Fallen Soldiers was an instant anthem for hardcore dancehall fans when it was released in 2007. It announced Demarco as a new force and he easily avoided the one-hit wonder tag with follow-up songs like Duppy Know Who fi Frighten and I Love My Life.

It is strange then that an artiste of his reputation has never released an album. That changes in October with Melody which will be distributed by Ineffable Records out of California.

Mover, the set’s first single featuring Konshens, dropped on June 4. Demarco, 38, also teams with Sean Paul and Shaggy on the album.

Melody will be out 14 years after Fallen Soldiers put him on the map. In addition to releasing hit songs, he has also done well as a producer, but Demarco admits he was not prepared to release a full-length project.

“I don’t think I was ready. I have di talent an’ di music but mi neva really have di business side lock. These people who going to put out di album, they really understand di genre an’ how to market a dancehall artiste like me,” he said.

Ineffable Records have done well with traditional reggae acts like Steel Pulse, Stick Figure and The Movement as well as Collie Buddz. The company has also worked with singer Keznamdi.

Demarco says Melody is meant for the fan with indiscriminate tastes. The set is a mix of Afrobeats, reggaeton and dancehall songs for his core base; he notes that dancehall’s sound has changed appreciably since he emerged with Fallen Soldiers.

“Dancehall music has evolved a lot, until people sey is not dancehall anymore. But from it have a little element an’ a dancehall artiste on it, it’s dancehall,” he said. “Yuh jus’ haffi work with di times ’cause every other music has changed with di times.”