‘Street Hits’ is the first album from BINGHI GHOST a Rastaman who hails from a Caribbean island called St. Croix.
It’s a pretty interesting debut too, drawing your attention on both musical and cognisant levels, and although from time to time it can feel like a sixty-plus minute sermon, at no point does it become either over-bearing or patronising. You’ll understand what I mean if you hear the first track, ‘Nah Support,’ which starts off with a politely delivered spoken introduction to the ethos of Rastafarianism but then moves gently into a tunefully upbeat reggae number.
‘Shield and the Armor’ is a step in a slightly different direction. It begins with a false start, backs up and sets off again – whether or not this is symbolic is unclear, but the song delivers the first of many political messages from Ghost, so it seems to be appropriate at least. A punched acoustic guitar minor chord and chiming synth form the base from which Ghost and associate Rico Pabón vent their collective spleen.
If initial impressions suggested that ‘Street Hits’ was going to be a grass roots reggae record, ‘Shield and the Armor’ – and the following ‘Good and the Great’ – indicate that Ghost is inspired by many other themes and influences; alongside the politics. Hip hop begins to grow in prominence; the loops and African-American rap collaborations if anything making the music more accessible for the ‘neutral’ listener who might otherwise become lost in the reasonably heavy Caribbean patois.
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This variety adds enough spice to keep you interested throughout the rest of the record. Alongside the Haile Selassie preaching, Ghost shows a more deliberate, reflective side (‘Sadness’), strays deeper into R&B territory (‘Warning’) and grooves (‘Marcus Garvey’ and ‘Dem a Fraud’). Just when you were beginning to miss it (having expected little else at the start), there’s some nice offbeat guitar and bass on ‘Dem Waan Know.’ ‘Greedy Nation’ is another of the more memorable tracks, beginning with a dub-ish bassline and overall probably serving as the best demonstration of Ghost’s distinctive vocal style and range.
Despite this mish-mash of reggae hip hop, R&B, dub, even pop influences, Binghi Ghost’s music is still a long way from the tastes of the mainstream. However, if you are interested in songs that are laden with messages about the world we live in and can grasp some sort of amiable direction from the musical styles outlined above, the chances are you’ll like Street Hits. Sure, it might be something reggae purists and dancehall fans will enjoy most, but there’s still plenty to make it well worth a listen for everyone else.
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