Tuff Sound - New Tradition (Goji Records)

Their music touches on themes ranging from environmental destruction and biodiversity loss to the looming threat of climate change, as heard in tracks like 'Back To Reality' and opener 'Raindrops'.

The album also includes the cycling anthem 'Bicycle', continuing the Jamaican tradition of bike-themed classics like Early B's 'Bicycle, Bicycle' and Junior Reid's 'Poor Man Transportation', as well as the ganja anthem 'Redeye Flight', which, in our opinion, falls a bit on the lighter side.

Musically, Tuff Sound blends reggae and dub with influences from hip-hop and afrobeat (though we couldn't immediately detect much afrobeat on 'New Tradition'). While their overall sound still has room to grow, the standout feature is undoubtedly their excellent horn section, with Laszlo Griese on trombone and Aaron Klenke on saxophone adding a rich, dynamic layer.

The album closes with three stellar dub versions by Berlin-based producer grmmr.126, rounding off a promising debut.