Artist:  
Title:  
Label:  
URL:  
Other:  

More evidence of the international appeal of Reggae and its use as a means of conveying spirituality. Khalsa Palay was born in Uganda of south Asian parentage and raised in Britain; he is a committed Sikh and on this, his debut release, he praises the ten Gurus of his religion, whilst upholding righteousness and sending out greetings to all humankind - as he says, "keep the vibes positive". So, whilst that last statement may not prepare the listener for the short opening track 'Jap Ji Sahib', a Sikh prayer, Reggae fans will have no difficulty applying it to the remaining four tracks, all variants of 'We Are The Khalsa', a powerful, uplifting steppers tune with a classic rhythm and some heavy dub effects.

...which should come as no surprise when one learns that Khalsa Palay became interested in music through hearing the likes of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and King Tubby, and the influence of those three can be heard on these tracks. Most impressive to my ears though is the 'Melodica In The Mix' version, which recalls vintage Augustus Pablo and is guaranteed to delight any lover of seventies roots reggae. Though thirty-five minutes long, this CD maintains interest throughout. Let us hope that Khalsa Palay does not keep us waiting too long for a follow-up!

Available from: Khalsa Palay, PO Box 199, Wembley, Middlesex, HA0 4XW, England

- Norman Darwen