Nodding to the traditional chill tones of Jamaica and the plethora of dancehall beats already under their belt, Mungo’s Hi Fi has teamed up with Ipswich lyricist YT to bring “real reggae music that is undiluted” to the masses.
Over ten tracks the mixture of guitars and blend of smooth beats and killer vocals, from YT and guests from Johnny Osbourne and Little John, to give Mungo’s Hi Fi fans a blend of songs that salutes previous albums.
Following on from last years’ You See Me Star, with the help of Charlie P on vocals, No Wata Down Ting is more stripped back and true to dancehall.
‘Raggamuffin’ gives off a true vibe of traditional island reggae, married to the modern rapping from YT, as the track slightly moves into a more up tempo vibe with the guitar riffs mixed to mimic the sound of Jamaican piano chords.
Tracks on the album salute that Mungo’s have played festivals all over the world and their fair share of underground clubs in Glasgow, so it’s no surprise that the lyrics on the album don’t shy away from more hard hitting topics and somewhat controversial issues.
‘Cokehead’ is a pretty self-expressing title with the track following YT’s lack of drug use with only a slight nod to the green plant that has become accustomed to the sound of reggae music.
Although travelling through many topics with only two guest lyricists, excluding YT, No Wata Down Ting does start to lag at the close, with the tones becoming repetitive compared to You See Me Star and Serious Time that both exuded a variety of styles.
Despite this, No Wata Down Ting is a solid album from the pioneers of Scottish reggae with final track ‘At dem’ begging to be performed at one of Mungo’s infamous dance nights with the infectious beats and intermittent pops from a Jamaican steel drum challenging you to not nod along.
Mungo’s Hi Fi have remained true to their sound and working alongside YT on an entire album has produced a solid “champion sound”.
Words: Lorne Gillies
