Steppin was from last year, actually. I always liked it, though! And yeah, there's a certain sweetness to Martin's approach that sets him apart imo. I loved his two versions on 47th Floor as well.
Slept on is relative, of course. I just remember thinking it would totally rule the summer but then Moskato turned up and kind of took over everything.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 13 February 2017 16:41 (seven years ago) link
ha I seem to have slipped into constantly posting older tracks on the rolling threads. I really like Martin too and the album is strong if maybe a little exhausting as a single listen, but it would serve as a great intro for anyone not too familiar with him.
ok yeah that's true about the summer/Moskato. I wonder if Rvssian being in Miami (iirc) rather than JA has anything to do with it? that said he seems well poised to take advantage of the massive lane opened up to south america by "Party Animal". the intl audience for dancehall is super interesting right now--I just looked up the video for the Riley track and all the commenters are Kenyans!
― rob, Monday, 13 February 2017 16:50 (seven years ago) link
lol yeah. The good thing about Justin going dembow and this major lazeresque pop era is that you can mix in just about everything. The lanes are open.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 13 February 2017 17:52 (seven years ago) link
production on this new Chronixx dancehall track is p incredible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlM1X1_Cams
Reggaeville claims it's self-produced too. I suppose there's no chance that all of Chronology will sound like this
― rob, Tuesday, 14 February 2017 21:30 (seven years ago) link
Just came here to say I've been enjoying the hell out of the Vybz x Wizkid. Wizzy adds so many extra happy vibes to it.
Well, also to post two hot new tracks by Busy Signal:
https://soundcloud.com/vpal-dist/busy-signal-dangerous-bam-bam-stainless-music-vpal-music
"Dangerous Bam Bam" (the hottest)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Brk0ci8U1E
"Wifey vs. Matie" (also-hot)
― breastcrawl, Saturday, 25 February 2017 19:03 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, the Vybz & Wiz has grown on me. I do wish it had sounded a bit more... organic, but Wizkid does soften it in the right places.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Saturday, 25 February 2017 23:02 (seven years ago) link
To me it sounds organic enough, but then, you knew the original already and I only heard it afterwards, so matter of perception perhaps?
― breastcrawl, Saturday, 25 February 2017 23:10 (seven years ago) link
probably, yes. To me it sounds a bit too much like a cut and paste but i've pretty much replaced the original with the wizkid version so by now so i'm not really complaining.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Saturday, 25 February 2017 23:41 (seven years ago) link
My favourite dancehall track this year comes from a UK rapper:
Stefflon Don - 16 Shots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TIDDx57-0
― gregus, Sunday, 26 February 2017 12:17 (seven years ago) link
http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/10022-the-50-best-dancehall-songs-of-all-time/
― ArchCarrier, Monday, 27 February 2017 09:59 (seven years ago) link
wau:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxHx6vM4iCw
(Alkaline, "Fast")
― rob, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 01:21 (seven years ago) link
Popcaan's "Addictive" has been around for a while, is good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Me1Hv8AxI
― rob, Thursday, 9 March 2017 22:19 (seven years ago) link
yes, very.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 10 March 2017 08:02 (seven years ago) link
oh man, best thing Tifa has done in an age and this whole riddim could really grow on me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Wq5d0g-Z8
― rob, Wednesday, 29 March 2017 23:43 (six years ago) link
Yeah, I love the Humbug. The Chris Martin is my fave at the moment though.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 29 March 2017 23:54 (six years ago) link
Ooh, haven't heard that yet, looking forward. The "Daniella Whine" remix is pretty hot--I've always loved that tune and Elephant Man sounds pretty fired up on the remix. In other good news, Alklaline just dropped this tune too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKe8Lk9pOOQ
― rob, Thursday, 30 March 2017 00:10 (six years ago) link
Actually, every version on the Humbug Riddim is a winner. The Kartel version is probably my favorite though. He's so deliciously dirty and super specific, lol.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-4i3sigiI
I love what Chris Martin does with the melodies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_STMQG5wL4
Also, Mavado reminding us to wear a condom:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg2H7d3EsmU
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Sunday, 2 April 2017 00:06 (six years ago) link
ILM's 2017 Rolling Dancehall and Reggae Thread Spotify Playlist
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Tuesday, 11 April 2017 03:51 (six years ago) link
really like Rvssian's production on this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN41UT1aIAg
pretty stunning to see that "Privado" has over 100million views
― rob, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 17:31 (six years ago) link
This made the lower echelons of the 1Xtra playlist and may be my fave track of the year
Shenseea - Reversehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dP5eD7xqzI
― Mercer Finn, Thursday, 13 April 2017 22:07 (six years ago) link
Alkaline's "Fast" still keeps getting better and better with each play. "Rapido, rapido, rapido, rapido, rapido, rapido, rapido..."
― breastcrawl, Friday, 14 April 2017 06:55 (six years ago) link
Reverse is great! I think I rated it below "Jiggle Jiggle" upthread but they're both excellent. She's inevitably put out some weak stuff, but so far Shenseea is the most exciting thing happening this (kinda slow so far?) year for me. Alkaline was in that spot last year though.
Anyone know why Chronology hasn't come out yet?
― rob, Friday, 14 April 2017 14:40 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x--oBoLliIA
ishawna causing some consternation and wailing w/ her pro-head stance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP1geWwZEzA
also this new busy is too sick, him and alkaline are the best at not just riding a riddim but making their voices another instrument in the song
― oiocha, Monday, 1 May 2017 18:23 (six years ago) link
that was definitely the best way to end my don't-listen-to-Sheeran policy
― rob, Thursday, 4 May 2017 16:22 (six years ago) link
anxiously waiting for this year's fever or ova dweet to emerge. this mavado tune is good though
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQH_37l7kdo
― oiocha, Sunday, 21 May 2017 01:55 (six years ago) link
Crazy Glue Riddim is pretty crazy and sticks like glue. Sean Paul and Alkaline on the obvious hit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IZd6v0zoUM
Also, this Kartel and Masicka is hard:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4olEDVTbhw
And Alkaline is unstoppable:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOA7oWqzhNI
My favorite riddim atm is the Bad & Sexy though - def here to stay for the summer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz0558pufFshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pZZ650HLkA
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 22 May 2017 07:18 (six years ago) link
Oh, so we haven't even posted these Alakalines? Slipping!
Pretty Girl Team is one of the best songs of the year, easily:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1aVmoweBUI
Nice and Easy:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPp7NOsAu4E
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 22 May 2017 07:24 (six years ago) link
A few of the new Kartel releases have sounded "old" but as always, there's more than enough to go around:
Love hearing him on a soca riddim (the 6.3). Reverb & Delay:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvXsWT4QOc0
Love It:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LfSVWXXAgE
Secret:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJIBgeZ-9DI
Highest Level (posted upthread) is the one I keep returning to though. Guessing it will stick around through the summer.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 22 May 2017 07:28 (six years ago) link
RDX with yet another Bam Bam remake. You basically can't miss with these.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfLN9kLR6AE
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 22 May 2017 07:40 (six years ago) link
admittedly I've been very distracted this year (though I did post "Nice and Easy" a while back; the YT got pulled), but this surprisingly strong late addition to an aging franchise caught my ear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExaiWN8T5o8(Cham & Miss O, "Get Drunk")
Dave Kelly sounds absolutely and effortlessly contemporary on that (which obvs says more about the contemporary than him but still)
― rob, Monday, 22 May 2017 19:59 (six years ago) link
seem to remember also liking a Chi Ching Ching track a bit back, Poppy's "1Guh" and Mavado's "Dirt Nap"
― rob, Monday, 22 May 2017 20:01 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFTesEBGQ_o
new equiknoxx produccy is hard
― oiocha, Thursday, 25 May 2017 00:59 (six years ago) link
production-wise this should probably go on the afrobeats thread; it's warm and lovely either way:Popcaan f. Davido, "My Story"https://open.spotify.com/album/1k7QAPJW7lrgpKJVK3HyRG
― rob, Friday, 26 May 2017 18:02 (six years ago) link
okay on subsequent listen with actual headphones ^that is a serious jam
― rob, Friday, 26 May 2017 18:12 (six years ago) link
and this excellent Alkaline just dropped too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXWx8eJUtuU
― rob, Friday, 26 May 2017 18:14 (six years ago) link
some nice stuff from french guiana; Jahyanai King & Bamby:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVQMUksdgDU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXHj7feMIi0
― rob, Saturday, 1 July 2017 15:07 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIoyIwxpjXc
― rob, Monday, 31 July 2017 23:07 (six years ago) link
half year thread playlist update bump
ILM's Rolling Dancehall and Reggae Thread 2017 Spotify Playlist
― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 1 August 2017 16:36 (six years ago) link
just me or is the chronixx album a bit of a disappointment?
― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Wednesday, 6 September 2017 16:24 (six years ago) link
yeah I listened to about half of it and got kind of bored despite liking some bits (iirc the one with his dad was good?). I should give it another shot but haven't felt particularly inclined.
― rob, Wednesday, 6 September 2017 16:45 (six years ago) link
one with his dad (big bad sound) and both the singles (majesty, likes) are nice enough, the rest is a mix between okay and unlistenable explicit trop xover bid (i can)
― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Wednesday, 6 September 2017 17:59 (six years ago) link
I like the individual songs whenever I hear one of them, but no, I haven't been able to really listen to the album either. Which is... weird. Anyway, this gives me an excuse to post Aidonia's Yeah, which should have been posted many weeks ago (along with a dozen other songs but... work).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAfoh46RYNY
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 6 September 2017 18:07 (six years ago) link
unlistenable explicit trop xover bid (i can)
lol I do remember that one
think I like "Krayzay" and "Banga" more than "Yeah Yeah" but nice to see him so full of fire this year
thread is tragically neglected this year, but did we ever post anything from La Vida riddim?
― rob, Wednesday, 6 September 2017 19:37 (six years ago) link
i like money topichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ina8BboD4fA
― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Thursday, 7 September 2017 16:50 (six years ago) link
I think Bruise is the only recent Aidonia I have a slight problem with, but mostly because the idea of bruising and sex makes me go hmmmm.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Saturday, 9 September 2017 07:55 (six years ago) link
This new Kartel stays lodged in my brain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_Wzm0SVuv0
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Sunday, 8 October 2017 20:55 (six years ago) link
that's a good one. I like I Octane on that riddim too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xuLPriwXjw
been wondering lately if this has been kind of a down year or if it's me? I definitely haven't been staying super current like years past, but just looking at say Alkaline's output, I think only Fast and Red Eyes have really stuck with me. curious if you feel the same way. otoh, I don't want to blame everything on politics but this has also been a pretty anhedonic year in general and I've spent way more time listening to older stuff in response
― rob, Sunday, 8 October 2017 21:57 (six years ago) link
mm hm is so good, reminds me of older kartel like court case or something.think it has been a bit of a down year though, a lot of the energy has moved to the uk for me. if i want to hear a new alkaline song i'm more likely to reach for his guest verse on textin. that said pretty girl team is one of my favorites of the year.
this one's great as well. good month for vybz.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-FfToAJpd0
― oiocha, Monday, 9 October 2017 20:03 (six years ago) link
I think it has been a really good year for Alkaline overall, and Kartel is staying strong. (I agree that Pretty Girl Team, Fast and Red Eyes are awesome, but right below them there's Impact, Nice & Easy, Buss Head and Gyalis Pro.) Plus Masicka is getting closer and closer to... something interesting. And Shenseea, Popcaan, Konshens and a few other artists have consistently brought it. However, it all feels a bit... barren in other areas. None of the Spice songs have REALLY stayed with me and few among the B-team artists have made those memorable songs that they usually make. And we sort of kind of missed that ubiquitous summer riddim this year, didn't we? There were a few nice ones, but no Moscato Riddim or anything like it.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 11 October 2017 17:21 (six years ago) link
yeah that's what I'm getting at really: I have a weaker grasp on what tunes/riddims have been really big this year but wasn't sure if it's because nothing really achieved that status or I missed something--"no Moscato" sums it up. I get that I'm alone in this but pointing to Kartel as a sign of the genre's health is odd to me--I think it would be even if he wasn't in jail. Dude is 41 years old and has been making music for a quarter of a century! Plus--this is a personal taste issue for sure--I just don't dig hearing his voice that much these days. I should go back and check all the Alkaline stuff I only gave a quick listen to; but I'm not really worried about him, he was on fire last year and I don't expect that kind of sustained hit-making (five years ago I remember I was worried Popcaan had run out of steam lol). I do wonder what I'm missing with Masicka, per his YT views he's quite popular but I never really like anything he does that much. I don't have the data to back this up, but beyond the relative strength of individual artists/careers cited, my gut feeling is that dancehall production is in a holding pattern right now? Generally my problem with, e.g., the Alkaline tracks I'm meh on is that I don't care that much about the riddim.
curious about oiocha's uk comment: do you mean specifically UK dancehall or more broadly UK rap/afrobeatsy stuff?
― rob, Wednesday, 11 October 2017 17:43 (six years ago) link
Aidonia still going hard:
https://youtu.be/LtUmdsEdiGI
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Monday, 4 December 2017 18:42 (six years ago) link
Great mix of instrumentals from Bass Clef on NTS.
https://www.nts.live/shows/floatingworldmusic/episodes/open-hand-real-flames-28th-november-2017
― Federico Boswarlos, Monday, 4 December 2017 19:46 (six years ago) link
For those compiling your year-end lists, this playlist includes all the available tracks on this thread, organized roughly chronologically in order of mention:
ILM's 2017 Rolling Dancehall + Reggae Thread Spotify Playlist
― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Tuesday, 5 December 2017 23:21 (six years ago) link
Thanks ulysses, really appreciate your work on these
― FREEZE! FYI! (dog latin), Wednesday, 6 December 2017 11:57 (six years ago) link
terminatorthumbsup.jpeg
― Chocolate-covered gummy bears? Not ruling those lil' guys out. (ulysses), Wednesday, 6 December 2017 15:27 (six years ago) link
rereading the thread I must confess: I now love "Can't Believe", it just took a while for that hook to totally worm its way in.
― rob, Wednesday, 6 December 2017 21:54 (six years ago) link
ha ha, I knew it!Honestly though, there have been a lot of big tunes that haven't been posted in this thread this year. The same goes for the afro and soca threads. My new year's resolution is to step up for 2018. But since I'm here, let me jiust mention that the All Night Riddim is pretty gorgeous.
Alkaline:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2_QDsFU1Ks
Mavado:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4v24DuiNEk
Tarrus & Konshens:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68jbqgel0oI
Chris Martin:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtgUAVulFvM
D-Major, Jahmiel and Sean Paul are also good on it.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 7 December 2017 08:18 (six years ago) link
Vybz is still the artist I've listened to the most in 2017 though. I don't know how it's possible but there have been about 20-30 new Kartel tracks that I really love/like this year.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 7 December 2017 08:22 (six years ago) link
re Cant Believe. I noticed one day I had the keyboard hook in my head and when I went to youtube to listen to it, I caught the "dance video" which is just super fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWx-_7V24Yc
― rob, Thursday, 7 December 2017 17:57 (six years ago) link
nice Teetimus track from that Large mixtape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3D0a8dUScI
― rob, Thursday, 7 December 2017 19:01 (six years ago) link
nih-ninininih-nih-ninininih-nih-ninininih-nih-ninininih...
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 7 December 2017 20:57 (six years ago) link
otm
― rob, Thursday, 7 December 2017 21:10 (six years ago) link
also from the dept of potential EOY second thoughts, this Fader micro-doc on Masicka is p likeable: http://www.thefader.com/2017/12/05/masicka-documentary-energy-fader
― rob, Thursday, 7 December 2017 21:14 (six years ago) link
as is, i should mention, the track in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB508IJYSYs
― rob, Thursday, 7 December 2017 21:16 (six years ago) link
I totally missed that one. Sounds like he's beginning to stretch out and loosen up a bit.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 8 December 2017 07:32 (six years ago) link
wow Alkaline kills this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtwtzkvYmHU
faster than Fast?
― rob, Saturday, 9 December 2017 15:41 (six years ago) link
Some v half-baked thoughts after listening to Large Up/Mighty Crown's eoy mix:This was a good year, but I do think it was kinda uneventful/unsurprising, basically dominated by a handful of (excellent) artists. As mentioned above, no single uniting song or riddim, no weird/funny novelty tracks, a very quiet year for the roots scene. No promising new stars with the exception of Shenseea, whose success put the shutout of women in the genre into relief. There are a couple riddims on that mix that absolutely cry out for an Alaine or Denyque--it's weird that there are no women in that rnb-ish space while we have Kranium, Jahmiel, Vershon, Chris Martin, et al (as much as I dig all those guys) plus all the singjays.
That all sounds like I'm complaining but tbc there are a ton of awesome tracks on that mix. Alkaline was especially versatile and consistent--he has like 10 tracks on the mix and they're all fire, even the one about his mom. I find Mavado in 2017 to be kind of a puzzle: it's always nice to hear him pop up in that mix but he's never the best thing on any riddim. OTOH he has really good taste in riddims, unlike say Popcaan who is pretty indiscriminating but there's always a bunch of gems.
Of course the mix is just one crew's take and Large Up's actual lists are to come so there's probably some major blindspots in all that^. I think it's a decent year overview but there are some weird choices (why only one Shenseea track and why that one?).
A couple new to me tunes on that mix. This Popcaan track seems to be some Japan-only thing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsU7ofIkLUs
and then there's this Sizzla:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTI1o-aWigU
― rob, Thursday, 14 December 2017 17:16 (six years ago) link
I really like Mavado's Red Rose - it's one of those songs where the emotion doesn't just sound like it's his default mode but actually means something. Probably in my top 20 dancehall songs this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAR39kbwsVQ
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Thursday, 14 December 2017 19:26 (six years ago) link
Ah yeah that is superb, hadn't heard it before!
― rob, Thursday, 14 December 2017 19:49 (six years ago) link
LargeUp's dancehall tracks list:
1. Chronixx – “Likes”2. Vybz Kartel – “Mhm Hm”3. Aidonia – “Yeah Yeah”4. Vybz Kartel f. Shenseea – “Loodi”5. Masicka f. Vybz Kartel – “Infrared”6. RDX – “Shake Your Bam Bam”7. Aidonia – “Banga”8. Ishawna – “Equal Rights”9. Ding Dong – “Fling Yuh Shoulda”10. Bounty Killer – “Do Better Than This”11. Vybz Kartel – “Highest Level” / “Kremlin”12. Alkaline -- “Pretty Gyal Team”13. Popcaan — “Addicted"14. Vybz Kartel & Wizkid — “Wine to di Top"15. Spice — “Sheet"16. Shenseea & Sean Paul -- “Rolling"17. Kranium, et al – “Can’t Believe”
Plus honorable mentions: Gorillaz track remix, Wizkid Drake Popcaan w/e, Kartel "All Aboard," Mavado & Jahmiel "Badness"
― rob, Thursday, 21 December 2017 15:29 (six years ago) link
and the riddims (in reverse order):Chicken and DumplinEagleHumbug1 GuhMoney MixForeverMhm HmLa VidaWorld FeteGenna Bounce
― rob, Friday, 22 December 2017 16:29 (six years ago) link
No All Night?
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 22 December 2017 21:03 (six years ago) link
maybe too recent? not sure World Fete belongs on there though
new Busy video is pretty great:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6DwAox2hF8
― rob, Friday, 22 December 2017 21:52 (six years ago) link
I like World Fete. Mainly for the one song but the Charly Black is kinda charming too.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 22 December 2017 23:52 (six years ago) link
They missed crazy glue as well. It’s weird to me that gyalis pro wasn’t a much bigger hit. Maybe because of the 92 bpm tempo?
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Friday, 22 December 2017 23:56 (six years ago) link
rolling dancehall & reggae 2018
― rob, Friday, 12 January 2018 19:33 (six years ago) link