Various Artists – Strictly The Best 54 & 55 (VP Records)

The cover of 'Strictly The Best 54' may show a proud rasta queen, judging from opener 'Identify My Love' (Mr. Vegas), for just a second we were convinced we were listening to the dancehall counterpart of this compilation. Apart from that this editions seems to contain quite a number of lovers tunes. Romain Virgo puts in a nice effort with 'LoveSick' and the same goes for Tarrus Riley's 'Cool Me Down', but we were most taken with Ikaya's 'Stuck In The Middle'.   Where the roots tracks are concerned, 'Strolling', a combination by Alborosie and Protoje definitely comes recommended, and Raging Fyah's 'Get Up' still manages to touch a sensitive chord with yours truly. Morgan Heritage is once again in good form with 'Natty Bald Head', even though their songs are all starting to sound a bit similar. Freddie McGregor tackles the classic Weather Balloon riddim for 'Calling', and definitely worth checking out is 'Hello', a reggae version of Adele's world hit by Conkarah and Rosie Delmah. But the absolute gem on 'Strictly The Best 54' is tucked away all in the back of the track list... We are of course talking about Jah9's 'Unafraid'.    The honor to open the dancehall section of this double compilation album goes to emerging star Vershon with 'Mercy A God ', a lament on piano, with the beat only entering the equation in the second half of the song. Jahmiel continues in the same vein with 'Great Man', an equally melodic slow jam albeit with a little more pace. Then it's Alkaline's turn, here with 'One More Time', a light-footed dancehall tune about relationship problems. From his prison cell Vybz Kartel presents the entertaining 'Likkle More', before making room for Mr. Vegas and his 'Dancehall Dab', a lump of energy sure to awaken the listener after the somewhat low-key start of this compilation. Fortunately We Chi Ching Ching ' dance tune 'Roast Or Fry (Breadfruit)' is in the same vein, and the same goes for Spice's 'Sight & Whine'.   Savage, who's up next, already popped up on several riddims this year, including the Culu Culu riddim, produced by Dutty Fridaze; and it's that song, which gave the riddim its name, that can be found here. On the same riddim Razor B brings 'Bruk Fi Mi Back', before handing over the microphone to bad boy Masicka for 'Hard Ball'. Dexta Daps, another emerging talent you may have seen perform at this year's edition of Reggae Geel, brings his '3G', a song with a lot of potential, just like the next tune, Aidonia's 'Ball A Fire', unfortunately, presented here in the radio friendly version (read: censored), completely screwing the tune up and virtually rendering it unlistenable. Pity!   Between two diss tunes, Mavado took the time to record 'Big League', a bit of an inbetweener to say the least and the same goes for Christopher Martin's sugary 'Pirate Of The Caribbean'. 'Strictly The Best 55' concludes with a production by Bulby York who invited Busy Signal to his studio resulting in 'Streets', an enjoyable hip-hop crossover tune.    For those who still want more, there's a bonus-CD containing classics from the 1990s and early 2000s. In the track list, hits like Shabba Ranks' 'Twice My Age', 'Big Up' by Shaggy, Barrington Levy alongside Bounty Killer with 'Living Dangerously', 'Hot Gal Today' by Sean Paul & Mr. Vegas on the Street Sweeper riddim or Vybz Kartel and Wayne Marshall's 'New Millenium'. Tunes to treasure is you're still a dancehall novice and absolutely indispensable for true connoisseurs.   The same applies for 'Strictly The Best 54'. Here, too, a bonus disc with roots and lovers classics from among others Wailing Souls, The Heptones, The Techniques, The Sensations and The Uniques.   Enjoy the holidays!