The Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts has slowly grown into a talent factory for upcoming Jamaican bands, and after No-Maddz, Pentateuch and Raging Fyah, there's now EarthKry who are presenting their long player debut 'Survival'. Honesty compels us to admit the band already released the 6 track 'Hard Road' EP back in 2015, but that unfortunately never reached us. For inspiration keyboard player Phillip Mcfarlane, drummer Kieron Cunningham, bassist Kamardo Blake and vocalist/guitarist Aldayne Haughton claim to look at bands and artists like Bob Marley & The Wailers, John Holt, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Black Uhuru and Steel Pulse. We can't but admit some songs on 'Survival', for which the band head to Tad's Recording Studio and Harry J Studio, really breathe Marley's spirit: the horn section in 'Philosophy' immediately reminded us of Bob's 'So Jah Seh', the rhythm-guitar riff of 'Move On' has something of his 'Sun Is Shining', and in 'Liberation Time' unmistakable echoes of 'High Tide Or Low Tide' can be heard. But EarthKry doesn't just borrow from the past. In opener and title track 'Survival System' the band immediately show what they are made of, and 'Wild Fire' is another excellent track. In 'Table Turn' EarthKry utters the hope that one day the tables will turn and bridges instead of walls will be built (a clear nod to the policies of President Donald Trump). 'Survival' concludes with the jazzy 'Keep Dreaming' in which the excellent piano work of Phillip Mcfarlane stands out. Absolute discovery, we certainly wouldn't want to keep from you!