#COSMIC SILVERBACK STRAIN FULL#

Moving along, Artikal Sound System returns to the 80s again with “Pull Me Close,” another Top 40-worthy dance-pop song. Then again, I could be wrong, not knowing Rex personally and having no idea what nefarious side hustles she may have engaged in. “Cops and Robbers” seems like one of the few songs that thematically stray from the personal stories of Logan Rex. The song is a cautionary tale of the risks of selling weed. Keeping things interesting and adding to the diversity of the album, “Cops and Robbers” channels The Skints with its second wave ska-influence and tempo changes. She’s clearly a talented singer with a diverse range, but I would love to hear her let loose more often. If I have one complaint about Welcome to Florida, it’s that there are too few instances of this.

#COSMIC SILVERBACK STRAIN FULL#

As his guest feature comes to a close, my favorite moment on the album unfolds with Rex unleashing the full power of her vocals. Like the name of the band he fronts alludes to, his golden voice instantly elevates any track. As Rex sings with measured ferocity, I can visualize her icy glare at the New Age poser she’s calling out.Įnter Jackson Wetherbee. A cascading bass line follows, before a flourish of horns launch into a lively reggae beat. A track about a fling that falls apart, Rex croons, “I can’t see myself being with someone like you, but when we’re alone I like the things that we do.” Probably the most provocative song on the album, I can see this song setting the mood for carnal pleasures.Īfter seducing listeners with “Dissolve,” Artikal Sound System pivots to the combative with the rocker, “Spiritual Broadcaster.” The song opens with the dissonant sound of a pick scrape, notably used to open the classic rock number, “ Sweet Hitchhiker,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

The fifth song, “Dissolve,” begins with Rex singing intimately over a gentle guitar lick until the rest of the instruments kick in, driving a reggae beat. The sunny music of Colbie Caillat comes to mind.įrom here, Artikal Sound System dips a toe into trip-hop with the laid-back track, “When I Wanna.” A groovy song about the joys of getting high (on marijuana, on a lover, what have you), the song features a collaboration with the indie hip-hop group Little Stranger, who bring clever wordplay and a wicked flow to compliment Rex’s tempered delivery. I could easily see this song amongst the Top 40 on contemporary hit radio. Next up, “Too Soon” is a reggae pop song with an 80s feel and a playful melody. I can only hope they’ll be heard by people whose vocabulary includes frequent use of the word “snowflakes.” The song is further enhanced by the guest vocals of Ryan Thaxter, lead singer of modern reggae sensation Dubbest, who has one of the sweetest voices in the Cali Roots community. “If your world is better, then my world is brighter too, there’s no difference between I and you.” Hearing those words soothes me, especially in these days of dissension and discord. “Lay down your weapons of division and pain, we all have our burdens, don’t add to this strain,” sings Rex. With a love of roots reggae above all else, this song scores high marks for me, especially with its upful brass and hopeful lyrics. That beat comes to the forefront on the next track, “One with You,” a classic reggae tune which extols a message of unity. Singer Logan Rex regrets leaving a lover over synthesizers and drum machines, while underneath it all, a subtle reggae beat percolates throughout the wistful ballad. The album kicks off with “Stayed,” a subdued, stripped-down electropop number that, stylistically, brings to mind Grammy-winning New Zealand singer, Lorde. Titled Welcome to Florida, the album features a dozen slick songs courtesy of renowned studio engineer Danny Kalb, who has produced/mixed multiple #1 Billboard reggae records and worked with Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, The Green, Hirie, The Movement, The Elovaters and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, not to mention a considerable array of artists beyond the reggae-rock genre.Įvolving from a more straightforward roots sound that can be heard on their previously published output, Welcome to Florida fuses reggae with r&b inspired grooves, resulting in a legit crossover record that could please scores of listeners with pop sensibilities.

2022 finds them taking a huge leap forward with the release of their debut LP via Controlled Substance Sound Labs, the independent music label run by Silverback Artist Management, home to, among others, Slightly Stoopid and Fortunate Youth. South Florida’s Artikal Sound System has been grinding out a name for themselves in the surf-roots scene for close to a decade.

Cosmic silverback strain