Admittedly, when an artist I’ve never heard of comes across my radar, I typically receive their music with a dose of skepticism. However, it didn’t take long for me to embrace Chili Island, the second LP from the Miami collective, Chili Guys, with excitement and curiosity. The album features a dozen stripped-down reggae songs with a beachy sensibility, from laid-back hammock lullabies to full-fledged booze-cruise bangers. In addition to strong songwriting and polished production, Chili Guys’ music dazzles with the melodic singing of four harmonizing vocalists.

Chili Guys are comprised of eight musicians, seven of which come from Cuban heritage. The lineup consists of four principal songwriters who all share singing duties, including brothers Alejandro “Dr. Cheech” Gonzalez and Andy “Lyonz” Gonzalez, as well as guitarists Michael “Vazen” Vanasek and Michael “Mikigai” Halley. They are joined by Branden Decaso on sax & percussion, Benji Rodriguez on keys, Adrian Gines on drums and Frank “Kenobi” Vasallo on bass. Vanasek and Vasallo both contribute to production as well, along with Miami Beat Wave. Although the names may be unfamiliar to most outside of the Miami area, the principal songwriters are seasoned musicians with solo careers, while Vasallo and Decaso both graduated from the esteemed Berklee College of Music and Gines is a professional touring/session drummer for notable Latin artists/musicians.

You may be wondering, where did they come up the with the name, Chili Guys?  Do they all love eating chili?  Maybe they met at a chili-making contest?  No, they did not derive their name from the spicy meat stew, but came up with the name by combining the solo artist names of Dr. Cheech, Lyonz, and Mikigai.

In 2022, these three longtime friends with a shared love of reggae all found themselves soon-to-be fathers, so after years of talking about writing a song together, they finally got together to make it happen. The chemistry was “undeniable,” so they decided to take the next step and start a band with the goal of writing a reggae album inspired by fatherhood.  Immediately following the first studio session as an official band, the first of the three sons was born, indicating to them that “there was something special happening.”

This initial collaboration resulted in their 2023 debut album, Love, Papa, which has a distinct vibe from Chili Island. As Chili Guys explained, their first LP “was a bit more serious, personal and family focused – reflective of where we were at in our lives at the time. To put it simply, Love Papa was written to serve as a letter passed on to our children through music. This was a very beautiful process, but also very deep and meaningful with its writing.”

Speaking of process, Chili Guys convene weekly at Mikigai’s Flow State Studios (which, incidentally, is as much a yoga/meditation space as it is a recording facility) to create ideas, rehearse and write songs as a group. They approach this time together “care-free, creating and having fun without putting too much thought or pre-meditation into what we should or shouldn’t do musically.” They said, “The essence of each song usually gets recorded or demoed, and then we let it evolve and develop each time we get back into the studio together.  It is a very natural dynamic and modular collaborative flow.”

According to the band, Chili Island “started organically as a breath of fresh air in writing and feeling” from Love, Papa.  While their process “was quite similar as the first album in the sense that most of the songs emerged from fun jam sessions at the studio, just throwing musical ideas around until we caught a feeling in the moment that felt like something we wanted to run with and develop further,” as they began working on new material, they noticed a pattern in their output.  “At a certain point,” they said, “if we had any clear intention in creating a new sound/album, it was to make something that everyone could enjoy while having fun in the sun.  We wanted to create our own imaginary paradise/island location/environment or world of music that is a unique blend of tropical island vibes with Miami flavor.”

Chili Guys added, “At the root of it all is our shared love of reggae music and we are inspired to be a part of evolving the genre in an exciting and tasteful way Chili style!” 

Right out of the gate, Chili Island’s opening track, “Summertime,” hooks listeners with its acoustic strumming, retro organ, surf guitar and subtle sax tones. This song fits perfectly within the American reggae-rock milieu, and its lyrics that induce a leisurely mindset hit so nice:

Picture yourself in a car riding
Top down
At the speed of lightning
I’m flowing and I’m feeling excited
No stress
Cuz it feels like Friday
Laid back with a drink in my hand
I got my feet in the sand
I left my problems in the front yard
Rastaman just gave me a J
While reggae music was playing
It’s a party in the summertime

Take it easy easy easy
Getting breezy like the spleazy
Always out at sea
That’s why you never see me
Disappear like Houdini to Tahiti
Where you don’t see the lights from the city
It’s so pretty
When I’m floating thru the ocean
It’s like poetry in motion
Written in the stars
Baby we were chosen
I was hoping
For a potion
That will lead me to this boat and
Find me where the Chili Guys are going

In a similar fashion to how lime goes so well with cocktails, the next track perfectly pairs with the previous song. Staying on the reggae-rock tip with another song that features a rapping cadence, groovy keys reminiscent of vintage reggae meld with a hip-hop drum beat to drive “Tequila Sunrise.”

From here, Chili Guys tone it down a bit with “Keep it Cool,” a clever title that plays on seeking comfort in the Miami heat and staying collected amidst day-to-day triggers.  Hi-hat drumming and a slinky bassline provide the backdrop for brass accents and muted guitar tones, while soulful singing urges listeners to check their tension at the door:

Got you feeling stressed
Mind is not at rest
My friend
Locked up in a cage
Got you in a rage
To what end
Free your mind
For peace of mind
The beautiful things that you can find
When stars align
Life’s too short
To be focused on the down
You only get one time around

Next, “Beach in Miami” pays homage to Ziggy Marley’s “Beach in Hawaii” as Chili Guys appropriately infuse up-tempo reggae with the Miami flavors of r & b and house beats in this love song to their hometown.

A 29-second interlude titled “Indigo,” features the sounds of waves lapping on the beach, while Michael Halley’s young son’s voice responds to his father’s question, “What do you want to listen to?” by cooing “Chili Guys,” and then specifying the song, “Listening to Reggae.” He then adorably begins to sing it, which serves as the perfect introduction to that song which follows. This little audio snippet also marks a pivot in the album, as from here on out, the songs decidedly take a mellow turn.

“Listening to Reggae” gently breezes along with beautiful vocal harmonies and electric guitar tones reminiscent of Bob Marley’s later music. The reggae icon is name-dropped and also featured via a spoken-word clip at the end, announcing, “Well, you see, the way I feel about the music, it can be copied, you know…it’s the feel, you know? You dig?”

For the next track, “High in Margaritaville,” Chili Guys salute Jimmy Buffett, bringing back the acoustic guitar and artfully complimenting it with electric implementing a wah effect often used in the music of 311 and the Grateful Dead. This chill song also features a section where the Chili Guys’ sing in harmony, “Roll me up and smoke me when I’m gone,” nodding to Willie Nelson’s popular love song to marijuana.

Speaking of love songs, the next two tracks, “Island With You” and “Island Girl,” utilize a reggae foundation to celebrate romantic love in a tropical paradise. In the former tune, soft synth beats give way to electronic drum effects to give it a bit of a loungy/club feel, whereas the latter takes advantage of Chili Guys’ crooning to nudge it into r&b territory.

Next, “Sweetest Gift,” is a balmy meditation on mindfulness, gratitude and positive thinking. Despite its rich instrumentation, the delicate playing and careful mix let all the elements breathe, and even the rapping is delivered in a relaxed manner, giving the song an airy, ethereal feel.

Wake up in the morning
Open my eyes
See what today day has provided
It’s the gift of life
That keeps this thing going
It’s the blue in sea
It’s the green of the trees
It’s the warm summer breeze
It’s for you and for me
So just enjoy the moment

Finally, Chili Island wraps up with the playful “5 O’Clock.” The song opens with the sound of a keyboard clacking and cringy spoken-word work-speak about being understaffed and needing reports filed by the end of the day, certainly something that anyone who’s worked in an office can relate to. Before triggering listeners further, Chili Guys voices take prominence over a bouncy bassline and guitar/keyboard skank. Eventually jazzy little piano riffs enter the mix, and along with a strong brass element Chili Guys sing about watching the clock inch closer to that magical corporate quitting time.

About this album, Chili Guys said, “We made the music we ourselves wanted to listen to while out at sea or chilling on a beach,” and it should resonate with plenty of casual reggae fans throughout the world. While Florida is certainly a mecca for the American reggae scene, Miami, in particular, as a hub for Latin music and club/dj culture, doesn’t participate as much. However, Chili Guys hope to change that.  “We believe reggae music has the power to unite.  We hope to continue bringing the community together by spreading a positive message and feel-good vibes for people of all ages and backgrounds, from toddlers to abuelitas to bikini mamas!”