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Yours truly first came across French outfit Obidaya (the phonetic spelling of the Hebrew "obadiah", meaning "servant of the Lord") with the release of their self-titled debut in 2012. After that, however, things went surprisingly quiet around the Parisian quartet. Today, the group consists of Eliès 'Addis' Eddaïkra, Sylvain 'I Fi' Isserlis (Bat Records), Loïc Paulin of Mystical Faya, and Raphael 'Uncle Raph' Baldy (guitarist for Tribe, Marcus Gad's regular backing band), who apparently spent all those years honing their sound. And now, at last, comes this aptly titled 'New Chapter'.
Obidaya still delivers top-notch multi-vocal roots reggae in the tradition of Jamaican acts like Israel Vibration, The Gladiators, The Meditations, or The Abyssinians. That approach ensures that 'New Chapter' never grows dull, with the lead vocals constantly rotating. Backed by excellent instrumentation and a mix by Tamal, the album is a feast for any roots enthusiast.
The record opens with 'Selassie I Is The Chapel', not a cover of Bob Marley's song of the same name, but a heartfelt tribute to Rastafari. In the delightful 'Roots', they pay the same homage to our favourite musical genre.
'What May Be' offers a critical reflection on the unchecked greed and profit-driven impulses that threaten humanity's very survival, while 'Harder' aligns perfectly with that theme.
A personal highlight is the militant 'Can't Hold We', and the follow-up 'Bad Teacher' is equally recommended. Obidaya closes with the acoustic nyahbinghi piece 'Wall Of Babylon'.
Absolute gem of a French roots release!
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About the author
Jah RebelMore Less
Together with Jah Shakespear, one of the founders of Reggae.be, he first started as a critic and a reporter before in the end of 2014 becoming editor in chief. Divides his time between his two passions: music and Haile Selassie.
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Published
December 31, 2025