At long last, Philadelphia reggae-hip hop collective Rockers Galore is releasing their debut album ‘Vamos a la Playa’. a fresh and exhilarating blend of reggae, rock, and hip-hop, the Rockers blend fine and fun elements of legends like Jimmy Cliff, Santana and Black Uhuru, creating a sound that’s both nostalgic and utterly modern.
Infusing their music with a sense of authenticity, their lyrics are heartfelt and relatable, their passion shining through in every note, ultimately making each song feel personal and intimate. If you’re a fan of the aforementioned genres or simply good music, you’ve got to try this on for size and soak up the infectious energy and undeniable talent of Rockers Galore.
Founded in 2008 by multi-instrumentalist Blayer Point du Jour, Rockers Galore transformed from a solo project to a songwriting partnership with guitarist Adam Benites, and then gradually involved other passionate and visionary artists. With a fantastic and infectious fusion of old-school funk and brand-new spunk, they cleverly blend roots, hip hop, reggae, rock, Haitian kompa music and Latin rhythms. Since releasing their debut ‘Port Au Prince’ EP in 2011, they have released numerous singles and EPs.
Blayer Point du Jour explains, “For this album, we took our time and waited until we felt inspired to write. This is a mix of rhythms we enjoy playing. We aim to honor our diverse backgrounds in music and create a new sound that people have not heard before. We believe this is our best work to date. I grew up with a lot of first-generation Americans. We all came from different backgrounds but we learned to respect each others’ cultures. I try to mix the genres in an effort to bring everyone together.”
Most of the album tracks were recorded, mixed & mastered at Milkboy the Studio by Tommy Joyner (of Digable Planets), who has overseen recordings by James Taylor, Dave Matthews and Miley Cyrus, among many other notable artists. ‘Blood In The Sand’ is the exception, being mixed & mastered by Arik Creep at Creep Records Studio.
“We are all happy it’s completed and excited for the release. I feel like having home studios really helps the process. Hours of trying to make something happen in a room with your friends is always awesome but doesn’t always work. It is nice to be able to plug in, record the idea, send it and let it breathe. I’ve always tried and wanted to add Latin flavor to my playing. I think it comes through on this and I’m very happy about it. It’s a nice progression in our musical growth as a band,” sayd Adam Benites.
Charles Francis Duquesne adds, “This album has a vibe that I like and it showcases our sound as a unit. I think people will appreciate what we’re trying to put out there in the world. I like how we pair up our guest artist to the tracks that we have on this album – each track is even stronger for it. I want folks to walk away from this with the feeling that they found the perfect soundtrack to their lives so, no matter what kind of day you’re having, you can put on this album and just wash all the madness away.”
Earlier, Rockers Galore shared the invigorating single ‘Blood In The Sand’, featuring Philadelphia guitarist Joe Jordan (Oxymorrons, Pure Hell, JJX) and a passionate spoken-word performance by Sydelle Prosopio, as well as ‘Sweet Sensei’, a dose of pure sunshine in sonic form that was inspired by the love of music and sinsemilla, nature’s elixir and bringer of verdant euphoria.
Fusing musical talents and cultural influences, Rockers Galore takes us on a journey through sound and storytelling, celebrating the power of collaboration and the blending of cultures.
“I am so happy to have finally completed this album. It took about 4 years of soul-searching. I forced myself to be patient and wait to be inspired, instead of just writing a bunch of songs. I learned inspiration comes from all kinds of places when you just live your life. We took some risks on this album and I think it paid off. We want to create a new sound while paying homage to our Caribbean and Latin roots. We are all in the fight of life together. I like to think our music can bring different cultures together. We take old-school Caribbean and Latin rhythms and add a bit of rock and roll to them. You are gonna hear different beats and grooves. We try to write fun drum and bass music. You hear some spiritual lyrics and some tales about our immigrant backgrounds,” says Blayer Point du Jour.
As of September 13, the ‘Vamos a la Playa’ album’ is available from fine digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
CREDITS
Music written by Blayer Point du Jour & Adam Benites
Blayer Point du Jour – Lyrics, Vocals, Keyboards and Bass
Adam Benites – Guitar
Joe Jordan – Guitar
Tyler Hayduk – Keyboards
Michael Pipitone – Drum Programming
Chris Tolomeo – Trumpet
Josiah Krawiec – Saxophone
Timi Dread – Vocals on ‘Sweet Sensei’
Talia Morris – Vocals on ‘Sweet Sensei’
Sydelle Prosopio – Spoken word on ‘Blood In The Sand’
Produced by Blayer Point du Jour and Adam Benites
‘Sweet Sensei’ recorded, mixed & mastered by Tommy Joyner at Milkboy the Studio
‘Blood In The Sand’ mixed & mastered at Creep Records by Arik Creep
Cover artwork by Michael Pipitone
Artist photos by Adam Wallacavage
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
More sun-filled excellence from Rockers Galore
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