The only thing I can say is support good music. If you like the album, tell your friends about it, BUY the album, don’t just download it. Lets help send this band where they need to be; which is at the top of the reggae and world charts. Very few authentic reggae bands are actually making great music with positive lyrics and maintaining a strong message. Raging Fyah is the future of reggae to come and to last.

IRIE. We couldn’t agree more! We’re excited about the release on May 27th, we’ll be spreading the word. Congratulations on an amazing collaboration we know its going to be Everlasting. #Fyahsquad

Llamar ‘Riff-Raff’: Blessed Love, Splash. Irie.