Avoiding the predictable is something Ras Kronik has done throughout his 25-year career. The Las Vegas-based singer experiments with different sounds, in a bid to reach diverse audiences.

His latest song is a dancehall track called The Energy, which was released May 12 by Pandemic Records, a company owned by his brother Sheldon Edwards.

The Energy is also the title of his third album, scheduled for release in June. After recording roots-reggae, pop and EDM songs, Ras Kronik felt the time was right for some dancehall.

“It’s been a long time, a very long time. Even though I have Who Set The Thing on my Wild N Free album, The Energy is a total difference. The tempo and the melody, also the swing of the rhythm,” he explained.

Wild N Free was released in 2021 and comprises mainly conventional reggae songs which has been Ras Kronik’s forte since he began recording in the 1990s.

Relocating to Las Vegas in the early 2000s, the Clarendon-born artiste fit in with the gambling mecca’s small reggae community, performing in intimate settings and on major events like Reggae In The Desert.

The Energy is his latest effort for Pandemic Records which is based in Atlanta. Previous songs for the label include Jah Jah Light and World Prayer, a collaboration with Chillum, who is also his brother.

Ras Kronik (real name Everton Edwards) disclosed that his upcoming album has 12 songs. It will, he says, “have something for everyone”.

Howard Campbell