Singers and players of instruments of The Southwest assembled for an album celebrating the ninetieth anniversary since Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to England, and stayed at Fairfield House in Bath, now a museum and shrine to the Ethiopian Emperor…..
Last month I wrote a piece about the celebrations and activities at Fairfield House, which included the fascinating historical backstory of how the Emperor came to be living in Bath.
Emperor In Exile was released at the end of last month, and it has a limited first pressing vinyl LP version, pressed on colour vinyl and housed in a sleeve featuring specially commissioned artwork by the aptly named Sophie Bass, whose distinctive work includes album covers for the celebrated soundsystem crew Reggae Roast. This Irieka Records release is also available digitally on Bandcamp; I had to have a listen!
Recorded in Bath, Bristol and London, and presented by Babba Maas, Emperor In Exile is a reggae journey inspired by the years Emperor Haile Selassie I spent in exile at Fairfield House. It brings together history, music and art in a unique tribute to one of the most remarkable chapters in Bath’s cultural history.
Featuring six tunes from locally based reggae artists, and subsequent dubs as its second half, all remixed from the original recordings at Yam & Banana Studio in St Pauls, it kicks off with a gorgeous upbeat steppers riddim by Earl Sixteen.
Da Fuchaman’s My Country’s Not For Sale follows nicely, reminding me of the classic boss reggae era, Harry J style, and also calibre. Carlton Smith of Black Roots takes inspiration in sound from the Upsetter’s Dollar in the Teeth, but it’s roots by name, roots by nature, with a concentrated seventies feel Misty in Roots or even early Aswad sound.
Dehvan Othieno of the Talisman takes the fourth slot, Exile Song has a gorgeous dubplate, with fresh and uplifting vocals. Nia Melody’s song has a wonderful lovers rock vibe about it, and is a homage to British suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst, who became a dedicated political ally and lifelong friend to the Emperor, fiercely defending Ethiopia against Italy’s invasion.
And our good friend, Knati P completes the vocal tracks with a bouncy total steppers praise, Selassie I. Then the atmospheric dub versions follow, and they’re worth holding onto. While the album naturally contains those vital conscious lyrics as it explores themes of exile, praises to Jah and respectful historic content, it does so with a certain dedication to classic reggae styles, from roots and dub, I’m thinking of groups like Black Uhuru and Burning Spear, and doesn’t waiver to dancehall, and it is this which ties the compilation together like the flow of River Jordan.
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