rolling dancehall & reggae 2016

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.