Black Uhuru
Sinsemilla

The Black Uhuru are a vocal trio born in Kingston in 1972 with a name that means (in Swahili) Black Freedom. After several lineup changes, they released the album Sinsemilla (which is a type of marijuana) in 1980, and a few months later, in 1981 (the year of Bob Marley's death), Red, which are their masterpieces. Their good sales in the UK make them quite well-known, allowing them to subsequently go on tour with the Rolling Stones.

I am fully aware that this album was released 40 years ago, but reggae is not just Marley – Tosh, and there were no reviews of Black Uhuru on debaser, so it seemed almost a duty to try to fill this gap.

Sinsemilla is still relevant, it's 100% reggae music with strong African influences, danceable and with engaging lyrics that praise Africa and ... Sinsemilla

The opening track "Happiness" captivates with its drum counter-rhythms. The title track, along with "Vampire" and "Push Push" have choruses that are so infectious they are hard to get out of your head; indeed, you might find yourself humming them in the shower, but not right away.

This is a difficult album; it slowly gets into your head, and it takes at least a couple of listens to truly appreciate it. The harmonica and blues piano in "There is a fire" require more listens just to be noticed. The complexity of some of the bass lines, the main instrument of the record, gets under your skin over time, but it is time well spent.

It is not Marley's instant reggae; it's music that you discover slowly, but beware, it might become addictive. Don't try to dance to it if you are white, you wouldn't be able to, and don't forget that this music heavily influenced Clash, Police, Paul Simon, Joe Jackson… it would be wrong to underestimate it, so give yourself a … listen to Sinsemilla!