Destiny: the new single from Lee ‘Scratch’Perry produced by Bob Riddim – featuring Evie Pukupoo (No-Maddz) Official Single Release August 25th | Digital formatOfficial Album Release Sept. 8th | Digital Format & vinyl
Grammy Winning reggae legend Lee Scratch Perry and Grammy Nominated producer Bob Riddim present Destiny – the first single and title track to Perry’s latest album project. It’s a meeting between the veteran reggae innovator and the new generation of Jamaican artists.
The single Destiny pairs the profound utterances of Scratch with the soulful voice of Evie Pukupoo (AhPuku), founding member of the idiosyncratic dub poetry/reggae group, The No-Maddz. Over Bob Riddim’s lovingly crafted modern reggae backing, Lee and Evie’s lyrics about jungles and trees are a fitting reference to the very root of reggae connecting with its blossoming branches.
Recorded in the 12 months prior to Scratch’s 2021 passing, both the song and album are unlike anything ‘The Upsetter’ has created before. It’s a collaboration between the restless, prolific pioneer, present at the foundation of reggae and dub, and Jamaica’s rising stars. The result of months of diligent sessions, and state-of-the-art recording techniques, it finds Scratch at his most focused and lyrically insightful. It’s a daring return to the artistic rigour and forward-thinking approach of Perry’s early days.
The forthcoming album comprises nine original tracks, with almost all instruments played by Bob Riddim, fusing modern reggae with the Upsetter’s colourful vision and vibe. Destiny will go down in history as one of Lee Perry’s last complete long playing albums. With this project, the Upsetter delivers a high-quality, contemporary reggae record that revisits the art forms he initiated.
Scratch, who recorded early reggae anthems such as People Funny Boy and worked with King Tubby on seminal dub album, Blackboard Jungle Dub, holds court, surrounded by the new guard of experimental Kingston talent. Together, they push the boundaries with a procession of cohesive songs ranging from new-roots to psychedelic dub. Driven by Bob Riddim’s rock-solid productions, Perry’s vivid and free-ranging poetry addresses deep and existentialist themes, reflecting decades dedicated to his craft.
The single Destiny and its accompanying video are out August 25th via digital platforms. The album is scheduled for worldwide release on September 8th via Delicious Vinyl Island.
Authors : Lee Scratch Perry & Evie Pukupoo
Musicians : Bob Riddim & Bass by David Goldfine from Zion I Kings
Mix : Bob Riddim
Master : Jared Hirshland
Single release : 25th August 2023
Format : Digital
Album release : 8th September 2023
Format of the album : Digital & vinyl
Produced by : Delicious Vinyl Island
LEE SCRATCH PERRY
The legendary Lee Scratch Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry) was a Jamaican record producer, composer and singer celebrated for his innovative studio techniques and production style. He was among the first Jamaican producer-musicians to use the studio as an instrument, and he pioneered the reggae instrumental artform known as Dub.
Perry is the man who wrote and produced Punky Reggae Party. He worked with a variety of artists including Bob Marley, The Wailers, Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, The Congos, The Heptones, Mad Professor, King Tubby and many others.
Winner of multiple grammy awards, Lee Perry is revered and respected as a reggae pionneer all around the world, as he took reggae to places it had never been before. « Scratch » is the man who truly put reggae on the international map by collaborating with groups out of the reggae genre such as the famous English punk group The Clash and The Beastie Boys. A man with a unique vision, on which he offers glimpses of on each of the many albums and songs he produced.
Lee Scratch Perry started working with Bob Riddim in july 2020. The Upsetter and Bob felt the next step of innovation was for Lee to meet musically with the new generation of reggae artists. Lee and his team felt something special was happening with the unique sound and aesthetics developed in the Destiny sessions, so they trusted Bob Riddim with the completion of this album.
Lee « Scratch » Perry has been described as an enigma, an eccentric, a pioneer and a genius – and each description is somewhat apt in its own way.
Bob Riddim
Bob Riddim (born François-Olivier Bouchard) is a Grammy nominated record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has established himself as a colorful, fresh and versatile music creator for nearly two decades. A music producer who is pushing boundaries in different genres, all across the world, from his studio in the isolated, remote mountains of Canada. Bob Riddim is best known for his blend of organic and modern musical elements. His sound spanning the genres of Reggae, Dancehall, Afro-Beats and Hip-Hop.
In the recent years, the producer’s sound flourished with Reggae’s new generation of artist having collaborated with the likes of Kabaka Pyramid, Yaadcore, Skillibeng, Xana Romeo, Naomi Cowan, Anthony B, Blvk H3ro, Wayne J, Turbulence, Evie Pukupoo, Exco Levi, Leno Banton, Addis Pablo, Rocky Dawuni, Neto Yuth and many others.
Bob Riddim had the honnor of producing Lee « Scratch » Perry’s latest album Destiny. The idea driving this project is : The Upsetter, the legend meets the new generation of reggae artists, on modern reggae productions.
Bob is inspired by the great producers of yesterday and working towards building the legacy of the music and creating the sound for tomorrow.
