Music: Ticklah: Ticklah Vs. Axelrod
Our Take
Ticklah is attempting to bring several new elements to the very traditional world of analog reggae. With his newest release Ticklah Vs. Axelrod, Victor Axelrod (a.k.a. Ticklah) has sought to bring both Ethiopian and Spanish influences to reggae music. The result is a laid back album that is both familiar and new to listeners. Although it may not reinvent the wheel, this is a release that is going to further the number of cultural influences reggae can pull from.
Ticklah Vs. Axelrod often mixes reggae compositions and dub tracks, meaning that some songs focus on vocals while others are purely instrumental tracks. While the majority of the material on this album is focused on traditional reggae with a completely analog sound, Axelrod takes the time to dive into some salsa inspired grooves (such as "Mi Sonsito"). Traditional reggae listeners may find this a bit of a stretch, but it works well and still manages to fit in with the flow of the other tracks.When there are vocals on this release, they are extremely well done. Ticklah/Axelrod has clearly chosen his singers with great care, as each and every one perfectly complements his instrumental compositions. Because of this, many of the songs on Ticklah Vs. Axelrod are extremely catchy and listeners may find themselves humming along to them. And although the Spanish influenced tracks may not appeal to everyone, the vocalists on these songs also do an admirable job.
With his newest release, Ticklah/Victor Axelrod is pushing the boundaries of traditional reggae to include genres that also focus heavily on beats (such as salsa). Although overly conservative reggae fans may not be able to get into the different styles as easily as others, there’s no denying that this is a successful experiment in combining genres that fit well together. If you’re open to either style mentioned in this review, give this one a listen.
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Chris Dahlberg
October 02, 2007
