California-born artist and producer Ione Angeles has poured her love for reggae into Wheelahs Riddim, an 11-track album that reflects her passion for the genre’s diverse and often underrepresented voices. Released on October 10, the compilation features roots legends like Earl Zero and Prezident Brown alongside rising talents Ashley Irae, Isha Bel, and Ilaya Malaya. Angeles handpicked each artist, aiming to blend established voices with fresh, emerging talent.
The album is built around the “Wheelahs” riddim, crafted by engineer Tuviel Levi. Angeles’s approach was to give each artist creative freedom, encouraging them to bring their individual style to the project. “Each artist brought their unique sound, which is what I believe makes this album special. I didn’t ask for anything specific—just for them to be themselves,” Angeles explained.
Her own contribution, Never Alone, is a duet with New York-based singer Revelashan. She highlights the album’s strong female representation, saying, “It was essential to me to have more women on the project, and to bring together veteran and newer voices in reggae.”
Angeles’s journey with reggae began in 1990 when she first came to Jamaica. During her six-year stay, she built connections with iconic musicians, including Max Edwards of the Soul Syndicate Band, with whom she later formed the roots-reggae band Tengeh. In recent years, she has remained deeply involved in reggae, and Wheelahs Riddim is her latest contribution to the genre’s ongoing story.
