4/20 is a day when millions of people around the globe gather to celebrate in peace and smoke cannabis. It's also become a day when like-minded music artists release new material. Joining the ranks of the acts releasing new material on April 20th is the enigmatic roots reggae act and aptly named 10 Ft. Ganja Plant. Their new album 10 Deadly Shots comes out the same day as new releases from well known marijuana supporters Cypress Hill, Willie Nelson, Kottonmouth Kings and others.
The band and their label decided that the first volume of this ongoing series would test the new music distribution paradigm and use vintage production techniques. The album was mastered off of vinyl lacquers just like all recordings were done before the advent of digital mastering and the CD. It provides a rich and warm texture to the groups organic grooves. The lacquers were delivered to the band's label ROIR in Brooklyn last Thursday and will be released 5 days later on April 20th. This type of instantaneous release could only happen within the digital distribution platform.
On their 6th album the prolific group, who music mag/website Wire says, “Like a communion with Jah Bob (Marley) via ouija board," continues their explorations into classic reggae, dub, ska, rocksteady and other island sounds. The names of the performers / writers and other facts about the group are shrouded in secrecy but there is little doubt that they have learned from the reggae masters. The tracks on 10 Deadly Shots forgo the vocals of the deejay in favor of all-instrumental grooves and melodies. It's like tuning the dial of your old transistor radio and finding nothing but 20th century island sounds. Bobbing bass and drum riddims, staccato guitar leads and sweet horn melodies that are fresh yet familiar at the same time.
The album is released exclusively on the group's new website -- 10ftganjaplant.com -- as an album download. Fans who buy the digital album in the first week pay only $6.99.
