Paul St. Hilaire ADSOM-A Divine State of Mind
Paul St. Hilaire has always tried to expand the possibilities of reggae. Since moving from […]
Paul St. Hilaire has always tried to expand the possibilities of reggae. Since moving from Dominica to Berlin he’s tapped into numerous scenes, most notably experimental dub. The fruits of these collaborations are apparent on ADSOM, where large bass undertones are tempered by beats ranging from downtempo to midtempo. St. Hilaire draws a fine line between digital textures and raw, analog sounds here, unlike the cleaner, smoother collaborations with François K. that helped him break into the American circuit. Guitars creep over the reverberant rhythm on “Little Song” while St. Hilaire’s unique, high-toned vocals rise above the heaviness. The entire record continues in this fashion; even on the more uplifting “Jah Won’t Let Us Down,” Hilaire hangs back on the vintage sound. While muddy, and sometimes choppy, he finds a way to bring light to the shadows.