Ana Vee: ‘Ana Vee’ EP Album Review

Hawaii is over 8000 miles from Kingston, Jamaica but the influence of reggae music there has been a likely force for decades. They have some major festivals every year with both local and international reggae singers. Like Jamaica, independent reggae artists in Hawaii command huge audiences singing authentic roots reggae music. New artist Ana Vee’s self titled sophomore EP is the latest reggae project from the islands out in the pacific.

Ana’s essence competes with the bursting sunshine on her album cover. Bronze hair and matching skin with one eye-pierced with hope and certainty. She is here. The 5 track, 19-minute effort sets the pace with Dream Come True. If you close your eyes it sounds like Dean Fraser is playing in the background. Horns, melodies and soul gives the track a nice Sunday feel. Her singing style on this song is not altogether unique, but her voice adds to the magic.

Trucking is where she plays with her voice and keeps pace with the different music sections. It is a layered and textured song. She shows off her skills as a singer-songwriter. The infectious hook “I keep trucking along 96 degrees till the sun is all gone, I keep my shoulder to the wheel you can’t keep me down when you know its too real.” 

‘Some gotta win some got to lose Good Time Charlie’s got the blues’ — the self-professed lover of neo-soul, hip-hop, rap, reggae and ‘90s ballads takes up her guitar to add some groovy contemporary acoustic soul to the project. “Play around you lose your wife, play too long you lose your life” is the range of her songwriting. Like Goldilocks, not too much and not too little, just right. I could listen to her while I sleep and wake up feeling like I went for a relaxing walk.

Stranger is the smooth reggae love song the EP needed. Ana tempts a love interest with memories, “Its been a minute since we kicked it I hope you don’t look at me different, I know that life got away from us but hope you know that it’s always love”.  It’s a relatable song that will be sure to gain her some new fans who share the sentiment. Her crispy clear voice is intimate, making you think she is singing to you. With a glass of wine, company, and some slow dancing, this song sets the mood to rekindle old flames and prepare for March babies. 

Yeah You projects like a sister-to-sister, heart-to-heart conversation. “Yeah You look at how good you have done”. Her ability to make you say “this is my song” after listening to each track is an achievement in itself.

Overall Ana Vee gets a 4 out of 5. Every track stands out with a unique flavor, I only wish it had 7 songs.