Vendu Akeda by Matisyahu NEUF

Tracks:
Reservoir
Broken Car
Watch the Walls Melt Down
Champion
Built to Survive
Ayeka (Teach Me to Love)
Black Heart
Star On the Rise
Surrender
Confidence
Vow of Silence
Obstacles
Hard Way
Sick for So Long
Akeda

Performer Notes:

• Personnel: Francisco Botero (10-string bass).
• Audio Mixer: Joel Hamilton .
• Recording information: 40 Hurtz Studios, Brooklyn, NY; June Street Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Studio G, Brooklyn, NY.
• Matisyahu might have the market cornered on his particular niche of expression, that of reggae-tinged high-polish hip-hop beats with lyrical inspiration stemming from his roots in Hasidic Judaism and its traditions. While themes of belief, retribution, and religious tropes come through from time to time on fifth album Akeda, spirituality takes somewhat of a back seat to Matisyahus huge beats and reggae-pop basslines, though each song comes across in a wash of positive sentiments and philosophical musing. The album runs back and forth between tunes steeped in traditional reggae influence such as "Black Heart" and the Collie Buddz guest-spotted "Confidence" and more pop-minded tunes like the brilliant horns of "Watch the Walls Melt Down" and the Coldplay-meets-Bruno Mars croon of "Ayeka (Teach Me to Love)." Matisyahu may be the only "Hasidic reggae superstar" (a distinction he makes in reference to himself on more than one of Akedas tunes), but over the albums hour-plus running time he delivers such solidly catchy and meticulously produced pop music that much of its lyrical content and any deeper message get lost in the head-bobbing beats and pleasantly dubby basslines. ~ Fred Thomas

Producer: Stu Brooks

Format: CD (1 Disc)

Studio/Live: Studio

Guest Artist: Zion I; Collie Buddz

Release Date: 3 June, 2014

Label: Elm City

Dimensions: 14 x 1 x 12.4 centimeters (0.04 kg)