When Matisyahu first burst onto the international scene in 2006 with Youth, there weren't many that could believe what they were looking at. Really – a Hasidic Jew emcee inspired by equal amounts of reggae, hip hop and religion? It was easy to understand the disbelief – particularly given the 'more is more,' rat-racing tenor of the mainstream hip hop culture at the time.
It didn't take too long for Matisyahu (born Matthew Paul Miller) to break through to listeners and prove that he was no gimmick act though. Through very thought provoking interview dialogue, an infectious stage presence and a series of universally-accessible songs on Youth including “What I'm Fighting For,” “Unique Is My Dove” and “King Without A Crown” that illustrated a strong link between 'Jew,' 'Ja' and 'Rhyming' could not only be drawn but be anthemic and imposing in its own right, Matisyahu captured his own little province in the hip hop landscape that no one could dispute is his. He's built a base and has received very public praise for his efforts as well as been inserted into the pop culture vernacular in some very visible places (like in the dialogue of the Judd Apatow film Knocked Up where he's name-dropped by Paul Rudd's character) – he has made it.
With all that background in mind, it's suddenly very easy to understand the slick and seamless design of Light, Matisyahu's long and eagerly awaited follow-up. Now with a bigger support group at his back, Light is the sort of album one might expect from a newly established institution; not that he's forgotten where he came from, Matis obviously feels compelled to live up to the expectations placed upon him. From the opening electro-clash warm-up at the beginning of “Smash Lies,” Matis immediately beefs up both the production and sound (far more real-time instruments than ever before) in which he's working; the more grassroots approach of Youth has been upgraded to a much more polished and pop-savvy backing, as exemplified by “Escape,” “So Hi So Lo” and “I Will Be Light.” With much-expanded instrumentation driving the emcee's hopes of spiritual enlightenment, worries for the world around him and gritty truths of street life as well as the quest for redemption from it are amplified by the sheer power of the performances as well as the increased song-craft and driven into the stratosphere. As with many reggae records (but unlike more hip hop releases), the images of want, need and the hope that all can be overcome are incredibly vivid and placed at stage center here but, rather than simply chronicle the struggles, Matisyahu also sees that light at the end of the tunnel and invites listeners to join him in his walk toward that end. It's a very different sort of message that Light presents (compared with the more secular nature of the average pop or hip hop record), and nothing about it feels exclusionary; in Matisyahus dialogue, the hope is that everyone finds the bliss whether they're following along through this record or not, this album outlines the hopes of one for the many. That sort of inclusive and generous sentiment is rare in any kind of pop idiom but, on Light, it is the central theme and that kind of uplift is very, very attractive.
As the intimate, acoustic ballad that closes the record (where the emcee makes it plain that he'd give up his quest if we were all free) and gives way to the silence that the title refers to, it's impossible not to feel that uplift that Matis is hoping for – religious background is irrelevant at that point, as is creed, color and political disposition – and yearn for it too. In “Silence” lies a kind of unifying moment that everyone hopes for; it is beautiful, serene and calm. While it will leave listeners hoping for a less-than-three-year duration before the emcee returns to admonish us further, Matisyahu also doesn't leave much clue as to what will come next; there are no glaring loose ends left by Light. What could be left? Anyone that hears this album will be left wondering because, on Light, Matisyahu has said it all.
Artist:
Matisyahu online
Matisyahu myspace
Album:
Light comes out on August 25, 2009 on Sony Records. Pre-order it on Amazon.
