As the first release on
Keith Richards' Mindless Records,
Wingless Angels plays on
the Stones guitarist's long-standing infatuation with reggae and Jamaica.
The Wingless Angels are part of the strict Rastafarian sect the Nyabinghi, whose religious practices include chanting and drumming, both featured on their eponymous debut record. As the album's producer,
Richards keeps thing simple, which gives the record a gritty power.
Wingless Angels isn't reggae in the strictest sense -- it's spiritual Rastafarian music that sounds unlike any other reggae record, and that's what makes it special.