A musical figure as everlasting and effervescent as Shaggy always ran the risk of being a caricature of his own past glory.
The multi platinum Jamaican reggae star sidesteps such career pitfalls with an album which plucks ideas from a number of different genres and brings them together to make something that sounds joyous, fresh and captivating.
First single Sugar Cane is strutting, sunshine dancehall, with a mischievous glint in its eye with Shaggy relishing the innuendo on display. Dame has a Latin feel to it with exotic warm chants and a cheeky vocal courtesy of Celia. End of The World is an album standout, is euphoric in the face of impending doom with rapturous horns keeping things bold and bubbly while Shaggy’s inimitable vocal underpins it all. Summer In Kingston is the soundtrack to the best party you’ve never been to, it is filled with celebration, happiness and reckless abandon and Shaggy has never sounded better. 3 stars
Summer In Kingston is out now via Ranch Entertainment
Words by Andre McDonald
