At this point in the reggae game, Jah9 (born Janine Elizabeth Cunningham) has her sonic formula on lock. The Jamaican musician and certified yogi brings the two disciplines together with the 15-track Note to Self. Co-produced with notable folks like Jeremy Harding, Clive Hunt and Romario "Runkus" Bennett, the project is an ode to mental and physical wellness by way of experimental mixing with strains of funk, jazz, dub, Afrobeat and soul.
While Jah9 shines alongside contemporaries such as Tarrus Riley (the slow-burner "Ready to Play") and Chronixx (the honey-smooth jazz mode of "Note to Self"), she just as capably and completely stands on own — see the smoky "Hey You," the reasoning of "The Reflection" and the multidimensionality of "Field Trip."
On its face, Note to Self sounds just okay, but ultimately feels like something that withstands repeated listens. Jah9 is what reggae sounds like in 2020 — genre-agnostic, spiritually reverent and forever fearless. Note to Self is a musical offering sure to be well-received.
(VP)While Jah9 shines alongside contemporaries such as Tarrus Riley (the slow-burner "Ready to Play") and Chronixx (the honey-smooth jazz mode of "Note to Self"), she just as capably and completely stands on own — see the smoky "Hey You," the reasoning of "The Reflection" and the multidimensionality of "Field Trip."
On its face, Note to Self sounds just okay, but ultimately feels like something that withstands repeated listens. Jah9 is what reggae sounds like in 2020 — genre-agnostic, spiritually reverent and forever fearless. Note to Self is a musical offering sure to be well-received.