Romain Virgo is not only one of the hottest products out of Jamaica right now, he’s also one of the youngest. The 22-year-old won the Jamaican equivalent of "American Idol" years ago, and that coupled with his strong voice has garnered him a large worldwide following. And by voice I mean far more than his actual singing: Virgo projects confidence when he sings, but his lyrics, dealing with social issues like crime, lack of education and poverty, echo an awareness similar to that displayed in the work of Bob Marley. Most everything here is reggae, but with the track “Not Today,” Virgo shows he can handle slow and smoky soul too. Busy Signal adds heavy Jamaican patois to the bubbly old-school reggae of the self-explanatory “Broken Heart.”
 
Grade: B

The System is available now.