LIAM BAILEY is shaping up for the release of his debut album, Ekundayo, on Big Crown in November with another deep ‘n’ dirty single drop in the shape of “Angel Dust”: take a listen below.
It’s a raw-edged nugget of digi-dancehall with a pleading reverbed vocal to a soured relationship with a femme fatale: “She done me like she’s angel dust / She’s always kicking up a fuss,” Liam sings with an end-of-tether crack in his voice, all underpinned with little electro flourishes. “She’s used to seeing big men cry,” he laments.
“Angel Dust” follows previous drops “White Light”, which we covered last month, noting it as ” … a wah-wah edged upright strut of a reggae-soul groove, with some crackin’ tough textures in the percussion and the opening guitars.”
The forthcoming album was produced by Liam’s old friend Leon Michels of El Michels Affair, who first teamed up with Liam on their 2012 7″, “When Will They Learn” / “I’m Gonna Miss You”.
The album’s title, Ekundayo, translates to “sorrow becomes joy” from Yoruba, a language spoken mostly in Western Africa.
Ekundayo marries tough-edged reggae with the candour of classic soul and modern R’n’B in a beguilingly autobiographical fashion. There’s a few more tracks to investigate on the Spotify playlist below, including “Don’t Blame NY”, the shimmering organ swing with which Liam announced his signing for Big Crown last year.
Liam Bailey’s Ekundayo will be released by Big Crown Records on November 13th on digital, CD, trad black and coloured vinyl; order your copy here.
