The first impression of Mahala Rai Banda upon reading that a Romanian band plays reggae is skepticism. Can this Romanian band play reggae with all the swagger and swing of an authentic reggae artist? Mahala Rai Banda is a Romanian band that mixes and dabbles with Funk, Latin and Caribbean music.
They released “Balkan Reggae” on their 2009 album Ghetto Blasters. This album is a collection of remixes of “Balkan Reggae”. The original track is a swaggering reggae instrumental with eastern European influenced melodies.
Despite the strange origins of this track, the reception seems to be positive. The response from Jamaican artists for Mahala Rai Banda’s request for remixes of “Balkan Reggae” is varied and creative. This kind of response suggests that there are many fans of Mahala Rai Banda’s track, especially in Jamaica.
Some of the most notable tracks are the ones that strays the farthest from the original.
The Jstar remix sounds like electro-swing. The Koby Israelite mix puts the spotlight on Annique’s gorgeous, jazzy vocals. The Sicarius remix also features great vocals with delicious harmonies.
Although the Manasseh mix stays true to the original track, it’s definitely worth listening to.
Overall, this album is a decent listen, but the fact that it is a collection of remixes of the same song makes it difficult to listen to the whole album all the way through.
Check out the video for the Manasseh mix of “Balkan Reggae”.