Major Lazer's Walshy Fire Announces Debut Solo Album 'ABENG' & Shares Lead Single

Famed electronic dancehall supergroup Major Lazer’s MC and producer, Walshy Fire, has announced the release of his debut solo album ABENG. The album’s title harkens back to the traditional Ghanaian instrument that was brought to Jamaica, later used by runaway slaves to communicate across large swaths of land. Bridging together Walshy’s burgeoning connection with African and Caribbean sonic sensibilities, the new album features a range of friends that the Jamaican-born artist has accumulated over the past five years of touring.

Effectually, the new project sees the artist bridging Caribbean dancehall with a variety of Afrobeats and Afropop, as well as spicing up the project’s flavor with various hits of Soca, Reggae, and more. To commemorate the album announcement, Walshy has released the album’s lead single, “No Negative Vibes,” which features Jamaican dancehall musician Alkaline and Nigerian singer-songwriter Runtown.

As is evidenced by the new track, Walshy moves away from MCing, sticking to the production side through an articulate dancehall instrumental. Here he lets Alkaline and Runtown carry the beat, both of who lay out some excellently sculpted verses that relish in a vibrant sense of positivity. You can watch the newly released video for Walshy Fire’s “No Negative Vibes” featuring Alkaline and Runtown above. ABENG will release via Mad Decent on June 7.

For more related music news, Major Lazer dropped their last album’s lead single, “Can’t Take it From Me.”