Meta And The Cornerstones - Echoes Of Time (Metarize/Baco Records)

'Echoes Of Time' opens with the Marley-esque 'Ready And Steady', while 'Just For The Soil', a duet with Tarrus Riley about war, violence, and the futility of conflicts over land and possession, carries the same overall vibe.

The following track 'Namanalla' (Wolof for "I miss you") stylistically evokes the work of Alpha Blondy, who himself makes an appearance on 'Woman', a clear tribute to women in all their forms (mother, lover, wife…).

One of our personal favorites on the track list is the rootsy declaration of faith 'Madina' (a reference to Medina, Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, the "Radiant City", one of the oldest and most important sites in Islamic history and, after Mecca, the holiest city in Islam).

Fans of Afrobeats will find plenty to enjoy in 'Ayee', for which Meta brought Stonebwoy into the studio. And with Samory-I, Meta also delivers the excellent 'We Gonna Make It'.

We'll let Meta have the final word, as he summarized 'Echoes Of Time' as follows: "'Echoes Of Time' is really about paying attention. We're living in a time where everything is moving fast, but not everything is moving forward! There's beauty in the world, but there's also repetition; patterns we keep walking through. This album is about recognizing those echoes, questioning them, and asking how we can move with more awareness."