Earl Sixteen, The 18th Parallel

Earl Sixteen is a towering presence in Jamaican music history and has been for half a century. Here he returns with 'My Son', a commanding roots single alongside Swiss studio collective The 18th Parallel. Over a deep, commanding rhythm section, the veteran's smooth, authoritative voice delivers lyrics by Marc Ismail that confront the struggles of Jamaica's youth, urging reflection and responsibility in the face of crime and hardship. The B-side, 'Hear My Dub' by Westfinga, turns up the intensity, twisting the track into a hypnotic, dub-heavy journey. With decades of experience backing every note, this is a potent drop of modern roots power.