Press Release :
Ticklah vs. Axelrod is an epic soundclash between two sides of a musical personality: the studio wizardry and dub experimentation of Ticklah, versus the keyboard prowess and genre restlessness of Victor Axelrod. In this case, the battle rages in the head of one person. Ticklah and Victor Axelrod are one and the same and Ticklah vs. Axelrod is Ticklah's third full-length solo album. So who exactly is this young fellow who had a huge impact on a number of critically acclaimed groups and records in the past decade? He is a founding member of the Easy Star All-Stars, (remember Dub Side Of The Moon and Radiodread?) and has played keys with Antibalas since 1999, co-writing and co-producing much of that celebrated Afrobeat band's output. He collaborated on hit remixes with DJ Spinna and was an original member of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. He has appeared on a number of Mark Ronson productions, including tracks with Robbie Williams, Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. In the midst of all of these projects, he kept coming back to his personal labor of love, finishing the tracks that became this record.

Ticklah plays multiple instruments on Ticklah vs. Axelrod, in addition to collaborating with members of Antibalas, the Easy Star All-Stars, the Victor Rice Octet, and Dub Is A Weapon. The production is heavy on dub effects and experimentation, especially on the instrumentals "Two Face" and "Descent." He also calls on a number of friends to add vocals, including reggae stars Mikey General and Rob Symeonn, Vinia Mojica, Tamar-Kali and Mayra Vega (who sang on Antibalas' "Che Che Cole"). Two highlights are reggae re-interpretations of Eddie Palmieri salsa classics: The ultra-catchy "Mi Sonsito" and the sultry "Si Hecho Palante." The album is a hip dub chill-out record that defies expectations at every turn. It is the epitome of the Brooklyn dub underground, a scene that has quietly influenced reggae, electronica and even pop music for the past decade. It is no wonder then that Ticklah proves again that he’s a consummate artist and here to stay for the long haul.