rolling dancehall & reggae 2016

Sorry rob, I know you normally do this but I wanted to get the thread rolling as fast as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9bQNBWmL1g

Tanto Blacks - Real Rich is a lot of fun.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/dec/30/playlist-best-reggae-dancehall-soca-2015-vybz-kartel-protoje-justin-bieber

Er*n M's look back at 2015

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist
^Expect updates come February

lol, no problem, really quite happy others are into keeping this going this year

"Real Rich" is great, especially around 2:45

really excited to see more from Dexta Daps this year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcpUYjHP7U

Definitely. Did we talk enough about his *other* 2015 releases? Shabba Madda Pot is still going strong and every time I heard his voice it felt welcome.

Shabba plus "Who Bad" plus, of course, 7Eleven all amazing. Morning Love pretty nice too. don't think I heard anything else I really loved, but probably missed something.

production on this Popcaan ("Fiesty Chat", sic) is an endearing mess:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwprNj1tOyQ

I've been playing Box A K a lot lately. Something about his voice just gets to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do9MBQc0V7E

ooh, yeah he sounds great on that

I'm loving the Wicked Wicked Riddim:
Popcaan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9AqL07qxns

Chi Chi Ching:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk2nA3t5-Ns

Govena:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z5omooJZ3E

Also enjoying the Banga Riddim:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7YcnyAH6rg

mostly feeling Kranium and Masicka, Beach House. might hit harder with some sunshine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA3X1E0yt4I

making up for ignoring Mavado last year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmMZcpE529A

Enjoying the Gyalla Park Riddim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdswgdszBok

Especially Spice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP3MmlBz8z4

RDX:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NMLgMFv8OU

Razor B:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEF3wIS3Be8

Also Tilt Ova Riddim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RR4yMr-L0Q

(most of the versions sound good on this one)

And this new Dexta Daps, Haunted, is nice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcpUYjHP7U

Also appreciated Demarco's tribute to J Capri, Fallen Friends:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR_3G06LzCA

some good stuff there longneck. what do we think of this Kartel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeceiJx_C4Q

I like it! Not a-list Kartel but a strong way to open 2016.

I also like this Dec 2015 Kartel track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASfjInBJGyI

at this point with Kartel, I tend to get distracted during any given track trying to work out a new theory as to how he is still the most prolific artist in dancehall. anyway, both tracks have something to them, but i almost feel like at this point he's a drain on the system, like his vocals rarely sound *excellent* though he often gets really good riddims that I don't nec hear elsewhere.

Well... viking was excellent all the way through, so I don't necessarily agree with that. As for his mass outpouring... just imagine you're in jail and there's a studio in cell and nothing else to do, lol. I guess Gucci Mane would be the same if only they'd allowed a studio in his cell too. So I guess he feels like the music is what connects him to the outside world? He certainly doesn't sound like a broken man - just about every time he gets on a riddim with other artists he still outshines them.

That being said, these two tracks are not on par with his best 2015 stuff. It's b-level kartel but it's still *good*, y'know?

oh yeah, I meant how he's recording not why, but I suppose it is pretty silly at this point to not just assume he's openly allowed to record in prison, despite official proclamations.

Well he must be, lol.

Ricky Blaze's album dropped today: https://open.spotify.com/album/1GQ3330KR0qWbKIKWfwBeo

there is some really great bass on this so far. respect for Dean Fraser feature. kinda surprised this album is only 28 min long, but Rumors benefitted from being concentrated too

Blak Ryno's "Motive" was the highlight for me, though the Alexus Rose song that I just noticed r|t|c posted on the rnb thread is good too (esp the drums).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjqwtKlbhbQ

new Spice, "Born Wid It". Watch this quick, she's usually on top of pulling unauthorized youtubes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toy7cVXweCc

^that whole riddim is a good time: https://soundcloud.com/gazapriince-entertainment/sets/90s-don-dada-riddim-seanizzle-records-2016-gazapriiinceent

Indeed. I find it difficult to get past Busy Signal's version though - it's A LOT of fun.

there is some really great bass on this so far. respect for Dean Fraser feature

ah this song is great. it's almost easy listening.

yeah vintage Fraser tracks on Jammys riddims have kind of a cruiseship quality to them that runs pleasingly against the grain in a rinse of something like the Punany riddim -- this feels like a loving tribute to that exact vibe

new Kranium video for one of the standouts on Rumors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hjt4KNgKC4

there's a ton of good versions on this Cure Pain riddim, not sure which to rec

Jahmiel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v20MG8SNWyA

Mavado:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIt6TJGdTVk

I'm more of a dub fan, what rolling thread is appropriate for posting/consuming it?

i wanna be careful here not to talk out my ass but in reference to the "how is vybz taping in jail": a good friend did a year in jamaica researching the recording history of the country and how the legal system overlaps. She did some work at a jail where they had a functioning recording studio setup and work study programs for inmates to learn how to work the equipment and cut demos. I have no idea if that's par for the course but it does exist.

also: the playlist is up to date with what's available. Back in a month.

Rolling Dancehall and Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

Xp to octobeard
There are a few but Dub / Reggae: An Idiot's Guide seems to get bumped most often
Xp to ulysses
That's very interesting! Was yr friends research published?

she's written several academic papers and lectured regarding human rights/music in jamaica; the main focus of her research was jamaica as a case study for a vibrant music scene that functions effectively without copyright and the kaleidoscope of creativity that emerges from that matrix
https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/events/luncheon/2011/03/mann

whoa thanks for sharing

Yeah excited to check that out

she spins as DJ Ripley; I really enjoy her sets
https://soundcloud.com/ripley

Jahmiel's "Great Man" has some sweet synth flutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLJSa63PUA

ricky blaze album is tremendously curated imo

otm, it covers so many bases, though I haven't gotten into "Rodeo" yet.
does anyone know why this Gyptian feature isn't on the album on iTunes (at least in Canada)? It's great, of course, and would also push the album over the 30 minute mark:
https://soundcloud.com/fmerecordings/04-operatah-feat-gyptian-1?in=fmerecordings/sets/ricky-blaze-conquer-the-moment-project

reminds me that the best version of Uptown Julie was also never released:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQo80LlSHE

I love how on "Apart" he closely mics the almost spoken vocals but then puts a ton of space between her and the mic when she belts it out ~2:10. quite possibly a tried and true production trick but super effective here

The Phantom of the Dancehall riddim is nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD5R5JSI4hM

not bad, but feel like that riddim name led to unrealistic expectations on my part

Christopher Martin kills it on Cure Pain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLeh1IWDEC4

I like this sprightly, sparkly Popcaan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f11cWOVaaQ8

All Inclusive riddim is a jam: https://soundcloud.com/anarchy_ent1/all-inclusive-riddim-mix-february-2016

the fantastic new Chronixx mixtape is as classicist and satisfying as you'd expect. if hearing him sing over vintage Augustus Pablo riddims appeals to you, download this now.
that said, he gets closer to deejaying at times than he has in the past and apart from all the literal roots revival it has "Sell My Gun" which has me pretty excited for his album later this year

My one problem with the Day Off Riddim is that Dexta Daps kills it so much harder than anybody else, lol. It's unfair!

https://soundcloud.com/british-linkz/dexta-daps-chinese-jordan-february-2016

Still stuck on the lovely Day Off Riddim. Sell My Gun is really good too.

okay so so far this year Day Off, Cure Pain and All Inclusive Riddim are all among my absolute favourites. But they also seem to occupy much of the same sonic space. Any thoughts on how you would rate them individually?

yeah, I agree with that -- in fact I didn't really get into Day Off at first, because I'd just listened to Cure Pain and it felt a bit too similar. Right now I like the moodier vibe of All Inclusive the most, and I think it has the highest number of versions that I like, but I'm listening to Vershon on Day Off right now and it's pretty nice. Also I only really need Mavado on Cure Pain.

Champion Boy now has a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdyKjebTj7s

Keeping Mavado, Vybz, jahmiel and alkaline and maybe one or two more on Cure Pain btw. I really like it but there are just so many tracks I sometimes get a bit lost listening to it.

Also enjoying the kind of basic Love Games Riddim way more than I probably should.

Playlist updated.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

oh yeah, Jahmiel is great on Cure Pain, forgot about that one. still fairly cool on Alkaline for the most part, though I liked his version on All Inclusive iirc

Feel like jahmiel is generally in the zone these days. Think 2016 could be a big year for him.

me too, though I am historically p bad at these kinds of predictions. also why I stopped anticipating crossover hits

I don't believe in crossover hits anymore, lol. I just want the quality to keep coming. There are about ten dancehall artists I rate higher than any American rapper not named Young Thug atm but I'm not expecting the world to notice any of them.

ha, yeah, I'm continually surprised at how a lot of the dancehall-interested writers/tweeters/whatever I check on seem to think that like, e.g., the Work video (or Good Times, Blacker the Berry, etc) is a clear sign that dancehall will be big again in Anglo-America. The Lagos-Joburg-Kingston-Port of Spain axis you mentioned on the afrobeats thread is exciting if pretty nascent imo, and I don't even know if we need to add London or Atlanta or NYC or, shudder, Toronto to it. that said, thinking about taking Work and replacing Drake with Dexta Daps or Burna Boy or etc...

...but that's because Drake sucks not because the others really need to be in an American pop/rnb context

Exactly! Dexta Daps on Work would have been awesome - too good, literally. He would probably have started singing about taking Riri's "maiden" though.

Popcaan - High All Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iJDDs4CfEc

^nice

I like the 90s ragga made on a playstation vibe of this Mavado track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmkESPxzbg

kinda forgot how excited I used to be for Rvssian's productions. this Charly Black never quite takes off like it could, especially with 4 minutes to work with, but trying to capitalize on his new south american fanbase seems like a good move:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XzJm_lQpu8

Indeed. I find it difficult to get past Busy Signal's version though - it's A LOT of fun.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck),

yeah that track is superb. did you check out the Chronixx tape?

also apparently I forgot how much I liked Christopher Martin on Cure Pain upthread too, so just ignore everything I said about that one

i need to get the chronixx mix. i'm on a facebook thread where everyone's freaking out about '16 releases in all genres and there's too damn much music everywhere! good problems.

nice Sly&Robbie/Taxi-era vibes on this Chino & Di Genius song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCysaCgp1ZY

http://www.fuse.tv/2016/03/tropical-house-dancehall-music-essay

Below is earlier January piece quoting Bianca Gracie who wrote the fuse piece re dancehall not getting proper credit -

http://www.spin.com/2016/01/rihanna-tropical-house-dancehall-kygo-charlie-puth-justin-bieber-selena-gomez/

Jamaican music entering the discussion of musical "appropriation" is fraught with so many ironies. I mean I can't tell a Jamaican person to not be annoyed by this, but from my POV jamaican music's conceptual gift to the world boils down to the power and creativity of unhesitatingly appropriating whatever crosses your radar, even when it's forced onto your radar through political and cultural imperialism.

Sure, there's some shitty behavior cited in that piece, and do push back against calling "Sorry" or "Work" tropical house for basic inaccuracy, but to my ears Sorry's primary influence is reggaeton, which (I'm sure everyone reading this knows) is an entire genre appropriated from a handful of dancehall riddims, so this supposed line of clear ancestry is actually pretty tangled...which is one of the things that makes following JA music fun -- shit like hearing "pass me the keys to my Beemer" show up in J Hus and afrobeats tracks. The thing to be annoyed about re: dancehall is widespread ignorance of riddim culture; to complain about dancehall being a meme is totally bizarre. During the Grammys when Pitbull performed El Taxi there were all these people straightfacedly tweeting about Pitbull "ripping off" Murder She Wrote, which is so lol since there's a reason that MSW is on something called the Bam Bam riddim not the Jessica Fletcher riddim. Or over in the ANTI thread where people were earnestly discussing how bad+weird it was to voice a Tame Impala riddim like they never heard Hell Is Round the Corner or etc...

There's something just so boring and essentialist about the way this stuff gets discussed, and, while lecturing Jamaicans about their own culture is a bad look, imo attacking appropriation goes against one of reggae's enduring strengths. This Sleng Teng theory is so interesting to me: https://axischemicals.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/david-bowie-digital-reggae-kingpin/. If true, then literally thousands of dancehall songs -- one of the unquestionably foundational riddims of the last 30 years of JA music -- are appropriated from a single Bowie song, an act of collective genius like jungle and the Amen break that should be hailed as an example. Basically, I wish dancehall was being brought up in these discussions as much for how it can serve as a force of creative appropriation counteracting people's apparently deathless commitment to a dubious/boring ideal of "originality" as it's being talked about as a currently overlooked culture that's being unfairly co-opted, as much truth as there may be to some of those claims.

Word.

lol thanks longneck

Ha ha, I'm writing this on my phone (from a sofa in Cape Town) so no longish essays from me atm but yeah, I pretty much agree w all of that, even to the extent that I find most thinkpieces abt evil white artists appropriating minority art extremely tiresome. Steal/jack/borrow whatever you can. Art might follow.

yeah I generally believe Internet social justice discourse has been a force for good, but "appropriation" (as distinct from actions that can be attacked as racism or exploitation) is so under-thought.

anyway, I should have just posted this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwOHjHUvrh8

yeah, great post there

The Wet Dreams Riddim is v close to the Strip Club Riddim (both are by Hot Boxxx), but I don't hear any new Come fi di knockaz/backaz on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOQQzJhexqs

It doesn't really matter though. A lot of fun on this.

Playlist updated through March.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

Moscato Riddim is good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puBQuoHs2pA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puBQuoHs2pA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6lP8jxLSLE

good stuff longneck

this Nesbeth track is huge in JA and hasn't been posted here yet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt9vsk82yqE

Moskato Riddim is out - minus the fun Devin Di Dakta version - on Spotify.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7dLiW948NNS17aCXkNpzsr

I'm also enjoying the Salt Shaker Riddim, which I just discovered. Not as good as Moskato but still nice:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5y907rS48Od9aHO6EVT4Md

looking forward to figuring out everything I've missed this year when school ends in a few weeks. also maybe by then winter will be fucking over

The Champ Riddim goes hard:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6xOISxVZiILbXSbOXRukyN

tippa lee is here at the store and he brought me a copy of his new solo album and it's really good! coming out on stones throw records. double disc vocal/dub set. if you like the old school bad boys. soul syndicate, tony tuff, cornell campbell, and sister nancy on it. that's my street team message. just sounds really cool in an old/new way. you know what i mean?

Swahili Riddim is crazy:

https://open.spotify.com/album/2ysD7fLQbSXWDJjjSgBPET

ayy, Rvssian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCsleHRtOJs

this internet herb liked this alkaline too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heqodywDfUU

Nice new Popcaan tune:

https://soundcloud.com/madaroad-com/popcaan-ft-dosa-medicine-ky-kwengko-official-audio-big-12-records

for the new yorkers among you, here's a pair of free upcoming shows with Alpha Blondy and Sweet Micky(!) and MHD

Alpha Blondy
August 16 – Tuesday – 7:00pm – Marcus Garvey Park, Manhattan

Sweet Micky, MHD, Erick La Peau
August 21 – Sunday – 2:00pm – Central Park, Manhattan

idk why Demarco decided to make a video for the raw version of "Who the Fuck Cares" months after making a video for the clean version, but it's a good time and After Party still sounds great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3MxHxvcr6o

finally have some time to catch up

I absolutely love the Vershon version of Moskato, lyrics aside. the way the mixing adds drama to the riddim is so well done (also it undercuts the obvious 'hold yuh' debt):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Z3CfSa_nY

Road Elf version is good too!

agreed! Tifa and Konshens good on that one too.

wasn't sure about Champ until I got to the Spice, who kills it though I have a few more to check. speaking of Spice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAZCKqLSv3Y

ok, I dug Tifa and Kartel on Champ too. Though now I'm just replaying Sight & Wine

Actually The Champ for me goes something like

Kartel / Spice
Tifa

Aidonia/Sean Paul/ Voicemail

All of those are good, but only the upper three are great.

yeah I agree with that completely. had skipped the Sean Paul the first time through, but it's not bad! he's actually having a good year? realized this morning that both his cuts on All Inclusive are nice.

btw, if you haven't seen the video for Konshens 'Bruk Off' please watch, it is kind of amazing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6lDG6PNmCs

lol that's awesome! As is Spice in Pontypandy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=139p7gMYef8

good week for Popcaan; spared from Views and released this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_FX6UANhLs

Playlist updated through April.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

That Bruk Off video is intense!

I guess the riddim for that Alkaline "City" track was stolen from this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWbzPkqhqR8

don't really care who ripped off who, but want more versions. the Jordanne Patrice is okay, but I'd love to hear like Denyque on this

I'm boycotting the summer jams thread until there are at least leaves on the trees here, this Krishane & Patoranking should probably go there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ_WoJEKFic

oooooh, loving the Krishane. And as I've mentioned before, I use summer jams as secrete magic against northern european weather conditions so basically the jams can't come early enough for me.

New Dexta Daps btw. It's growing on me fast. So much going on with him, always.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ft5bBP73Tc

nice, that really goes places. need to listen a couple more times to wrap my head around it even.

it's more i don't fully trust my summer jams judgment just yet, though I can't imagine Inconsiderate not sounding good when it's warm.

Have you found a link for the Mad Rush Riddim anywhere yet, Rob? None of my go-to sources seem to have it.

Haven't looked too hard but only on YouTube so far

The Vybz Kartel single from the upcoming album is more of the same I guess, and doesn't sound better than most of the stuff he has released this year, but still good stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-8dD_6MmY

I prefer One Phone Call though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYzM-81TEB8

really feeling Spice right r/n

nice Jahmiel flow on "Power":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryUD4UVLV3w

lol should I listen to Vybz Kartel's "Summer"?

oh wait don't bother with "Power" it's "23" that you want:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njnqom6Lapc

actually "Power" is good, but the riddim on "23" elevates it a little higher; really excited by Jahmiel's career thus far, he seems to be moving from strength to strength.

This has been a great month: there's other versions on that Ova Dweet riddim worth checking out (I dug Chi Ching Ching and Vershon), and this Teetimus and Tanto Blacks "Lifestyle Rich" is kind of incredible?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PUuhzur10U

Actually, there's another Kartel song (this one from the album - Summer seems like a loosie?) called Western Union that's REALLY good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jXE9L8Ufvo

I've been stuck on Crown Love Riddim (Christopher Martin! Kartel! Jahmiel! Tarrus Riley) for a while now. Ova Dweet is also good but Popcaan overshadows everyone else on it. That riddim though!

this was on the chronixx mixtape right? It got a single release just now. it is great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy5uyFozHhs

it was yeah, good choice for a single, though that whole tape is incredibly enjoyable front to back

also thoroughly enjoyable is Assassin on this one-drop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1jZraFjLyE

anyone check out his album from earlier in the year?

and longneck is otm about that Rvssian Crown Love riddim

interesting piece with a slightly irritating framing ("dancehall lives again"...thanks to a bunch of non-jamaicans): http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/06/06/mixpaks-dancehall-revival

I'm curious to hear the Palmistry record. The first couple singles are intriguing -- pushing the feyness to the hilt is a clever way to take this route as a white britisher...I think? a whole album might be grating though

From what I'm told Spanish town is the Chronixx tune that's gathering the most momentum atm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8NKur1ztNo

I listened to the Assassin album and it was good but I haven't really returned to it.

haha i was just coming in to post that new yorker piece but less as "interesting" and more as "the FUCK is this TRASH"

like it's basically

1) dancehall was mainstream but formulaic
2) white guys have rode in to save it and make it different
3) drake drake drake for several paragraphs

lol perhaps I was being too generous, but mostly cause I think mixpak on balance do good work and, more pertinently, don't actually push that savior/progression narrative afaik, though I don't read their press releases or anything. I also had pretty low expectations for the fucking new yorker's take on dancehall so this was a bit quelle surprise. Mentioning Drake becoming de rigeur for writing about dancehall (in the anglo-american press) is a sad development, but iirc the piece at least implies that he's exploiting riddim culture as an excuse to jack beats?...not that I'm going to read it again to check that

It's more "because of Drake you can now write about dancehall in the new yorker" i'm afraid.

Mr Vegas about this:

https://www.facebook.com/MrVegasMusic/videos/10154195593144486/?pnref=story

mr. vegas otm

totally

yeah, that's a great video

"They want to bundle us together like we are some wild animals"
dude speaking truth

In other news I was wrong and Vybz' Summer 16 is a total jam.

yeah? I can't get into that one and it's not just the generic title. otoh, Fever is awesome and this new album might be great

I thought that at first too, lol. Then heard it on some mixshows and decided it just wasn't the case.

It obviously falls short of the original Summertime but it's still pretty good.

Ding Dong & Dexta are claiming this summer too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa7X4D4oZx4

Predicting a million pullups.

I guess I'm finally a little bored of the "annual summer" song thing that r|t|c used to criticize in past threads, but I'm more into that one -- nice to hear Dexta on something breezy.
The disconnect of an incarcerated murderer specifically celebrating this summer 2016 was too weird for me I think. I kinda like "Summer 16" as the title of an unasked for sequel in an exhausted franchise though (I don't really hate it that much, just liked that idea)

I like the annual summer songs, lol. It's as simple as that, really. I still think One Phone Call and Fever are better summer songs but I'm not mad at Summer 16.

I used to too! not sure what happened

just mentioned this in the summer jams thread, but Alkaline has really been great this year. the lyrics to this are like Drake without the hand-waving (not sure if that's better or worse), but he's developed enough vocal charisma that it mostly just washes over me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VMd7G0vZTs

damn, here's a bittersweet combination I never imagined we'd get the chance to hear (J Capri & Jahmiel):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZIZXGjSgvw

Zen riddim is interesting in that I didn't really feel it when it first arrived but then I heard it again a few days ago in the blazing June heat and it just felt... right.

re: Alkaline, I'm still loving Champion Boy. Don't know what effect he puts on his voice on that one but the line 'Unless your name Jody-Anne Maxwell you cyaan talk to me' is all time.

ha, yeah that is a great line. I need to revisit the Alkaline I gave short shrift too. He's been a highlight on most of my favorite riddims this year.

agreed on Zen, I can't even recall who else versioned that one right now

They all did, lol. Except Kartel, I guess. Popcaan has a nice version on it but he's not touching Alkaline's.

This Vybz track is such a banger, def my fave of his thus far in 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdcfnlGmZuw

Yeah, it's between that one, One Phone Call and Fever for me atm.

Playlist updated through now.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

cheers ulysses

Gyptian with some summer pandering that works for me on the if-you-can't-beat-em Tropical House riddim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrcukAPlkRY

new Spice // "Indicator":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4JXsZpmBdI

on the Skelewu riddim, which doesn't sound that much like the Davido song to me but I guess it has a kind of afrobeats feel?

for some reason it took me a while to appreciate this riddim and it seems wrong to not have posted "Roast or Fry" itt, esp the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGdtxQM8TuI

Lifestyle Rich has a video out too. Teetimus's young thug cosplay is kinda too much, but I still love this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3EalnPWaT0

Lol, that video is hilarious. I love it.

playlist updated.

this Alkaline & Mavado joint is going to be huge no?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJGvKJopDVc

Most of the other Kick Off versions I checked were kind of a mess (eg, Popcaan), but Busy Signal's is great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUOjd6pE3eE

I like a couple of Kick Offs, Tifa's in particular.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS28N0jNjXI

Also love Konshens - Gal Dem Sugar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmiD18dyP1I

I think Kick Off might be one of those riddims that works best in a mix context - few of the songs hold up as such but there are a few lively parts on most of them.

I'd missed the Konshens, thanks, that is a good one!

overall I think Kick Off is kind of overloaded (the bit of instrumental you get at the end of the Konshens yt is maybe the best part!), so the versions that come on strong like Popcaan's or Dexta's feel too chaotic to me. I don't hate the Tifa, but I've been pretty underwhelmed by her output as a whole this year -- maybe it's just me but a lot of it sounds uninspired compared to the amazing stuff she was doing couple years ago, which is too bad because so far 2016 might end up worse than 2015 in terms of the lack of women putting out tracks I like. Spice's ongoing video brilliance being the notable exception.

True. I really like Tifa on The Champ (especially) and Moscato though.

yeah I put on Moscato after posting that and had the same thought. Also, whoever Mink Jo is she has a nice version on All Inclusive. But I was listening to a playlist I made at the end of 2014 the other day, and it was loaded with women's voices. J Capri's death was a serious loss, but what is going with Denyque?

Denyque has been good on the Success, Firefly and Cold Heart riddims but there's no breakout hit in sight. Mink Jo is great on All Inclusive, yes. Hope we'll hear more from her soon. On a reggae tip I'm enjoying the Shanique Marie album. Coconut Jelly Man is a jam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxyVwCPTFTo

On another note I'm surprised at how much I'm feeling Gyptian's belated Jambe-An-Riddim contribution, Jiggle Jiggle. That's partly because the riddim is a modern day classic, of course. It might also have something to do with me having a tiny crush on one of the dancers in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rt-7WdMWDY

byw, my favourite Mink Jo song is probably this one, with Busy Signal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19657-tV9ZU

*btw

I really like the I-Octane on the Tropical Punch Riddim. Some other nice versions on that too of course (Kartel, Spice etc) but this one is just so... sweet.

https://youtu.be/_2h9VXPdjyM

missed this bouncing Christopher Martin tune back in June:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKinPLrRrR4

lmao: http://www.thefader.com/2016/08/03/mr-vegas-nuh-play-pokemon-preview

also, missed this great, catchy and melancholic Aidonia track in the spring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyeXy0LMVPo

Mr Eazi
‏@mreazi
My bro @DiGenius1 jus sent me the stuff we did!!! Already sounding like an album!!!! Spiritual!!

airhorn emoji

Never would have anticipated how good Alkaline sounds on these gentler riddims this year, Toll Road in this case--lots of other good versions on this (Tifa, Beenie Man, Chi Ching Ching):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hi7pF3bep0

(that's Block and Delete since embeds aren't working)

filthy as hell on a great Equiknoxx riddim: https://soundcloud.com/swingting/equiknoxx-music-ft-devin-d-dakta?in=swingting/sets/swingting010-equiknoxx-music

Lol. Devin di Dakta is in the zone these days. He's also a lot of fun on the Horse Tonic Riddim:
https://soundcloud.com/madbast/devin-di-dakta-gyal-dem-a-workie-horse-tonic-riddim

that bangs. glad someone is out there channelling Ragnampiza/Zunguzung verbal gymnastic nonsense

Playlist is updated.

this mix from The Large is banging (and seriously nsfw): http://www.susannahwebb.com/fever

another great Popcaan track, his hit ratio has jumped so high this year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bc3Vf9myNE

nice find from that Large mix, Konshens' "Gal Gov":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r92hdlI8SfA

been hearing Popcaan's "We Still a Win" all over the place too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpmjdAOfpEo

new video for Aidonia's "Dat A Di Ting", which iirc was the best version on Pile Up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPi5VYfK_D8

here's another good Alkaline song thread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVhUB6Bjx_s

Jubilee album could be pretty great? https://soundcloud.com/mixpak/jubilee-wine-up-feat-hoodcelebrityy

Keep up the good work, rob! I'm a bit behind because of... well, first the vacations and now all the work I've been neglecting for so long, but I'll get to posting more soon.

heh, no problem, though admittedly I was starting to feel like only forks's intern was reading this thread

Equiknoxx's mix for FACT is excellent: http://www.factmag.com/2016/08/29/equiknoxx-fact-mix/. Anyone listened to their new album, Bird Sound Power? The mix makes me intrigued, but apparently the album is all instrumental, which is kind of yawn and just why? when they obvs know lots of great vocalists.

I don't think any good tracks came out of the Popcaan/Mavado/Demarco/everyone in Kingston according to YouTubers 'feud' so here is Mavado's Progress, which is for some reason on Khaled's new album, instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lrdVWbNb24

Mavado seems to have dropped the ball in not positioning himself closer to the Drake/Rihanna/Tropical/Afrothing mainstream when he is in the poisition he is in in the US, imo. Also, what is this beef/feud thing aboutthis time, really? Mavado has had two or three okay, four) good tracks this year but no real hits while Popcaan just keeps on bringing it so it all just seems... weird?

The most I have been willing to learn about the 'feud' was reading this Star article: http://jamaica-star.com/article/entertainment/20160829/deejays-feud-heats-mavado-demarco-and-popcaan-drop-new-diss-tracks, and then listening to a few tracks, hearing a lot more "fish" and "batty" talk than I've heard in a long while sigh, and rmde. There's also this, though I don't know if it really clarifies much: http://urbanislandz.com/2016/09/09/mavado-vs-popcaan-a-timeline-of-their-beef/

fwiw Popcaan seems to have realized he had more to lose than gain: https://www.instagram.com/p/BKKrMkqDOFu/, though internet hardmen are taking that as a sign of his weakness of course. Seems telling that Alkaline didn't really bother with it from what I can tell, even though some wistful youtubers were trying to position that track I posted^ as a diss track when I believe it's about a friend of his being murdered.

Christopher Martin's version on the 47th Floor riddim is just delightful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vtk67WA5aE

The whole riddim is a good one to rinse

Definitely. Best new riddim in a good while.

solid ragga vibes on this new Konshens/Rvssian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcjErWaUHdY

and his new one for Chan Dizzy bangs even harder than that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpOwPbaOOCo

playlist is updated; we're up to 100+ songs and 5 1/2 hours.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

timely!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqOrQFween8

Really enjoying the Loodi riddim atm:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50jyn6_rLFA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2DySaJVD-c

Also, the Feel Good riddim is so much fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkJ2WZ7nERY

oh yeah, Busy is also really good on the Terminal riddim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWA9PMTQ1HA

Oh, and Alkaline is just on fire these days: After All, Block and Delete, Spoil You, Extra Lesson, 12 PM...

Did I forget to post Baby Tash on the Loodi riddim? Sorry, on a bus now but it's real nice.

Here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7MOhYoG33g

My favorite song at the moment is probably Vybz' Emoji though. Has there ever been a songwriter this economical? He invites over with an emoji, she grabs a taxi, and he has sex with her in two different ways before he offers her a soda from the fridge over the course of, what, three lines of verse?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFS5AfEAfJM

Let's hope the recent move to the maximum security prison doesn't mean these will all dry up.

Popcaan's New Fresh Jordans seems to take its cue from the great Nah Idle and also sounds like it's maybe trying to crack the ovo code? I think it's a good look for him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQk0rlqMxuM

lol, Fresh Jordans, not New Fresh.

Good call on Loodi. Konshens is good on that one too ("It's All Good").

otm re Alkaline. Has he put out a bad track this year? (don't answer that) The video for City is a nice victory lap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8NKj3-4PEU

As usual I'm only keeping half an eye on Kartel's torrential output, but I dug Real Youth, which I posted upthread, as well as Half Way Tree and I always lol every time Hey Addi pops up on a mix

also ICYMI: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/vybz-kartel-still-ruling-dancehall-after-years-in-prison-w448510
fwiw he still claims he's not recording in prison

Right. His beef records directed at Mavado and Alkaline were recorded by prophesy, obviously.

That is a really good profile btw.

lol yeah tbh I was sort of surprised he stuck to the story. Interesting to read about the appeal and all the alleged errors in his trial

Playlist updated for November.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

Interesting year in review from Marvin Sparks--whose podcast (no long talk) is a bit too loose but can be diverting--mostly talking about the disconnect between dancehall's influence on global pop and the lack of global success for JA artists: http://www.factmag.com/2016/12/06/2016-dancehall-domination-charts-underground/

Not seeing much of any dancehall on other year-end lists (nor soca, afropop...)

yeah same, though I'm pretty sure we've noted the same thing for the past several years in a row.

tbf I can't think of any 2016 dancehall albums that belong on anyone's list (afropop on the other hand...). It is a bit sad but predictable seeing stuff like the Equiknoxx and Jubilee albums, or like Fact has Devin di Dakta's "Bubble" on their "club" tracks list but no dancehall actually produced in JA. In terms of reggae, I thought Chronixx was supposed to put out a full-length this year but nothing materialized, and in general the 'roots revival' was much quieter than years past. I haven't seen many tracks lists but I expect they'll mostly bear out Sparks' narrative. The Fader might be an exception if they're not too distracted writing explainers about white supremacy

I just delivered a 2016 albums list with Kartel placing fourth, but I realize other people have terrible taste, so... Anyway I''m getting used to this. The genres I'm into are the ones no one else find interesting. But I did get to review Babes Wodumo
And Heavy-K today in a weekly, and am working on a big Kartel piece for February, so I'm not really complaining.
I would be interested in reading something on the best 2016 riddims soon, though. Guessing Moskato will come out on top most places.

yeah I almost said "maybe with Kartel's album as an exception" but tbh I've never listened to the thing as an album, just heard most if it over time as individual tracks (see also Alkaline's New Level Unlocked). Also for several different reasons I don't realistically expect any US or UK publication to include the new Kartel on a list with like Radiohead...so yeah it's no longer even disappointing really. That said, I would love to see a soca list just to see what I've missed.

longneck, you should link that Kartel piece here when it's out

iirc Large Up usually does a riddims list. I would expect Moskato as well as Cure Pain for sure. Maybe Wicked Wicked too?

Sure, and All Inclusive Riddim. I really like Tropical Punch as well - especially the I-Octane. Those, along with the 47th Floor, Club Life, Car Crash, Crown Love, Day Off, Feel Good, House of Joy, Loodi, Ova Dweet, Red Plate, Skelewu, The Champ, The Terminal, Wet Dreams, Yardman and Zen riddims are the ones I end up sticking with. 90s Don Dada was fun for a while but I hardly play it anymore.

The Soca system of starting the year in september and basically closing it out in february is throwing me for a loop, btw. I can't for the life of me remember which Soca Season 2016 tunes were actually 2016. And I'm just starting to get into the 2017 batch.

Oh, and Success Riddim.

I liked the recent album by Equiknoxx so much, I felt like it needs its own thread: EQUIKNOXX - Bird Sound Power (2016) - exquisite avant-dancehall riddims

Seriously, go check it out now now now

(since they got mentioned again I should clarify that Equiknoxx are in fact Jamaican)

Every time I've tried to listen to this I end up getting annoyed that there aren't any vocalists. I actually quite liked their mix for Fact though, do seek that out. I might post some of their vocal productions on the other thread later as I do agree that they're very talented. Just not sure why they wanted to do a riddim-only album, though perhaps the fact it's on Demdike Stare's label is the answer?

For some reason Pitchfork has put out a video for Chronixx's "Majesty"; it's nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OEaMaO9NfM

and Merry Christmas thread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siluvHUzy2k

oof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJz43Hrsow

LargeUp's list is out:

1. Vybz Kartel, “Fever”
2. Rihanna feat. Drake, “Work”
3. Konshens, “Bruk Off”
4. Popcaan, “We Still A Win (World Cup)”
5. Alkaline, “City”
6. Drake feat. Popcaan, “Controlla”
7. Jahmiel, “Where Were U”
8. Popcaan, “Ova Dweet”
9. Vybz Kartel, “Western Union”
10. Mavado, “Progress”
11. Charly Blacks, “Gyal You A Party Animal”
12. Dwayne “DJ” Bravo, “Champion”
13. Chi Ching Ching, “Breadfruit (Roast or Fry)”/ Popcaan, “Wicked Man Ting”
14. Spice, “Indicator”
15. Chronixx, “Sell My Gun”
16. Alkaline, “After All”

Plus a bunch of honorable mentions: http://www.largeup.com/2016/12/15/best-dancehall-singles-of-2016/18/

Two mentions of Drake is pretty rmde but this is a really strong list imo. New-to-me DJ Bravo has 33million views on yt

how did I forget how great "Gal.gov" is. are there really no other versions on this riddim?

Well... both of those Drake tracks are pretty undeniable, whatever you might think of Drake. I had simply filed the DJ Bravo track as "yet another Culu Culu track" though. Will have to listen more carefully. And Progress... is not my favorite Mavado track this year. It just sounds old fashioned in the wrong way to me. I much prefer him on the All Inclusive riddim or on Beat & Teach and maybe one or two others. But yeah. Solid list. Curious about their riddims countdown.

Yeah fair enough, I don't really get the fuss about "Controlla" with or without Popcaan, but "Work" was my favorite track to hear all over the city this summer and it def would be odd to not include it. Something like "Luv" would have been a lot less forgivable.

Right. Controlla set a trend... and it works on most dancefloors, still. So I'd say it belongs. I'll have to think a bit tomorrow about what they're leaving out here.

Some thoughts:
1) Why is Popcaan's We Still Ah Win so high on the largeup list? It's one of the Popcaan tracks I've played the least this year.
2) My pick for Alkaline track of the year is probably After All, above One More Time. City is good, but I prefer most of his other singles. Weirdest of all is that the part on Block & Delete on the intro where he goes "instant block and deleeeeeeeete" isn't utilized as a hook. It's easily the most catchy moment of the song, imo.
3) Did Dexta Daps kinda blow it this year, just by not releasing enough stuff, or will we see Haunted or one of his other tracks catch on in 2017? I know I played Shabba Madda Pot weekly at least until october.

afaict Largeup's general rubric for these lists is to take popularity/status as a "single" somewhat into account. Hence "Progress" being on there instead of a stronger Mavado song. Or the one from the Trini cricketer for that matter.

1) I like this tune but yeah it's too high, and I much prefer Nah Idle, maybe even more than Ova Dweet. World Cup did pop up on a bunch of mixes I heard around the Olympics, which could be a factor.
2) I seem to be alone on the board in thinking City is a consummate summer jam--love him in this breezily confident mode--and as much as I love One More Time I think this would be my pick too. Hearing this was the first time I was *really* struck by Alka's now-obvious pop star qualities. That said, After All, 12pm, and My Side of the Story have all been creeping up for me lately though. Formula could be here too. Hell I threw on New Level Unlocked yesterday and enjoyed it back to front.
3) They mentioned in the intro that Shabba Madda Pot was huge this year, but they'd included it on last year's list so it didn't fit through the Charly Blacks loophole. Haunted came out in early January iirc, so that seems like kind of a long shot to me. I feel like it's pretty common for dancehall artists to follow up a hot streak with total silence--I remember once being worried that Popcaan had blown it after the initial wave of Only Man and Ravin. Or like the other day I was fretting about Chronixx and then the next day he dropped a new video and announced a huge tour and an album release for 2017.

Trigger Finger would work too, lol. Or even Chinese Jordans. Honestly though, none of them are as good as Shabba Madda Pot or 7 Eleven. That's what I meant by stating that he kinda blew it. Still, when I listened through the new Road Block Riddim the other day and Dexta's version came on, my first thought was literally «how the heck didn't this guy rule 2016?» My best guess would be that he just didn't release enough music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faSYRFcut1E

Uhhhh... Road Show Riddim, obviously.

I think he'll be okay. Ignoring release dates, he basically had a major hit in 2015 and followed it up with a big hit in 2016. Maybe he would have risen even further if the video for Chinese Jordan wasn't so terrible.

Genuinely surprised that Fact picked "Ova Dweet" as their track of the year. I'm not sure I totally buy their narrative of the song encapsulating the year of pop-dancehall symbiosis, and I think the Red Bull Culture Clash/Mixpak figures too large in their assessment, but respect for actually putting some weight behind the idea of dancehall being important this year. I lolled at the Fader spending a couple paragraphs bemoaning Popcaan's like 90 seconds of material being cut from Controla and then not putting any of his actual tracks on their 115-item list (c.f., pitchfork letting andy beta say afrobeats was the sound of the year in their Alicia Keys writeup and then putting zero actual african songs on their list).

Well at least Ova Dweet is *that* good imo. I've played it since it dropped and it always brings good energy in whatever context. It's easily the 2016 popcaan song I'd play first to a non-dancehall-knowledgeable friend, and I'd be happy to put it on a top 20 songs of the year list. So... nice move by Fact. However, the whole Culture Clash thing barely registered with me - as I watched some highlights via youtube that didn't translate too well. I guess you had to be there. And yeah, spot on about Fader and Pitchfork.

tbc Ova Dweet is one of my favorite songs of the year. I just wasn't remotely expecting Fact of all places to make it number one! not that I read it all that often

Somehow, Largeup managed to leave All Inclusive out of their riddims of the year round up. [Trump] Weak! [/Trump]
http://www.largeup.com/2016/12/22/biggest-dancehall-riddims-2016/

rolling dancehall & reggae 2017

Playlist is finalized for the year.

ILM's Rolling Dancehall & Reggae Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist