Album Review: Vana Liya impresses on her first full length album "Little Kahuna"

Photo courtesy of LAW Records.

New York native Vana Liya has released her debut album "Little Kahuna" on LAW Records! Vana began making a splash in the reggae scene by posting covers of songs by Pepper, Rebelution, and Stick Figure that subsequently went viral and were shared on the bands' social media accounts. Since then she's been putting out wonderful singles, opening up for major reggae acts and performing at the one and only Sugarshack Sessions.

All this hard work has led up to her premier full-length album "Little Kahuna", produced by prolific producer and Stick Figure member, Johnny Cosmic.

"Little Kahuna" has a laid-back, dreamy vibe to its reggae rhythms. Vana Liya's beautifully soft voice is drenched in tasteful reverb and sits comfortably on top of chill ukulele, percussion, and synths. The bass and drums keep our feet tapping throughout, and tasteful guitar lines pull the entire project together.

The album also features some wonderful collaborations. KBong joins Vana Liya on the happy jam "Feelin' Good", the perfect song for any trip to the beach with family and friends.

The owners of LAW Records, the legendary band Pepper, featuring on Vana's track "Round n Round", the breakout single off "Little Kahuna".

Vana brought on Half Pint for the very cool and unique track Come Away. A dreamy beat, trippy synths, and perfectly placed percussion create a wonderful texture to this song. We love the decision to place this track towards the center of the tracklist, lending itself well to full listens of this incredible album!

To check out more of Vana Liya's music and tour dates go to www.vanaliyamusic.com.

Feelin' Good featuring Kbong is the Daily Reggae Song of the Day.

By Chris Lawrie.

Review originally published on September 24, 2021.