:: The Black Seeds - Solid Ground

The Black Seeds

It’s not often that you hear about a reggae-style band hailing from the leafy green hills of New Zealand. Yet the Black Seeds are just that. An octet, the boys’ sound is impossible to pin down. But it’s something close to an afro beat, reggae, dub, soul, funk fusion and it continues in their fourth album Solid Ground. As strange as they sound, the Black Seeds aren’t some underground band. Despite their weird music mix, these boys have found serious success in their home country and the rest of the world, going double-platinum on their last album Into the Dojo. Fans will be happy to know that Solid Ground stays true to the Black Seed’s signature sound. The album’s first single “Slingshot” is a masterpiece of jazz-infused riffs. Lead singer Barnaby Weir warns that what goes around comes around while trumpets blare at almost dizzying heights. Simply put, “Slingshot” is a beautifully balanced and epic track. This karmic, watch what you do, vibe is a common theme throughout Solid Ground. “Rotten Apple” tells us change is coming in a flugelhorn-infused song reminiscent of fellow funk band Jamiroquai, while “Strugglers”, the most reggae-sounding track on the album, educates us on the virtues of lending a hand. Solid Ground is obviously not everyone’s cup of tea. The boys’ love for blurring the lines between genres can best be likened to mixing Bob Marley with the soulful musings of a spiritual guru. Solid Ground is an intensely funky, reggae-inspired album with a conscious. The rhythmic afro beats flow throughout, smooth vocals take you back to days at the beach and all those head-bopping horn lines are incredibly infectious… if you’re into that sort of thing of course.