Opening another chapter in his 2026 “Year of the Vault” archival series, White Plains-based composer, guitarist, and producer C’batch presents I Guess You Want It This Way. Released via Stevette Music, Inc.—the independent label he co-founded with his wife Yvette in 1984—the six-track EP completes an unfinished composition born roughly 26 years ago. Originally sparked by Yvette’s encouragement to write a reggae track, the piece remained incomplete for decades, though its central hook and verse melody persisted in C’batch’s mind until he finally finished the lyrics and recording in 2026.
The project serves as a heartfelt tribute to pioneering Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin, whom C’batch met at London’s Heathrow Airport in February 2001. Across the EP’s six distinct interpretations—ranging from cinematic reggae and warm R&B mixes to roots-inspired arrangements and a spacey dub version—C’batch explores the composition from multiple stylistic angles while keeping its rhythmic heart intact. Drawing on his deep background as a keyboard, synthesizer, and sampler programmer, as well as his roots in early-1980s New York dance music, he layers rich synth textures, organ chords, and clean guitar embellishments over a steady bass pulse.
Lyrically examining romantic complexity and reluctant acceptance, I Guess You Want It This Way balances soulful intimacy with expansive production. By revisiting a song carried in memory for over two decades, C’batch connects past inspiration with contemporary studio craft, turning an unfinished conversation into a cohesive celebration of love, persistence, and musical legacy.
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