C’batch opens another chapter of The Vault with “I Guess You Want It This Way,” a six-track EP built around a composition that has been with him for approximately 26 years. What began as his Jamaican-born wife Yvette’s longtime encouragement to write a reggae song remained unfinished in C’batch’s archives for more than two decades, even as its hook, harmony, and verse melody continued to stay with him.
An early version of the song came close to completion, but C’batch and Yvette felt that something was still missing. During a trip to Jamaica in the early 2000s, C’batch even paired photographs from the journey with the recording to create a personal slideshow. The song, however, remained unfinished.
The central hook and verse melody never disappeared. In 2026, C’batch finally returned to the composition, writing lyrics around the melody he had carried for years and completing the song. Rather than releasing it as a single interpretation, he developed the material across six versions, allowing the EP to explore the composition from different musical perspectives while keeping its reggae spirit at the heart of the project.
The EP is dedicated to legendary Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin, whom C’batch had the memorable opportunity to meet at London’s Heathrow Airport in February 2001. As a guitarist himself, C’batch considers Ranglin’s musicianship and contribution to Jamaican music a meaningful connection to the project.
Released through Stevette Music, Inc., “I Guess You Want It This Way” continues C’batch’s 2026 “Year of the Vault,” an ongoing return to his musical archives and the compositions, recordings, and ideas that have accumulated across decades.
Stephen H. Cumberbatch, professionally known as C’batch, is a composer, producer, guitarist, and independent recording artist from White Plains, New York. A longtime ASCAP member, his work also spans keyboards, synthesizers, and sampler programming, with music covering R&B, soul, dance, funk, reggae, jazz-influenced, and cinematic styles.
C’batch’s musical history reaches back to New York’s influential early-1980s dance scene. His published works include “I Need You Now” by Sinnamon, “Let Me Do You” by NV, “Playgirls” by Kreamsicle, and “Geisha Love” by Eleanore Mills. In 1984, he and Yvette founded Stevette Music, Inc., their independent publishing, production, and record company, which remains the home of his catalogue and continuing creative work.
In 2026, C’batch opened his archives through The Vault, a multi-volume series reflecting the broad range of music that has shaped his creative life. His recent releases and visual projects have brought older compositions into conversation with contemporary production and visual storytelling, including the music video “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling/You’ve Got Me Falling),” which received an Honorable Mention for Best Pop Music Video at the International Music Video Awards.
With “I Guess You Want It This Way,” another unfinished chapter finally finds its way out of the archive. What began more than two decades ago as an idea for a reggae song has now become a six-version EP and a tribute to a guitarist whose influence connects directly to C’batch’s own musical path.
Stream below: open.spotify.com/album/5tuKfY