Alborosie ADD

Review

Album Review: Alborosie - Nine Mile

10/24/2025

by Munchy

Alborosie is a true workhorse. Almost stoically, he delivers stunning new studio albums every two years – and his latest creation, Nine Mile, is yet another blessing for our ears and souls. But it’s not the singer’s voice we hear in the opening moments of the album; it’s that of Haile Selassie: “It is good that you are here to record this picture of me in my palace garden at Addis Ababa. People who see this throughout the world will realize that even in the 20th century, with faith, courage and a just cause, David will still beat Goliath!” This isn’t a general statement – it’s a “statement from the General” as Alborosie emphasizes. It sets the tone and mindset for this 14-track opus.

Calling Selassie is a classic one drop tune, with fresh horn arrangements and uplifting lyrics that trace Alborosie’s journeys to Ethiopia. But Jamaica, too, holds many important places that inspired him for this album. Trench Town Legend is a tribute to the greatest reggae superstar of all time, Bob Marley. Musically, it reinterprets We and Dem from Marley’s spiritually and politically charged Uprising album. With great creativity, Alborosie weaved quotes from the reggae king into a powerful new lyrical narrative. [WATCH THE VIDEO HERE]

Marley's birthplace Nine Mile is not just the album’s title – it also appears as a song. Alborosie dedicated this by far most moving and personal track to the late Jo Mersa, who passed away in December 2022. Albo describes him as a “good friend of mine”, and the emotional weight of the track highlights the close bond they shared.

Nine Mile is filled with personal moments. Alborosie’s cover of Jimmy Cliff’s Club Paradise comes from the soundtrack of the film of the same name starring Robin Williams – a movie that had a strong impact on Albo in his youth. With a playful nod, he says he sees a bit of himself in the character Island Jack. He also included a passionate rendition of No Tan Distintos, originally released in 1987 by Argentine punk-reggae band Sumo. The track is a heartfelt dedication to his South American fans and its message, lines like “We don’t want no more war” are just as relevant today, nearly 40 years later. Over in neighboring Brazil, the video [WATCH IT HERE] for Come My Way was shot. This single, released prior to the full-length record, features a dub version by the legendary King Tubby. The instrumental taken from King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown is just one of many pieces of evidence, Alborosie sees as proof of reggae’s immense influence on the global music scene. 

With Nine Mile, the singer not only pays tribute to many sources of inspiration and fellow musicians, but he also once again cements his own well-earned and celebrated status in the global reggae community. He’s a master at delivering the sound of his now home Jamaica authentically, organically and rootsy, while also using effects with precision to create a modern and fresh sonic identity, not least thanks to the talent of fellow musicians such as Giuseppe “Big Finga” Coppola, Valter Vincenti, Aston Barrett Jr., Wade Johnson, Okiel McIntyre, Oshane Love, Lamont Savory, Jalon Higgins, Antonio Lusi, as well as Fabrice "Frenchie" Allegre and Nikki Burt who all contributed their share to the album.

Albo’s messages are as timeless as the music he makes, and yet they feel contemporary and relevant in 2025. He sings of true love, which should always triumph over “feelings” mediated through social media and apps. He sings of the long-lasting battle against Babylon and its Zombies in this crazy Loco Loco world, a fight that still calls for willpower and endurance in our times. “To cool down my fire” he reminds himself of as a love story comes to an end before he dives into a playful rendition that tells of the “desire to see you – ganas de verte”. As he says, he “let’s his heart sing” and the nuances of Nine Mile shift and shimmer between pain and joy, longing, hope, and perseverance. All of this is carried by a classic reggae instrumentation, enriched with varied, ornate details – at times a creaking clavinet, then brass sections or saxophone; sometimes it crackles like an old vinyl record, then pieces from a film resound or the guitar melody of Wyclef Jean’s 911 appears like a distant memory woven into the sound.
 
True to his essence and brimming with intention, Nine Mile is everything we cherish about Puppa Albo – an album that doesn’t just convince, but connects, uplifts, and stands proudly in the lineage of reggae’s most heartfelt works.
 

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