I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - When Words Come to Life (2017)

Track listing:

01. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Jah Blessings (5:20)
02. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Works to Do (3:36)
03. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Caan Fallow None a Dem (4:02)
04. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Struggle (4:17)
05. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Soo True (4:03)
06. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - When Words Come to Life (5:52)
07. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Empress (4:28)
08. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Everyday Dem War (5:25)
09. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - We Are from Trench Town (3:42)
10. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Give Thanks and Praises (3:56)
11. I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors - Outer View (9:26)

Even though the name I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors might not ring a bell with most European reggae lovers yet, front man I-Cient-Cy Mau (born Junior Desmond Williams) already enjoyed popularity as half of duo Papa Finnigan & Junior Ranking. Disappointed with the direction dancehall was taking in Jamaica, Junior Ranking decided that it was time for a spiritual reincarnation. Ideologically I-Cient-Cy drew inspiration from the revolutionary Mau Mau movement from 1950s Kenya, and musically from Bob Marley and his Wailers. This long player debut was recorded at Tuff Gong Studios, where I-Cient-Cy Mau has been a regular visitor since the 1970s (something which in Trench Town earned him the nickname Marley Yute). Assisting the band during the recording process were veteran musicians from the likes of Wilburn 'Squidly' Cole, Sticky Thompson, Dean Fraser and Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace. The fact I-Cient-Cy is proud of his origins he proves with 'We Are From Trench Town', an anthem dedicated to what he himself calls the Hollywood of Jamaica. Real misses we did not find on 'When Words Come To Life'; 'Empress' is an enjoyable lovers tune and the solid singjay-track 'Give Thanks And Praises' also tickled our fancy, but without any competition the most catchy tune in the track list is the energetic 'Works To Do'. For those who still have to get to know I-Cient-Cy Mau & The Mau Mau Warriors, there's 'Outer View', a short interview with I-Cient-Cy that was added to the track list as the closing track.