I Kong might have to start thinking about getting another nickname, as just about a year after the release of his comeback album 'A Little Walk' on Fruits Records, "the forgotten man" now presents successor 'Pass It On' on that same label. Just a few weeks ago we predicted Max Romeo's 'Horror Zone' would get little or no competition anymore as the best 2016 roots album, but we have to admit that with 'Pass It On' I Kong has also made quite the effort. For the album the singer once again joined forces with Swiss band Najavibes and Spanish producer Roberto Sanchez is present again as well. With Ken Boothe, Judy Mowatt (who we believed had focused herself entirely on the gospel genre) and Raging Fyah (with whom I Kong puts the message from the title track into practice), Errol Kong also compiled an excellent guest list. 'Pass It On' may largely be a very solid roots album, here and there I Kong deviates slightly from that path: for example, there's the light-footed ska of 'For Whom The Bell Tolls', and in 'Keep Grooving' we even heard some influences from disco (I Kong's Louis Armstrong impersonation in the song thrown in as a free bonus). Just the once I Kong opts for a cover, but his rendition of Bim Sherman's 'Solid As A Rock' will probably only be recognized by true reggae connoisseurs. The only remaining thing is to offer you our favorites from the track: apart from the aforementioned 'Pass It On' featuring Raging Fyah' and opener 'Motherless Child' with Judy Mowatt, we were most taken with 'Good Will Follow', in which Luis Marin, father of Najavibes-guitarist Léo Marin, plays an impressive harmonica. Definitely one of the true reggae gems of 2016!