let's start things off with this 2013 round-up from The Large: http://shimmyshimmy.co.uk/2013/12/31/2013-round/
― rob, Thursday, 2 January 2014 21:41 (ten years ago) link
For Jamaican music, this year’s newest and perhaps most impactful contribution was the flourishing of new reggae artists like Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid, Protoje, Dre Island and Jah9. With a huge European fan base to boot, new reggae has never seemed as invigorated.
anyone into this stuff? Chronixx has some great tracks, but the Kabaka and Protoje I've checked out hasn't done much for me. The idea of this stuff being what goes over big in Europe is very interesting.
This sums up the year for me pretty well:
On reflection, much of 2013 was driven by usual dancehall fare – a collection of strong uptempo tracks (read 120+), big ‘gal wine’ tunes, new dances (One Drop), as well as the welcome addition of African dancehall artists (particularly Burna Boy, who released a strong LP) and afrobeats artists making exciting waves in the UK scene.
Burna's Yawa Dey is great if you missed it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O0tJQxZeWw
― rob, Thursday, 2 January 2014 21:46 (ten years ago) link
Cham "Hustle All Day"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOQ7YoYtUW4
― rob, Saturday, 4 January 2014 02:16 (ten years ago) link
Kartel's vocals suffer as usual here, but I quite like this one w/Gaza Slim:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haWnGvYqmKU
― rob, Thursday, 9 January 2014 04:53 (ten years ago) link
this isn't particularly groundbreaking but Skinny Rapture seems promising:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2hjTkMkUp4
― rob, Thursday, 9 January 2014 04:57 (ten years ago) link
Di Genius getting soulful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsBOwErT1FY
― rob, Thursday, 9 January 2014 04:59 (ten years ago) link
well this is something of a surprise: Sean Paul sounded energized over a great buzzing riddim (plus Konshens doing his usual good work):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpmyoSUER54
― rob, Saturday, 11 January 2014 23:32 (ten years ago) link
new QQ, who could have a very big year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKOl9Q_Mq7U
― rob, Saturday, 11 January 2014 23:40 (ten years ago) link
Tanya's best work in a long while. I haven't listened to "Guilty" yet but this bodes really well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QQFLHX3PiY
― rob, Sunday, 12 January 2014 00:29 (ten years ago) link
really like the drone-y production on this Macka Diamond soca collab:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Iw0p-IZ6NY
― rob, Tuesday, 21 January 2014 01:54 (ten years ago) link
I want to love this Vybz Kartel & Denyque track, but Kartel just doesn't sound present (obvs, of course):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M5p5m8_amQ
― rob, Tuesday, 21 January 2014 02:03 (ten years ago) link
eh, after replaying it, Denyque basically makes up for any deficiencies. they definitely got the credit backwards
― rob, Tuesday, 21 January 2014 02:13 (ten years ago) link
yep
― curmudgeon, Friday, 24 January 2014 06:01 (ten years ago) link
this new Gyptian (produced by Ricky Blaze of "Hold Yuh") is smoooooth: https://soundcloud.com/fmerecordings/gyptian-stuck
― rob, Wednesday, 29 January 2014 02:53 (ten years ago) link
catching up on Kalado who I've totally overlooked until now. that's looking like a terrible mistake
Good Good Life shows off his voice:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLqSf127tuc
And this combo video for Pree Money & Gyal plus Pay Dem Nuh Mind gives a sense of his range:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeerQk8_ZVQ
― rob, Thursday, 30 January 2014 03:37 (ten years ago) link
omg "mosquito net" >>>>>
― lex pretend, Thursday, 30 January 2014 15:20 (ten years ago) link
love the denyque/vybz too. denyque is really someone i hope gets huge
me too! hopefully she doesn't repeat what she did last year: release a bunch of good stuff right at the top of the year and then go silent for the remaining 10 months
― rob, Thursday, 30 January 2014 15:33 (ten years ago) link
**air siren.wav**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayaVzR5OAYU
that's J Capri's "Reverse It" if you've got images off. Heard this on Robbo Ranx the other day. If you liked her features at all last year, this is even better
― rob, Wednesday, 5 February 2014 15:40 (ten years ago) link
it's pretty rare I think this about a dancehall track, but this is TOO SHORT
― rob, Wednesday, 5 February 2014 15:41 (ten years ago) link
another rarity: I really like the art for this
http://a2.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Music4/v4/52/a4/ac/52a4ac8f-8ce7-36ef-4686-7d195752abd9/887158719509_Cover.255x255-75.jpg
― rob, Wednesday, 5 February 2014 18:42 (ten years ago) link
omg that j capri track
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 5 February 2014 18:45 (ten years ago) link
Blak Ryno's Sting victory lap is quite fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsMqRlhhXxE
― rob, Monday, 17 February 2014 01:23 (ten years ago) link
this kind of classic riddim is almost a gimme for a veteran like Mavado, but this is nice and there's a lot of cool little touches going on in the production:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQCDc2Talj8
― rob, Monday, 17 February 2014 01:27 (ten years ago) link
From the bottom to the top with Demarco:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6miNuKYB9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vin7HinNBTo
the pinch of guitar really makes "Rise" work. "Wine Down Low" is produced by Daseca who did Konshens' "So Mi Tan" . The arrangement here is unsurprisingly elegant.
― rob, Monday, 17 February 2014 01:50 (ten years ago) link
Rvssian's eponymous riddim is unsurprisingly excellent--no one else seems to even be touching him right now. Vybz Kartel f. J Capri "Mamacita":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6wlNb4AgXQ
― rob, Friday, 7 March 2014 03:31 (ten years ago) link
Sean Paul's pretty good too: http://youtu.be/Iw9-NunoTNI. I think we're about one more good Sean P song away from him having a good year
― rob, Friday, 7 March 2014 03:34 (ten years ago) link
love this Busy Signal "All Night Long" cover:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ckcuwy52G4
― rob, Friday, 21 March 2014 01:34 (ten years ago) link
Beenie Man's consistency almost feels underrated right now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8zwgAQGGXU
there's about three dozen ideas going on in this Tifa track produced by Di Genius:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3pMvo1ptQw
― rob, Sunday, 30 March 2014 00:09 (ten years ago) link
I like this Denyque/Di Genius song, but I get a little distracted by thinking about how the dude's interjections sound a lot like Drake on Beyonce's "Mine" (though this doesn't resemble that song otherwise):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMTi7AyylP0
― rob, Sunday, 30 March 2014 00:17 (ten years ago) link
listening to Body Up and Loyal Girl back to back and it's striking how complex Di Genius's work has gotten. On the one hand he seems to have left behind the simple pleasures of dancehall usually offers, but no one is stuffing this many ideas into a single track.
― rob, Sunday, 30 March 2014 00:24 (ten years ago) link
this is kinda, sorta real reggae. and it's good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDPaz_dbJ-8
― Daniel, Esq 2, Thursday, 3 April 2014 23:50 (ten years ago) link
eh, more "lovers' rock" or ska, maybe, but an authentic-sounding mid-70s vibe, for sure.
― Daniel, Esq 2, Thursday, 3 April 2014 23:53 (ten years ago) link
I've been listening to the Soul Jazz lovers' rock comp lately and I think you're right: this is explicitly drawing on it, especially the Bovell produced stuff (those synth strings; her sighing vocal style) mixed with a bit of the Wackies/Love Joys take on the style too. pretty nice!
do you listen to much other current roots(y) stuff? this Chronixx video/homage to Rockers is pretty fun if you're a fan of the movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxh0O-MLHWE
― rob, Friday, 4 April 2014 14:30 (ten years ago) link
i recently read about a "roots-reggae revival," but roots reggae is, to me, so confined to a specific era that it's hard to imagine a revival. if there's a revival, i need an education on it, and a "way into it."
― Daniel, Esq 2, Saturday, 5 April 2014 01:27 (ten years ago) link
Spice is killing it this year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rrEmnpEHhY
― rob, Thursday, 1 May 2014 02:40 (ten years ago) link
this song is pretty good! i'm pleased, to be chillin' in the west indies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzqFmXZ8tOE#t=149
― Daniel, Esq 2, Saturday, 3 May 2014 23:37 (ten years ago) link
yeah, that's nice. I've been into this Chronixx & Kabaka Pyramid song for a while:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKS_2ZnJpDE
― rob, Sunday, 4 May 2014 02:32 (ten years ago) link
on a completely different note, love this buzzy Ricky Blaze track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REcsNznEksA
I mentioned Gyptian's "Stuck", which Blaze produced, upthread and it's got a video now. splits the difference between the UK pop house bubblers thread and Laza Morgan and sounds even better not that it's warming up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72k4iGJ-2ts
― rob, Sunday, 4 May 2014 03:22 (ten years ago) link
liking that Never Be
― imago all the sheeple (Spottie), Sunday, 4 May 2014 07:06 (ten years ago) link
more goodness from Ricky Blaze. could just as easily go in the soca thread:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIhmvmPTVY8
― rob, Saturday, 7 June 2014 23:23 (ten years ago) link
pretty excited that Busy Signal has made a habit of versioning afrobeats hits, here he is on "Khona":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oewrIzf7Nw
― rob, Saturday, 7 June 2014 23:31 (ten years ago) link
downloading the new Popcaan right now. have to admit it's pretty nice how much attention this is getting. Fader cover wasn't too surprising, but pitchfork gave it an 8.0 today
― rob, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 14:41 (ten years ago) link
that Fader story
― rob, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 14:50 (ten years ago) link
What other afrobeats songs has Busy signal "covered"? That one sounds great.
― longneck, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 15:15 (ten years ago) link
have to admit it's pretty nice how much attention this is getting. Fader cover wasn't too surprising, but pitchfork gave it an 8.0 today
― rob, Tuesday, June 10, 2014 10:41 AM (40 minutes ago) Bookmark
he's got big indie rock-focused PR behind him now
― le goon (J0rdan S.), Tuesday, 10 June 2014 15:21 (ten years ago) link
http://www.npr.org/2014/06/06/318267775/first-listen-popcaan-where-we-come-from
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 15:32 (ten years ago) link
xpBusy also did "Professionally" on P-Square's "Personally" recently, and last year he did "Same Way" on Sarkodie's "U Go Kill Me". They're all pretty great imo.
― rob, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 16:59 (ten years ago) link
only listened once but "Where We Come From" is something of a triumph for an artist who could easily be written off as inconsistent. the Mixpak producers are a really good fit for his voice, and his personality works better in a context that feels once removed from Kingston. and Pusha T drops a boring verse on the only dud track so it feels au courant
would be nice if the indie PR pushed this onto some people's radar even if it isn't really representative of the sound of JA dancehall.
― rob, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 17:07 (ten years ago) link
Oh nice. Thanks for the tip.
― longneck, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 19:49 (ten years ago) link
http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VIDEO-Chronixx-Makes-US-Debut-Performs-Here-Comes-Trouble-on-TONIGHT-SHOW-20140723
Chronixx on Jimmy Fallon tv show last night
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 14:42 (ten years ago) link
http://www.hulu.com/watch/664371
Better link if you like his more trad sound
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 24 July 2014 02:57 (ten years ago) link
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/07/21/_rude_by_magic_is_the_no_1_song_on_billboard_s_hot_100_why_video.html
This is #1 in the US...oh my
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 24 July 2014 02:59 (ten years ago) link
some excellent stuff on Erin M's list. love that Gyptian tune
Road Elf's "Tribal Touch" (the second song in this video) is great:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWPL5t0bs8s
― rob, Tuesday, 29 July 2014 21:52 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmqlYjFlmgk
lol this is a top 5 hit now?! poor lea-anna
― uberweiss, Friday, 1 August 2014 14:37 (ten years ago) link
A few of my favourite tracks at the moment.
Denyque - How To RaveThis should probaly go in the summer jams thread, seemingly explicitly designed to sound perfect in the sunshine. As usual Denyque is great.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAYQxL1OnG4
Tifa - Back It UpA banger. Up there with 'Mamamcita', 'Reverse It' and 'Snake Charmer' as one of my favourite tracks of the year.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmdHAyUMAVg
Aidonia - Coco Powda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0opd8kS4dFw
― gregus, Friday, 8 August 2014 00:11 (ten years ago) link
Denyque track is very nice (thought I'd posted it here already but it was tumblr). working my way through this epic mix, I might have a few more to share too: https://soundcloud.com/so-shifty/summer-cyaan-done
― rob, Friday, 8 August 2014 20:01 (ten years ago) link
Gyptian's "Stunta" deserves more than an offhand mention:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQo80LlSHE
― rob, Friday, 8 August 2014 20:09 (ten years ago) link
missed this groove-y Popcaan song in spring:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahplg8hq4vs
― rob, Friday, 8 August 2014 20:24 (ten years ago) link
can't believe I missed that Tifa track, gregus! thanks for posting that
― rob, Friday, 8 August 2014 20:27 (ten years ago) link
Mr Vegas holds such an interesting, hard to define place in dancehall right now, he's really channelling the recycle everything to make it new reggae ethos. really dig "Pop One":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUwbSWOO1KA
― rob, Saturday, 9 August 2014 17:02 (ten years ago) link
Yeah its great isn't it. She's got an American record deal now so it would be nice to see her get the same level of coverage that Popcaan is currently receiving and hopefully crossover.
'Stunta' is great, I also love that Zoelah track that you posted upthread that uses the same riddim.
I really like that Mr. Vegas track as well. That's the first thing I've heard by him, is there anything else you'd recommend.
― gregus, Saturday, 9 August 2014 21:17 (ten years ago) link
His Sweet Jamaica album is awesome.
― longneck, Saturday, 9 August 2014 21:25 (ten years ago) link
i did not know TIfa had been signed to an American label--that's great, I can't think of someone I'd be more excited to see break out right now since Natalie Storm is taking a break.
that Stunta riddim (Uptown Julie) is by Ricky Blaze, who I've like basically everything I've heard from so far this year. annoyingly "Stunta" is the only track not available on itunes, though the Zoelah and Kes the Band versions are. Blaze also did a nice remix of Omi's "Cheerleader" (http://youtu.be/iCB8riHVV7U) which iirc we were talking about on one of these threads.
I actually still need to check out the whole of Sweet Jamaica, but I can recommend its single "Bruk It Down":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5EBrftUKBY
and this duet with Latty J that's an homage to an amazing late 80s Lady G & Papa San track called "Round Table Talk" (if you don't know that one be sure to seek out the video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1y9TWWYG6w
― rob, Saturday, 9 August 2014 22:49 (ten years ago) link
i've only just noticed that lea-anna's three-year-old "kisses for breakfast" became a top ten hit last week, except by someone called melissa steel and with a popcaan verse? great song obv buttttt why
― lex pretend, Monday, 11 August 2014 10:22 (ten years ago) link
oh uberweiss mentioned it already
― lex pretend, Monday, 11 August 2014 10:23 (ten years ago) link
xposts
thanks for all the recommendations i'll check them all out
― gregus, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 22:33 (ten years ago) link
I love the Burna Boy track at the top of the thread
― everyday sheeple (Michael B), Thursday, 14 August 2014 00:01 (ten years ago) link
feeling pretty stannish about Ricky Blaze this year: https://soundcloud.com/fmerecordings/ricky-blaze-n3xt-lin3
― rob, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 22:35 (ten years ago) link
the Fader have been putting out so much good stuff this week I don't even know what to link. Definitely check out the Bunji and Lady Saw pieces
― rob, Monday, 1 September 2014 00:43 (ten years ago) link
Alaine's "Better Than This" (previously seen on the summer jams thread) has a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0rQDET4-3k
― rob, Monday, 8 September 2014 23:35 (ten years ago) link
I've mentioned him throughout the year, but ftr Chronixx's Dread and Terrible EP is terrific. all the singles have been great, and the video for "Capture Land" was just released today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHzqwLxk_Y
― rob, Tuesday, 16 September 2014 17:24 (ten years ago) link
this is just a teaser for Ricky Blaze's "Overrated" but damn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeoYTnp6hkU
― rob, Thursday, 25 September 2014 23:35 (ten years ago) link
"Nobody Has to Know" came out over a year ago, but just showed up on the (somewhat dubious) Jamaican music chart I check:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxuDYFAKB7g
― rob, Thursday, 25 September 2014 23:40 (ten years ago) link
Wau @ "Overrated"!
― etc, Monday, 29 September 2014 21:33 (nine years ago) link
the sample here is almost sacrilege, but it's a fun rework of stylo g's 2011 hit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmO9LmvLVyM
― chilli, Thursday, 2 October 2014 18:52 (nine years ago) link
xxpost
I think we check out the same chart because i was surprised to see one of my summer jams from last year show up on it. Although 'Back It Up' by Tifa cracked the Top 25 this week so i hope it is at least some indicator of popularity.
I've been obsessed Ishawna's 'Restraining Order' recently. The lyrics are fantastic as she eviscerates a possessive ex while questioning why women have to put up with these controlling influences with very little cause for redress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJUiP9mTej4
J Capri's new track 'Lyrics To The Song' is great as well. Initially i thought it a step down from the other tracks she's been involved with, but its really clicked with me after a few listens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5J2_PJoDtw
― gregus, Friday, 10 October 2014 23:02 (nine years ago) link
I quite like that J Capri! much better than the other ones she's done since "Reverse It". not that those were terrible, just not as special.
This is the chart I look at: http://www.reggae-vibes.com/jamtop20/jamtop20.html. No idea how legit it is, but I want to believe.
Full version of "Overrated" is out: https://soundcloud.com/fmerecordings/ricky-blaze-feat-kranium-shaggy-overrateddirty.
― rob, Tuesday, 14 October 2014 22:52 (nine years ago) link
"Lyrics to the Song" has become one of my favorites of the year
also quite like Agent Sasco's Badman Declaration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEhom3AhVA
― rob, Sunday, 16 November 2014 17:36 (nine years ago) link
this from him too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPN_87Qamjw
― rob, Sunday, 16 November 2014 21:14 (nine years ago) link
Spice & Vybz Kartel's "Conjugal Visit" is pure O_O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INAqa1PUfTk
― rob, Sunday, 16 November 2014 22:36 (nine years ago) link
'Conjugal Visit' is really something isn't it. Even if you leave aside the moral questions, the song is just an incredibly poor relation to 'Ramping Shop'. Although in saying that i would be of the opinion that the art created should separated from the the artist themselves and i do like Kartel's 'Miami Vice Episode', although I've refrained from posting it, because i wasn't sure how posting a track by a convicted murderer would be received.
Conjugal Visit aside, Spice has been incredible this year. 'Back Bend' is another great track from her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvCCewuGTlg
I've been generally been pretty disappointed with Agent Sasco this year, after he was probably my favourite dancehall artist of last year, but 'Woman We Seh' is pretty good.
I really like Beenie Man's 'Rifle Behaviour', but i can't figure out where the sample is from. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4C97WNV91g
I thought i'd repost 'Restraining Order' as it now has a video and is one of my tracks of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=422QJFDfXmg
― gregus, Saturday, 29 November 2014 01:23 (nine years ago) link
that Beenie Man is great! no idea about any samples though, sorry. basically co-sign everything else you said. I like Sasco's "Sekkle and Cease" and "Woman We Seh" but yeah, neither are as good as "Tell Unuh" or "Shell". He should
Has Ishawna done anything else worth checking? I had relegated her to "don't bother" status a while back, but that track is nice.
Spice has been amazing this year. I wish her she and VP had put a few more tracks on her EP ("Back Bend" would have been smart addition). It's a nice little set, but it could have stood alongside Where We Come From and Dread & Terrible for me. Good cover though:
http://a2.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Music5/v4/51/58/c2/5158c2a0-db8c-5193-3922-6d59b41d2069/cover170x170.jpeg
Not sure how to go about listening to Vybz Kartel these days. I might have been less conflicted if "Addi Innocent" hadn't been appended to his name, cuz come on. "Mamacita" is still one of my favorites this year though.
― rob, Saturday, 29 November 2014 16:14 (nine years ago) link
this Ishawna track is #1 on that Reggae Vibes chart I posted a while ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXv4cMx77hU
― rob, Saturday, 29 November 2014 16:16 (nine years ago) link
Beenie Man's 'Rifle Behaviour' sampling Usher 'Good Kisser', right? Is that what we're talking about?
― MikoMcha, Sunday, 30 November 2014 13:16 (nine years ago) link
could be. think I only ever heard that once
― rob, Sunday, 30 November 2014 17:36 (nine years ago) link
Thank you MikoMcha, that's exactly it, I kept thinking it was a Justin Timberlake song.
'Restraining Order' is the only Ishawna track I really love, although she has impressed me a lot more recently. I like her in full on tearing exes to shreds mode. You can add her version of 'Loyal' to all the great female responses to the original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5V_hJ6I7Q
With regards to Kartel, I've really liked quite a few of his songs this year, and in terms of that debate i'd always be on the side of separating the quality of the art from the character of the artist. That said, I've still refrained from posting the songs I've loved since his conviction, Miami Vice Episode, Bubble Up Yuh Body, because, as great as they are, i'm uncomfortable promoting them. It is also very strange that a man who is serving 35 years for murder can be so prolific in his musical output. He released a 7 track EP this week.
― gregus, Friday, 5 December 2014 21:38 (nine years ago) link
yeah, it seems basically impossible at this point that he's not recording in prison, which is troubling. I have no problem separating art/character -- I've listened to music by lots of terrible people knowingly and un throughout my life; I have also voted for American presidents -- but dude managing to still promote (and sell? that seems unlikely, but idk) his music career from behind bars feels like a degree more fucked up. but hell, I like Miami Vice Episode too.
Spice's EP is fantastic by the way. I especially love that the last track "Whine Inna Di Dance" uses the Real Rock riddim in a pretty straight dub/roots style, but then is just as aggressively slack as the rest of the tracks. it's kind of the spiritual opposite of Kabaka Pyramid jumping on the not-at-all-reggae Elastic riddim (Alkaline is also on this, for ex) to call out other deejays for being hedonistic perverts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmoGQ7IAin0
― rob, Friday, 5 December 2014 23:50 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, 'Whine Inna Dance' is brilliant. Spice is in the position for me that Nicki Minaj was a couple of years ago, where any track she appears on is automatically improved by her presence.
― gregus, Saturday, 6 December 2014 06:50 (nine years ago) link
I've been wondering if any dancehall will make it onto the ILM tracks poll. I seem to remember that nothing placed last year, and i really cant see that being any different this time. I do not like political voting in these things; however, i wouldn't mind rallying round a specific track, although it has hardly been a classic year, dancehall still deserves some recognition. My suggestion would be 'Snake Charmer' by Spice, although i'm open to alternatives.
― gregus, Saturday, 6 December 2014 07:04 (nine years ago) link
I don't think there's been any dancehall in the EOY poll for a few years. iirc, last time was that Konshens song "Nuh Pull It Up", which is a great track but also music nerd catnip. Popcaan maybe has a shot at the albums list (it'll be my #1)? There was also some enthusiasm for "Waiting So Long" in the Popcaan thread. "Reverse It" might be a stronger horse to back than "Snake Charmer". I don't really get why (even though I posted it here), but I've noticed QQ's "Mosquito Net" show up a couple times in the rolling favorite tracks thread.
― rob, Sunday, 7 December 2014 17:27 (nine years ago) link
Popcaan and Chronnix could possibly make my album list
― curmudgeon, Monday, 8 December 2014 14:28 (nine years ago) link
"Mosquito Net" is ecstatic. will be on my list along with one of those Kartel jams. not sure about the rest (I'm bored with "Reverse It")
― g simmel, Monday, 8 December 2014 15:10 (nine years ago) link
yeah imo "Mamacita" >>> "Reverse It" I do like "Mosquito Net" and I loved "Ghetto Gal" and am generally very pro-QQ -- I really like this Fader profile where he says "I'm not a homophobe. If you're gay and you support my music, I respect you", which could be interpreted uncharitably, but any progress in that arena is welcome.
― rob, Monday, 8 December 2014 17:58 (nine years ago) link
other 2014 faves in no order:So Mi Like It -- SpiceNever Be -- Ricky BlazeWho Knows -- Protoje & ChronixxFall In Love -- PopcaanPop One -- Mr VegasStuck -- Gyptian (also Stunta, though it hasn't been released properly yet)How to Rave -- DenyqueBetter than This -- Alaine
― rob, Monday, 8 December 2014 18:01 (nine years ago) link
like a lot of Equiknoxx, this is a little overproduced but still pretty great, Charly Black "Bike Back"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OpWySdOtp0
― rob, Thursday, 18 December 2014 23:58 (nine years ago) link
Daniel Esq just nominated the Kartel track on this riddim, which reminded me I've been meaning to post this Christopher Martin version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8re2F3K9zBg
― rob, Saturday, 20 December 2014 00:03 (nine years ago) link
Large Up's top 10 riddims of the year:
1. Boom Box2. Happy Hour3. Gwaan Bad4. Promiscuous5. The Good Book6. Wul Dem7. Rvssian8. Greatest Creation9. Nuh Fraid10. Work Permit
Leans a little too hard on 90s-ish throwback stuff, but some good stuff there. They've got albums, mixtapes, and soca lists too, with the dancehall tracks one presumably to come.
― rob, Monday, 22 December 2014 23:32 (nine years ago) link
And here's that track list:
2/1. Spice -- “Like A Man”/”So Mi Like It”3. Popcaan -- “Everything Nice” (Remix feat. Mavado)5/4. Vybz Kartel -- “Miami Vice Episode”/”Do Di Maths (Wah Do You?)”6. Kranium -- “Nobody Has To Know”7. Popcaan -- “Where We Come From”8. I-Octane -- “Wi Bad”9. Major Lazer feat. Sean Paul -- “Come On To Me”10. Alkaline -- “Gyal Bruk Out” 11. Aidonia -- “80s Dancehall Style”12. Assassin -- "Sekkle and Cease"13. Vybz Kartel featuring J Capri -- “Mamacita”14. Gully Bop aka Countryman -- “Body Specialist”
obviously pleased at that 1/2 tie for Spice. kind of surprised they've got three cuts on the Boom Box riddim on here, but that's a lot more interesting than their kinda boring predilection for anything retro.
― rob, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 13:51 (nine years ago) link
rolling dancehall & reggae 2015
― rob, Friday, 9 January 2015 23:51 (nine years ago) link