SINGER Tarrus Riley pays tribute to the Rock Steady era on his upcoming album, Love Situation, set for release on February 4.

The 14-track project, his fifth studio album, is largely produced by saxophonist Dean Fraser, Riley’s musical director, and distributed digitally by Zojak World Wide.

Shane Brown, who is part of Riley’s management team, also produced a track on the set. He told the Sunday Observer that Love Situation is an ode to the popular genre of the late 1960s.

“[It] mostly contains samples, because the album is a true tribute to the Rock Steady era. But there are a few originals on it,” said Brown.

A precursor to reggae, Rock Steady originated in 1965. Some of its leading stars were Bob Andy, and harmony groups like the Heptones, Melodians and Gaylads.

Brown addressed Riley’s latest direction.

“It’s just Tarrus continuing on the musical path he has been on since inception… It is always my belief that an artiste should be an artiste without limiting themself musically,” he said.

The album features veteran deejays U-Roy and Big Youth as well as dancehall artiste Konshens and American rapper Mr Cheeks (from the Lost Boyz).

Riley, son of Rock Steady and reggae singer Jimmy Riley, shot to prominence in 2006 with the hit song She’s Royal from the critically acclaimed album Parables.

His other studio efforts — Challenges (2004), Contagious (2009) and Mecoustic (2012) — were not as popular as Parables which produced other hits in Pick Up The Pieces, One Two Order, and System Set.

Riley will embark on an American promotional tour starting Saturday.