Gospel reggae star Joel “Positive” Murray releases his highly-anticipated, third studio effort Stand And Be Counted, available worldwide from all major digital retailers on May 5, 2015, with pre-order available now, from FOX FUSE. Hailing from the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Positive has earned his reign at the forefront of the Gospel reggae genre as a triple threat – an extraordinary singer, prolific songwriter and genre-bending producer. Stand And Be Counted showcases his seasoned vocals, lyrics and production skills as his divine talents shine on its 15 glorious tracks. The album debuts at #1 on the iTunes Trinidad and Tobago national Top Albums chart, on its first day of pre-order.
“It was such a joy working on this new album because I was able to give more of my creative juices in the production of the music,” Positive reveals. “In this project, I encourage listeners to stand steadfast on the principles of God. I’ve ensured there is a message in every song so that every listener, old or young, can be positively impacted by the album.”
Putting a positive spin on reggae music, fused with contemporary Gospel and a tinge of dancehall, Positive has earned acclaim from music critics and fans alike, ever since hitting the music scene eight years ago. He was the most-nominated artist (13 nominations) and top honoree (eight wins) at the 2014 Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards (held in Nassau, Bahamas in July 2014), where he received the top awards including Song of the Year for “Blessing After Blessing” and Album of the Year for Forever My King, released in December 2012 from FOX FUSE.
This heavenly collection of new Gospel gems brings a kaleidoscope of flavors, including some new ones for the captivating artist. “For the first time since coming on the scene, there is the introduction of Afrobeat, soca and calypso music to the Positive brand, while maintaining the reggae flow,” discloses Positive.
Such diverse sounds are delivered with the likes of new pop anthem “All Over The World” featuring Jonathan McReynolds (which is co-produced by pop-reggae heavyweight producer Dwayne “Supa Dups” Chin-Quee), one-drop reggae on “Two Man Army” and “Notice Of Eviction,” Afrobeat on “Identify,” dancehall on “Rise Again” featuring DJ Nicholas (which was produced by Grammy-nominated producer Jason “J-Vibe” Farmer), EDM on “Man On Fire,” soca and calypso on “Mighty Healer” and “Blessing After Blessing,” and contemporary Gospel on “Mountain Mover,” “Scars” featuring V. Rose and title track “Stand And Be Counted.”
It sees production from stellar names in pop, Gospel, reggae and soca music, including aforementioned Grammy-winning Supa Dups and Grammy-nominated J-Vibe, soca heavy-hitter Precision Productions along with J Lab Pro and Deer Panteth Productions from Trinidad, and Barbwiya Music of Jamaica, all joining forces with Positive, who produced the majority of the album for his own imprint Bricksvale Records.
Two years in the making, the joyous collection is a musical ministry from this profound artist, with each song bearing testament to his faith as he spreads sacred messages to each listener, through rhyme and rhythm. “Our time to make a stand is now and we are not too young or too old to do so. Right where this album finds you, respond to the call to Stand And Be Counted.”
Stand And Be Counted will be available worldwide both digitally and physically on May 5, 2015, from FOX FUSE.