Natural High Gather Reggae All-Stars on Dub and Hip-Hop Infused LP, Urban Roots II 

Kingston, Jamaica-based production duo Natural Highhave assembled a top-flight cast of rising talents and reggae luminaries from their home island for their sophomore album, Urban Roots II, out today from Delicious Vinyl Island.

Combining techniques from reggae’s Golden Era with dub, electronic sounds and headnod-inducing, hip-hop inspired beats, the 11-track LP features appearances from CapletonJesse RoyalWayne MarshallRoyal BluKabaka PyramidTessanne ChinKeznamdiEesah and Indie Allen. The late Crown Prince of Reggae, Dennis Brown, also appears alongside Jesse Royal on a remake of his classic “Run Run Run.”

This week, Billboard premiered “Be The Onefeaturing Tessanne Chin, describing the track as “a gorgeous lover’s rock tune with Chin’s impeccable vocals caressing Natural High’s burnished one drop rhythm.”

The title Urban Roots is a reference to both the coordinates of Natural High’s studio, in Kingston’s bustling, central Halfway Tree area, as well as a play on the words herb and roots, as in ganja and roots tonic, a popular Jamaican natural drink. The studio, dubbed The Bungalow, doubles as a location for Natural High’s“Chalice Palace” video series featuring dubbed-out live performances and collaborations with their circle of fellow Kingston acts like Jesse Royal and Keznamdi.
 
Watch Jesse Royal perform “Run Run Run” with Natural High
 
Natural High – Urban Roots II tracklist:
1. Channel 9 Dub
2. Study People (feat. Wayne Marshall)
3. Run Run Run (feat. Dennis Brown and Jesse Royal)
4. Reap What You Sow (feat. Royal Blu)
5. Smile (Hey You) (feat. Keznamdi)
6. Sticks & Stones (feat. Kabaka Pyramid)
7. I Know You Love Me (feat. Indie Allen)
8. Be The One (feat. Tessanne Chin)
9. Wonder (feat. Eesah)
10. Revolution (feat. Makonnen and Capleton)
11. Run Run Run (Dub)