Iration unplugs with new acoustic album ‘Double Up’

Sometimes, musicians just have to disconnect their power cords, click off the distortion and crank out deep acoustic jams. It takes a certain level of skill to record an entire acoustic album. With no sonic illusions or electronic distractions to keep the listener interested, the quality of the songs, instrumentation and the lyrics are all […]

Premiere: Super Hi-Fi’s rendition of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box”

Dust off your trusty Sony Walkman and make sure your belt is tight enough to support it because we are going to take a trip down memory lane. Brooklyn-based band Super Hi-Fi has taken the challenging task of releasing a reimagined cover album of one of the most recognized bands of all time and could […]

The Holdup ‘Leaves in the Pool’ album review

Bay Area band The Holdup reinvents themselves with their first full-length release since their late 2013 album Fool’s Gold, Pt. 1. What started as a heavy, reggae-hip hop influenced act has morphed into a more laid back, rock-reggae band graced with mature flair and edgy kicks. The result is a classic sound pulled in a […]

J Boog ‘Wash House Ting’ album review

Ever since his debut album Hear Me Roar in 2007, J Boog has escalated to be one of the biggest industry names in the reggae scene. Shortly after his initial success, J Boog was inducted into the San Francisco-based Wash House Music Group family, where he recorded his sophomore smash LP Backyard Boogie with hits […]

Jstar: new single, new LP

Reggae DJs are as much a part of the reggae scene as any artist, and many produce mind-blowing remixes to spin in between your favorite live musical acts. Once such masterful mixer is Jstar, a globally-renowned reggae producer and international DJ. In 2003, Jstar hit it big with a playful dub version of Blackstreet’s “No […]

Kellsa ‘Fortaleza’ album review

Kellsa, the Brazilian reggae, rock and pop songstress has been making a huge name for herself not only in the United States, but internationally as well. Kellsa’s latest EP titled Fortaleza is a six track album that represents a soulful and energetic sound that cleverly fuses reggae, ska, and pop rhythms. Part of Kellsa’s infectiousness […]

Backbeat Soundsystem’s ‘Into The Light’ review

2016 brings the release of Backbeat Soundsystem’s latest album; Into The Light, which stays true to all the best parts of the genres they dominate. The vocals by both Dean Forrest and Darren Kendall always come back to a distinct UK sound; a mix of reggae rhythms filled with electric, positive vibes. James Martin has […]

Locos Por Juana premieres ‘Caribe’ LP

GRAMMY and Latin-GRAMMY nominated band Locos Por Juana have been an integral part of the Pan-Latin party scene for quite some time, stemming from the heart of the Latin-fusion movement in Miami over two decades ago. While primarily focusing on Caribbean constituents, LPJ has shifted to incorporate more Jamaican reggae, raggamuffin, and dub influences on […]

Spiritual Rez’s ‘Setting in the West’ album review

Boston’s own Spiritual Rez is a reggae-rock funkateer ensemble that delivers a hypnotic blend of edgy melodic reggae, ska, funk and rock that is both flawless and brilliant in their new offering titled Setting in the West. The album is comprised of ten harmonious tracks that defines their reggae and rock riff laden melodies with […]

Giant Panda ‘Make It Better’ album review

With new album Make It Better available on digital outlets today, Rochester, New York-based Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad brings forward their rich musical heritage. Throughout the exactly 38 minute runtime of Make It Better, Giant Panda masterfully crafts an immense array of soundscapes, from soft and smooth melodies to massive walls of luscious sound, […]

John Brown’s Body ‘Fireflies’ album review

East coast based John Brown’s Body has built a name for themselves and has been creating beautiful music by bending and molding multiple genres and turning them into something completely different, original and unique to only John Brown’s Body. Released on September 9th, Fireflies is the band’s most recent offering, delivering a sound that lives […]

Bumpin’ Uglies ‘Keep It Together’ album review

Keep It Together is the upcoming LP from Annapolis, Maryland’s Bumpin Uglies, showcasing the band’s ethereal ska/punk/reggae melodies and infectious hooks. Following on from their Better.Faster.Stronger EP in 2016, Bumpin Uglies seem to cover all the spectrums of music you’d hope to find in an album. These guys can hammer down but they also show […]

Premiere: Spiritual Rez “Together Always” featuring HIRIE

Boston’s six piece reggae-rock funkateers that call themselves Spiritual Rez has teamed up with Southern California’s most beloved songstress HIRIE to release a brand new track today exclusively on Top Shelf Reggae titled “Together Always.” Spiritual Rez is gearing up for their fourth studio album due out October 7th, 2016 titled Setting in the West […]

Gary Nesta Pine releases ‘Revelations’ album

Legendary Jamaican reggae pioneer Gary Nesta Pine not only has an impressive history in the genre, but has had an integral role in shaping the music we hear today. Gary became the lead singer for The Wailers band in 1998. This legendary band lead by Aston “Family Man” Barrett, performed and created many hits with […]

HIRIE’s ‘Wandering Soul’ album review

Wandering Soul is the highly anticipated sophomore full length album from Philippine-born HIRIE. With this release the band culminates just about every style that they have played over the years and incorporates it into one album consisting of eleven tracks of tight hooks and unprecedented arrangements. 2013s self titled album saw the band heavily exploring […]