by Howard Campbell
MIAMI – For his first EP, the aptly-titled B. L. E. M., Tarrus Riley experiments with different sounds — from dancehall to Afro Beat and pop. And he got help from some friends.
Released June 14, the six-song B.L.E.M. is produced by IzyBeats, a Miami-based Jamaican who did similar duties on Koffee’s monster hit song, Toast.
B.L.E.M. is acronym for Blending Life’s Experiences Musically. On it, Riley teams with hardcore deejay Govana (their song is Unanswered); Ghanaian Afro Beats star Stonebwoy on G Y A L (Girl You Are Loved), Dangerous Waters (with Lila Ike) and Just Love alongside Nia V.
Riley goes solo on Feel It, Kryptonite and Trust Issues.
This is the first batch of new songs from the singer since his Love Situation album which came out in 2014.
“The name explains it, it’s a ‘blem’, a variety, a mixture of music. It full a flavor and spice. In Jamaica, wi talk with a lotta style, so wi say ‘blem’, not blend,” he said in a recent interview.
Most of Riley’s work, including his 2006 breakthrough album Parables, has been produced by Dean Frasier, the veteran saxophonist who is also his musical director.
On this occasion, Riley collaborated with IzyBeats whose growing credits include songs by Ky-Mani Marley and Vybz Kartel.
Son of lovers rock singer Jimmy Riley (who died in 2016), Tarrus Riley has not been off reggae charts since he hit with Stay With You and She’s Royal, easy-listening ballads from Parables.
A number of hit songs followed including Gimme Likkle One Drop, Good Girl Gone Bad and Powerful, a Major Laser-produced power ballad with British singer Ellie Goulding which came out in 2014.
