Hailing originally from Sierra Leone, Vital first came into the public eye outside Africa when he appeared on the BLOOD DIAMOND soundtrack TOK, and when dawgs come out to play alongside Masta Kent.
Vital has worked with among others Gregory Issac, Anthony Johnson, Winston Reedy, A. J. Franklin, and African Bush Doctor.
ALBUM PREVIEW – REALITY CHECK
A strength of Reggae Music through time has been its ability to explore and shine light on a plethora of societal concerns and issues including racial identity, black pride, spirituality/Rastafari and the power of the human spirit.
Vital’s album “Reality Check” picks the baton of the aforementioned themes and runs with it. The strength of the album lies in the ability of the artiste to seamlessly flow amongst a variety of tones, rhythms and themes.
On his debut single “You Make Me Smile” Vital exhibits his range and goes softer, producing a ballad which speaks of romance and the harmony between lovers. The simple but deep refrain of you make me smile has universal currency, as we all can identify with the joy love can bring into our lives. The song is in the best tradition of lover’s rock with a bounce…
The video is a masterpiece filmed on the beautiful Caribbean island of St Lucia. Directed by Allin Fevrier and featuring uprising St Lucian Poet and spoken word artist Goddess Ishell (Rochelle Williams).
One of the stand out tracks has to be “Stay Positive” which in the best tradition of Reggae Music is a conscious song which emphasizes resilience and the importance of maintaining a positive frame of mind especially during bleak times. Needless to say, ”Stay Positive” has timeless relevance and is especially significant for times such as society are facing global issues racism, police brutality, violence against women, wars etc.
Another seminal track has to be “Mr Reggae” which again in the timeless tradition of Reggae music, explores Afro Centric identity and values. The track identifies Reggae Music as a vehicle for the transportation of positive values such as youth empowerment and positive thinking. The lyrics are exemplary and mention the importance of how “Reggae purifies minds” with lovely use of traditional metaphors relating to the futility of trying to carry water in a basket.
Other tracks see Vital exhibiting a seamless linguistic dexterity, he sings “Shelaneh” a temne song which describes beauty of a smile and a classic mende reggae tune “Kpala” which means make a farm. Vital explores spirituality and chant Rastafari on tracks like ‘Higher Meditation” and “Ye Mightyful People”. On the title track he goes into firebrand mode as he observes a moment of truth.
Vital’s songs serve as a mirror into the soul and reflect the spirit of an artiste at peace with himself through Rastafari, whilst drawing on personal experiences in space and time.
A highly recommended body of work (12 tracks plus bonus) that is a welcome addition to the reggae portfolio.
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