PJ Far-West Selecta returns with a dark, bass-heavy tale that steps out of Caribbean folklore and into your speakers. “Rolling Calf,” the second single from his forthcoming album, is a heady mishmash of roots dub, story-driven mysticism, and global textures that grabs by the lapels and doesn’t let go.
The track continues where “Obiah Man” left off, plunging further into the dark folklore of Jamaican spirits. For the unacquainted, the rolling calf is not your typical scary bedtime story. It’s an accursed soul, you see, of butcher, murderer or Obeah man,” a figure of dread that stalks moonless nights rattling chains, breaking senselessly into cattle pens and forever pursuing its next fix of sugar or molasses. More than mere fiction, this chilling myth animates “Rolling Calf,” a song that synthesizes the ancient and the electric.
With the raw, unmistakable voice of Jamaican singer Sledge up front and the percussive flare of Argentinian drummer Dubmian, the track is dripping with atmosphere. You can feel the bamboo brushing against you, the caves sighing, the spirits lurking. P.J.’s production, his hallmarks of dub delay, world basslines, and layered storytelling, make this an experience. It’s dub with a heart and a history, created by a vet who’s been genre-blending longer than most of us have been pressing play. And speaking of specters, you won’t miss the gripping visual work of Nigerian videographer Mark S., who makes the rolling calf come to life in all its spectral glory. The visuals are a worldwide collaboration of rhythm and myth that transcends borders.
Listen to PJ Far-West Selecta, a.k.a Bart, conjure musical spells for more than 40 years in record shops, DJ booths, and global grooves. His open-eared affection for reggae, funk, soukous, and quite a bit in between is all over this release. “Rolling Calf” isn’t a song, but it’s a warning, a riddle, and a dance all at once.