There is a spirit that hovers above the waters. It has been here since the beginning of creation, yet it is just being born. Ancient Child is Matisyahu’s 8th full length studio album. In Jewish mysticism, eight is the number beyond the natural cycle of the physical world. As Matisyahu brings forth his eighth studio album, the Ancient Child simultaneously reaches back in time and towards the future, in search of the infinite divine light of redemption. Here, Matisyahu finds himself reconnected with his Jewish identity and spirituality in a world post October 7th.
In a climate that has become obsessed with being “right” and defending its ego at all costs, the Ancient Child investigates
questions about history, identity and destiny from the humility of a child through the wisdom of the of generations’ past. While Matisyahu had shifted his focus over the last decade to his personal life from his religion, Ancient Child is a strong return to his love for Judaism and the deep existential quest to find universal meaning in the darkness.So what does Matisyahu come up with?
When the world turns to darkness, humanity has a choice – hide in a corner or meet at the crossroads and find a way to come together. As Matisyahu sings in “Find A Way”
I'm at the crossroads if you wanna partake
But make no mistake
If you participate
There’s no one you can escape
Pontificate upon it
And get caught in a maze
Of confuse-ment…
…I’ll Find a Way
It’s hard work, but when we unite, the entire world is forever changed for the better. From here the Ancient Child is born. From here the humility of the child and the wisdom of the elders offer a glimpse at a redemptive future. The music on this album is not reggae. It’s not rock. It’s not hip hop. Yet it will be called all these things. Like Matisyahu, and the world he tries to create lyrically, it is a melding of various styles and sounds that have been influential from a universe of music the singer has absorbed through more than twenty years as a recording and touring Artist.
As a true artist, Matisyahu is not concerned with reproducing the sounds of a specific genre but only interested in what moves the emotion and prepares the runway for his concepts to be cleared for landing. He writes from his experiences about hopes, challenges and fears. Authenticity is always at the core.
In a reference the album’s title, Matisyahu presents a meditation on Jewish history, his own role as a father, and his yearning for a better future, where the metaphorical sun/son comes up to move beyond the limitations.
North, South, East, West
Four sons,
I’m the dial of the compass
Jewel of the Nile
Four directions yes, we conquest
Born for the come up
Now we turn up
Learn up
So you don’t get burnt up
Come along
Follow my song
Moshe’s from the water
Drawn from the river
Saved by daughter
But I never been a sinner
Guess who’s coming
Guess who’s coming to dinner
Got a spliff desert
Wear’n sandals in the winter
Pull the trigger
How you figure
I’m a winner
With a sound that from the inner
That’s my storage in the winter.
Son Come Up.