Cultivation & The Himalions - Plains, Hills And Mountains (Outtallectuals)

Lead vocalist and key figure of the band, Cultivation, started his musical career as a member of reggae cover band Land Lock Roots, but is now focusing on a solo career. For 'Plains, Hills And Mountains' Cultivation surrounded himself with six musicians from the local Kathmandu jazz scene and that resulted in a decent new roots album. For the Nepalese touch you'll have to listen to the lyrics of the songs, because Cultivation sings in English patois and from a musical point of view this might as well have been an American production. The fact they know their classics in Nepal, Cultivation proves with with 'Reggae Rockers', in which he cites the names of Jacob 'Killer' Miller, Augustus Pablo and Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace. In 'Jah Love', one of our favorite tracks on 'Plains, Hills And Mountains', Cultivation declares his love for the Most High, in the introspective 'Identity' we're served some jazzy guitar chords and that same jazzy guitar returns in 'Revolution'. Closing track 'Mother Nature' is an ode to Mother Nature, in a country like Nepal a primal force to be reckoned with. The reggae genre continues to extend its boundaries and has now also reached the foot of the Himalayas!