French beatmaker Fatbabs returned on the 20th of June with This Love Is Endlessly, an album that’s as heartfelt as it’s bold, bridging reggae, hip-hop and soul with uncommon finesse. Referred to as the first architect behind a lot of Naâman’s music and a long-standing determine in France’s reggae and hip-hop scene, the Grammy nominated Fatbabs has at all times excelled in mixing genres, cultures, and voices. On this 17-track journey, he not solely doubles down on that mission, he elevates it.
From the primary monitor to the final, This Love Is Endlessly appears like greater than only a report. At instances, it’s a tribute, a dialog and a celebration. The album unites a powerful 21 artists, together with heavyweights like Capleton, Queen Omega, Christopher Martin, Marcus Gad, and Jah Lil, together with a robust presence from the French reggae and hip-hop scenes, together with Jahneration, Biga*Ranx and Davojah, amongst others.
The singles launched forward of the album (Rambo, Finish of Struggle, Hurry Up, Skanking Loud) gave an early style of the collaborative firepower at work right here and the total album delivers on that promise. Whether or not it’s the pulsing, militant vitality of Finish of Struggle (feat. Jah Lil) or the explosive dancehall spirit of Skanking Loud, Fatbabs retains the momentum alive with a crisp, layered manufacturing that provides every voice room to shine.
After which, simply when the album feels prefer it’s hovering, it pauses – as a mark of respect to the pricey departed musical magician that was Naâman, earlier than I Really feel Your Love arrives, and it actually cuts deep. It’s not simply the plush instrumentation or the robust options (Marcus Gad and Strain Busspipe), it’s the presence of Naâman, who opens the monitor with a refrain recorded previous to his passing in February 2025. His voice, shiny and aching, shines like daylight by a storm. You possibly can really feel the burden in each line, the love in each layer. The monitor is a ravishing tribute, not simply to a fallen pal and collaborator, however to the enduring energy of music to hold recollections ahead. It embodies the album’s tenet: Love as legacy.
Fatbabs’ manufacturing all through the album is heat, natural, and meticulous. You possibly can hear his many influences, akin to roots reggae, soul and hip-hop. However they’re by no means pressured on this high-quality product. His signature is refined. It’s a groove that breathes, a beat that lets the lyrics lead, and there may be at all times a deep respect current for the cultures he’s channelling. And whereas the album often sprawls throughout completely different genres and generations, it by no means loses its focus. Every monitor contributes to the collective message: Love outlasts life, music transcends borders and unity is one thing which may be constructed, beat by beat and voice by voice.
This Love Is Endlessly doesn’t reinvent reggae or hip-hop. As a substitute, what it does is construct a vibrant mosaic of voices, histories and kinds. This skilled producer delivers his greatest work but, while calling upon a few of reggae’s greatest and brightest to place collectively monitor after monitor of high quality music. Fatbabs acts much less like a star and extra like a curator, a listener and a connector. This Love Is Endlessly isn’t attempting to redefine genres. It’s doing one thing harder than that, it’s constructing bridges, between previous and future, between continents and house, between life and loss. This isn’t simply one of the vital significant albums of the yr, it’s one of the vital alive.
It is a completely fulfilling album. It’s a nice credit score to Fatbabs and his collaborators and we are able to make certain that the everlasting Naâman is wanting down and smiling, skanking and singing together with each monitor. Respect!
Label: Huge Scoop Data
Launched: June 20, 2025
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Standout Tracks: I Really feel Your Love, One Fam, Finish of Struggle, Skanking Loud, Rambo
By Kevin McMahon
