Taking over from the underproductive singer
Sean Kingston, the duo
R. City burst out of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to become reggae-pop's new best friend, but it was merely a shift from the background to the foreground as these siblings had already written or produced hits for
Kingston ("Take You There"),
Iyaz ("Replay"),
Rihanna ("Pour It Up"), and
Miley Cyrus ("We Can't Stop"). Their solo career launched in earnest with the Top Ten single "Locked Away" featuring
Adam Levine, and that
Wyclef-sized bit of empowerment might have clouded the duo's judgment, as this 2015 album rolls out surrounding the hit with a handful of like-minded midtempo songs, including the sweet "Checking for You," which offers a St. Thomas-styled endearment with "When I ring your cell/Just making sure everything is blessed." Shuffle these great, but bunched together, songs into the mix and
What Dreams Are Made Of is a kinetic, infectious success, landing on an island somewhere between
the Fugees and
Major Lazer with all the political power of the former ("Live by the Gun," "Slave to the Dollar") and all the "flash" of the latter ("Broadway" plus "Locked Away," which is bold enough to borrow a melody from the Captain & Tennille). Roots reggae rhythms with big bass beats drive the mammoth highlight "Our Story," then a spirited guest appearance from
Tarrus Riley makes "Crazy Love" a keeper and a prime candidate for a cover version from
Rihanna or
Gwen Stefani. Sunshine bright and full of life,
What Dreams Are Made Of is an aptly titled release for fans of
Rihanna,
Stefani,
Akon, and such, but it's the strong songwriting, vivid rhymes, and singalong choruses that will keep it in rotation. ~ David Jeffries