Marcus Gad — For All
Big Scoop Records – digital, Vinyl, CD
Text: Volker Barsch
At the very beginning, various instruments imitate the sounds of nature before a massive bassline, percussion and drums, offbeat guitar, horns and finally the vocals come in: “Run come rally round, children…” Welcome to the world of Marcus Gad.
The fifth album by the Rastafarian artist from New Caledonia once again breathes sustainability, community spirit, spirituality and resilience, placing itself as far as possible from Babylon’s destructive tendencies.
Three years have passed since his last release, Ready For Battle, and Marcus has been anything but idle. He has toured extensively around the world, performing at venues and festivals as diverse as Rototom Sunsplash, Goa Sunsplash in India and the Germain Comarmond Stadium in Mauritius.
The fact that he also became a father during that time may explain why he now seems even more at peace with himself and the world than before. You can hear it throughout all twelve tracks, especially on the soothing title song, and it is already clearly visible on the cover photo, which shows him relaxed, barefoot and bare-chested, surrounded by family, friends and nature in his native New Caledonia. The latter also serves as the inspiration for “Where Mi Come From”, which, like the equally smooth-flowing “Shine a Light”, was released ahead of the album.
Marcus Gad’s island-rooted identity and deep connection to nature stand firmly against the negative effects of globalization while simultaneously creating positive global ripples of their own. Inspired by the roots reggae of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the singer has developed his own “Kanaky” sound, which is heard around the world and has earned him a solid fanbase in places such as Mauritius, an island located some 11,000 kilometres from New Caledonia.
Colonial history, environmental awareness and heartbeat reggae are the threads that tie these worlds together. And kindred spirits can be found everywhere. One of them is U.S. Virgin Islands roots queen Dezarie, who features on the spectacular combination tune “Code”. On the track, the two Rastas condemn Babylon’s manipulation of nature and draw a clear line in the sand: “You cannot decode Jah code / Shall not decode Jah code / Will not decode Jah code / Access denied!”
On every other track as well, Marcus Gad, his trusted Tribe band and his favourite producer, Clément “Tamal” Thouard, leave a particularly focused impression, continuing their shared journey with yet another deeply inspiring album.
