Full of heart, appreciation, and expertise, German artist Paul Lupa’s classic-inspired reggae is a ton of fun and is dripping with soul.
Based in the German city of Hamburg, Paul Lupa is a relatively fresh face who is here to bring us some carefully calculated, but free-flowing and improvisational reggae. His latest instrumental composition, aptly titled ‘Free N Easy Riddim’ happens to be just that. An easy and free-spirited composition that sticks closely to reggae’s timeless, and much-beloved formula. For a genre of music that has survived unaffected for more than half a century, there’s a lot to be loved about reggae’s perceived simplicity and straightforward nature, and more so about the rhythmic and melodic level of nuance that must be achieved for a piece of reggae to truly hit its desired target.
Paul Lupa’s seductive wah wah’d overdriven guitar, and its improv-based phrases are catchy, yet soothing, and the genre’s infamous syncopated rhythm is in full swing with the warm, deep bassline, colorful piano chords, and the signature off-kilter percussion. ‘Free N Easy Riddim’ is a piece that’s fully fledged with a verse section, a chorus, a bridge, and a tight, tasteful mix to help put all elements together.
A delightful piece that effortlessly showcases just how reggae could make it to 2023 with minimal changes to its core ideas and sounds. For sure, music this tasty, soulful, and colorful can hardly be faulted, and Paul Lupa is here to do it all justice.