Nestled in amongst a bevy of dubwise instrumentals on the cleverly titled Spacial Awareness, Stinky Jim’s “Steam Fish”, featuring the late great Jamaican dub poet Nazamba, is evidently an overlooked tour de force.
The track (sadly a posthumous release) comes in on a count and a hummed melody and then blends with the deep rasp of Nazamba in an eloquent fashion. Ostensibly an ode to the Jamaican delicacy steam fish and crackers being enjoyed in one’s yard, the ensuing line ‘turn on mi radio, mi a listen a few rockers’ makes it clear this is a celebration of the island home of reggae music. As only he could, Nazamba finds meaningful joy in the simplicity of life, while references and metaphors fly about.
Given his acclaimed work with O.B.F, including 2019’s Nazamba LP, which followed his ostensible debut (given 15+ years of work under the Wild Life moniker) with The Bug, Nazamba always shone the brightest when working with true production talent. This captivating steppers cut proves New Zealand’s own Stinky Jim is in the same class.
To quote Stinky Jim: “Only available on Bandcamp and through selected digital retailers. No scheming streaming in the slightest.”
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