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Before the Dawn
Reggae / Dub · 2010 · 10 tracks · 44m

Before the Dawn

Buju Banton

A heavy, meditative roots reggae record stripped of dancehall artifice. Buju Banton's gravelly voice sounds weary yet spiritually fortified against the dark.

September 28, 2010

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A weary but resilient spiritual journey through the dark towards a hopeful light.

Tracklist · 10 Tracks · 44m
01
Rasta Can't Go
4:29
02
In the Air
3:33
03
Do Good
6:57
04
Battered & Bruised
4:06
05
Bondage
5:13
06
Struggle Together
4:30
07
Life
5:01
08
No Smoking at All
3:24
09
Try Life
4:08
10
Innocent
3:34
Moments Worth Listening For
The way the bassline on 'Do Good' stretches into a nearly seven-minute meditative groove that feels like a prayer.
Buju's voice cracking slightly during the most intimate passages of 'Innocent', emphasizing the human weight of the lyrics.
The sudden, sharp transition from the sparse acoustic opening of 'Rasta Can't Go' into a full-bodied roots rhythm.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Before the Dawn sound next to the rest of Buju Banton's catalogue?

Solitude+2.8σ

Solitude saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.

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