Today, Canada by way of Jamaica reggae-fusion artist Ammoye shared her dynamic new album Water. This album is her first release with Toronto label Lulaworld Records and serves as a display of her powerful command of multiple genres. Recorded with prolific engineer and producer Danny Maestro and mastered by the legendary Tandra “Lytes” Jhagro throughout 2020.
The album is composed of 14 tracks that beautifully convey a message of inspiration, self-realization and strength. Lead single “Journey Home” evokes a smooth island vibe, complemented by electronic effects and guest vocals from Lord Sassafrass (Black Scorpio Sound System). “On The Dock” amplifies the importance of self-care and mediation accompanied by a rocksteady beat, while tracks like “Give It All” and “Bad Behaviour” both explore themes of personal empowerment and freeing oneself from dark energy while highlighting the emotional range of her buttery vocals. Every song on the album is a melting pot of lush instrumentation and clever songwriting bolstered by an original vocal sensibility that stands alongside the greats of the genre. Water shines as a testament to Ammoye’s unique ability to craft compelling reggae music while incorporating a huge range of sonic inspirations – from Jazz to Dubstep to R&B.
On how growing up between Canada and Jamaica influenced the diverse sounds of her album, Ammoye had this to say:
“Jamaica gave me my foundation and base when it comes to music as a whole. I grew up singing in the church choir back home, so I have a solid gospel music background that also gave me the gift of falling in love with and mastering the art of singing harmonies – which hugely shaped my music today. Jamaica also gave me the foundation of Reggae Music. Artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and the ITrees (Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowet, & Rita Marley) as well as artists like Grace Jones, Jimmy Cliff, Garnett Silk & JC Lodge had a major impact on me as a musician.
Migrating to Canada to live with my mom after my grandmother (who raised me from 6-16 years old) passed gave me a wider view of the world. When it came to music the opportunities were endless. Major artists I gravitated to then and still love to this day were Sade, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and so on. A bit later on I got introduced to electronic music & more of the hip hop, R&B, Jazz and Latin music styles. I began to infuse all these different sounds and music into MY reggae and call it ‘reggae fusion’. It’s a melting pot of musical stew if you will. I bring all of these different genres together to make my music my own.”
Singing songs of love, life and justice, 5-time Juno Award nominee Ammoye delivers a wholly unique future forward reggae sound that incorporates old-school rocksteady, dancehall and dubstep with gospel, soul and R&B. With her infectious voice and messages of empowerment, Jamaican-born Ammoye is a lightworker and self-declared soul rebel. Her stage performance is just as glowing, with past appearances as an independent artist at The Grammy Showcase in Los Angeles, at New Skool Rules Music Festival in Rotterdam Netherlands, and most recently alongside Kirk Diamond and Tome at the 2021 Juno’s in Canada. Her songs of light and vibrant personality make her one of the most dynamic and compelling reggae artists on the scene right now.
Tracklist:
1. Journey Home ft. Lord Sassafrass
2. Bad Behaviour
3. Chess
4. On The Dock
5. A Storm is Coming
6. Remedy
7. Awakening
8. Give it All
9. Wake Up
10. Count On Me ft. Tash Lorayne
11. Armour
12. Quarantine
13. Freedom ft. Gillie Genesis