rolling dancehall & reggae 2016

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