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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine years ago) link
that Fader story
― rob, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 14:50 (nine years ago) link
What other afrobeats songs has Busy signal "covered"? That one sounds great.
― longneck, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 15:15 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine years ago) link
Oh nice. Thanks for the tip.
― longneck, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 19:49 (nine years ago) link
p4k called it the best dancehall record this year. not good enough though to be "best new music"
― marcos, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 20:37 (nine years ago) link
As noted up thread Spice has been excellent this year. Her new single 'Like A Man' is terrific, particularly lyrically.
http://youtu.be/qH94HLRQMKI
― gregus, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 19:18 (nine years ago) link
yes, brilliant! video is awesome too.
― rob, Friday, 20 June 2014 14:33 (nine years ago) link
i don't really follow dancehall, but i did check out popcaan because the pfork review talked up its POP ALBUM virtues
so far it's been kind of tedious, it's way overlong - 'pop album' as a big commercial proposition more than an endlessly-now earworm sort of thing
but i dunno i'll try some more
― j., Friday, 20 June 2014 23:04 (nine years ago) link
yeah, "POP ALBUM" more in the context of dancehall since it sounds closer to hip hop/r'n'b/dance stuff than dancehall mainstream. otoh, I'd be hard pressed to define that mainstream right now--nonetheless, I thought it telling that in at least two of the gyal/sex tracks Popcaan says he wants to impregnate the girl in question. maybe POP ALBUM in the sense that there's an openness to this album that's really distinct--lyrically, it's much more rootsy than I expected even with "The System" as a harbinger. that solitary steel drum sound in "Ghetto" feels really important in terms of subverting party vibe expectations. shit, maybe this is more of a PROG ALBUM.
idk, I'm pretty in love with this album right now. maybe skip to "Waiting So Long" which Matt DC correctly posted to the summer jams thread today?
― rob, Monday, 23 June 2014 01:53 (nine years ago) link
i'm not into the popcaan album beyond "pleasant background vibes" yet. if it's a POP ALBUM where are the bangers?
― lex pretend, Monday, 23 June 2014 09:29 (nine years ago) link
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jun/16/playlist-reggae-dancehall-soca
Ocassional ilxor Erin M.'s list of summer faves
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 10 July 2014 04:36 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine years ago) link
can't believe I missed that Tifa track, gregus! thanks for posting that
― rob, Friday, 8 August 2014 20:27 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine years ago) link
His Sweet Jamaica album is awesome.
― longneck, Saturday, 9 August 2014 21:25 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine years ago) link
oh uberweiss mentioned it already
― lex pretend, Monday, 11 August 2014 10:23 (nine years ago) link
xposts
thanks for all the recommendations i'll check them all out
― gregus, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 22:33 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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 (nine 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
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