Album review | Rusko, ‘Songs’

Patrick Maguire Contributing Writer

Rusko puts the dub back in dub step with his new album, “Songs.”

Rusko, also known as Chris Mercer, earned his degree in Music Performance from Leeds College of Music before dripping his his first EP, “Babylon, Vol. 1,” in 2007. Rusko continued producing numerous singles and remixes until March of 2010 when he released his first album, “O.M.G.!”

Rusko has performed at Ultra Music Festival, Electric Zoo, and Electric Daisy Carnival.

This past Feb. 6 Rusko stopped at The National as part of his collegeinvasion tour. He performed most of his popular songs and even took back the stage for an encore. He embarks on a spring tour on April 20 kicking off in Boulder, Colo.

Rusko’s sophomore album outdoes the original. This album has much more of a reggae feel while still staying true to Rusko’s electronic sound. It is an upbeat album that must be listened to from start to finish to be fully appreciated.

The second song, “Somebody to Love,” is the single for the album. It’s a catchy electronic song, but a little too mainstream for Rusko’s sound. This is Rusko’s attempt to appeal to a mass audience.

The song “Skanker” is set to a fast reggae beat with bass dropping throughout the entire track. “Love No More” plays out like a reggae ballad without an electronic feel to it. “Opium” sticks to Rusko’s original bass blaring pulse: a good dance song sure to be played at raves this summer.

Set to an old-school reggae beat, “Be Free” is a good mix between reggae and dub. “Thunder” is an upbeat dance song with a crazy beat. A Rasta-infused dub song “Mek More Green” is a mellow tune with an encouraging message: “Strive for positive every day in life.”

Rusko is currently working on a collaboration project with Cypress Hill. The EP “Cyprus X Rusko” is set to be released sometime this April. CT

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