‘Morning Blessing Riddim’ from Fruits Records

Switzerland’s Fruits Records is back with another strong riddim release, once again joined by the label’s acclaimed studio band, The 18th Parallel. This time, they deliver the heavyweight Morning Blessing Riddim. Built as a powerful stepper, it comes loaded with heavy drums and bass and sharp, expressive horn arrangements that give the riddim plenty of weight and character.

The riddim is already available digitally and will arrive on 7-inch vinyl on September 4. The release brings together four different angles on the same foundation: a vocal cut from Lone Ark (Roberto Sánchez), a deejay cut by New York’s JonnyGo Figure, an instrumental by Copenhagen’s Horns of Guiding Star Orchestra, plus dub versions of all three tracks.

Morning Blessing, the riddim’s lead track, is Lone Ark’s second single from the upcoming Showcase Vol. 2, following Man Kill Man, which came out earlier this year. Roberto Sánchez uses the track to deliver a positive and conscious message about gratitude and making the most of what we have. It’s not about looking over the fence at someone else’s life. Instead, Lone Ark reminds us to recognise our own blessings and appreciate the journey we’re on. The message comes through clearly, and Sánchez keeps things warm and soulful over The 18th Parallel’s heavyweight stepper. Sánchez also handles the dub himself, stripping things back on the excellent Morning Version.

JonnyGo Figure takes a different route with Love Life, bringing a fast and energetic deejay style shaped by the early 1980s Jamaican dancehall tradition. His delivery is rapid-fire, but there’s impressive precision behind it. The New York-based artist rides the riddim with confidence, giving the track a raw edge without losing its musicality. Roberto Sánchez’s rub-a-dub mix suits him perfectly. “Away negative and forward in with positive, universal love is what I-man will give” is just one of the positive lines he drops, and the combination of JonnyGo Figure’s delivery and the riddim’s rolling groove makes Love Life a standout. The accompanying Love Dub is equally effective and deserves to be played loud as well.

For the instrumental, Fruits Records once again calls on Horns of Guiding Star Orchestra, the Copenhagen-based three-piece horn section that has appeared on previous label projects. Their contribution, Hornsmen Blessing, adds another dimension to the riddim. The horn lines hit hard, with a militant feel, before a mellow yet powerful trombone solo takes centre stage. And naturally, Roberto Sánchez gets the final word with another dub treatment, taking the instrumental apart and rebuilding it in classic dubbed-out fashion.

The Morning Blessing Riddim is a fine example of what Fruits Records and The 18th Parallel do so well. Strong musicianship, heavyweight roots foundations and different vocal approaches all come together without losing the spirit of the riddim. Whether you’re into stepper pressure, conscious roots or old-skool deejay vibes, there’s something here to turn up loud.

Single 1.
01. Lone Ark meets The 18th Parallel – Morning Blessing
02. Morning Version

Single 2.
01. JonnyGo Figure, The 18th Parallel – Love Life
02. The 18th Parallel – Love Dub

Single 3.

01. Horns of Guiding Star Orchestra, The 18th Parallel – Hornsmen Blessing
02. The 18th Parallel – Hornsmen Dubbing