xpThat Alka is kind of what I was talking about, though the electric guitar part is quite a swerve compared to the tracks I have in mind. I'd post an example, but I don't feel like finding one lol, they are really generic and draggy, even Skeng's
oh yeah I love Lattry too
thing with Skeng though is he sounds amazing over a wider variety of riddims than you'd expect, like this v pretty one for Gvnman Spaniard w/ Govana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH42E7f42Xg
― rob, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:39 (one year ago) link
“Pitch Out” is pretty, more so than “Gvnman Spaniard” imoI really like “Bruk Choppa”, as well as all the Baykas you posted - even the piano-led “Mobster”!
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 22:16 (one year ago) link
liking the light African vibes on Jahshii’s “Same Way Suh” - the number one on You Tube Jamaica:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAUtEIy_rEQ
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 31 August 2022 09:25 (one year ago) link
“Pitch Out” is pretty, more so than “Gvnman Spaniard” imo
I'd agree with that. For a while the trinibad stuff I liked most was all like this: super gorgeous instrumentals with keening, mournful vocals on top, lots of harp and melancholic guitar. I was partic into Prince Swanny's take on the sound at first (posted upthread iirc), but he kept putting out essentially the same song and I stopped paying attention.
I liked Jahshii when I first heard him ("Shift Change"), but he's jumped around stylistically to the point I feel like I've lost a sense of his identity as an artist, like I wouldn't have guessed that was him if I'd heard it anonymously.
Speaking of strong identities, we haven't talked about Skillibeng much itt. "Whap Whap" should be posted for posterity I feel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsQr3EsWVC0
And the other two standouts from the Mr Universe EP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWl_S5-T2tE
Thee Most Power, basically straight drill which he sounds great over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPhyj8wz0RE
Rocket Launcher f. Rich the Kid & Popcaan
Not sure why that one hasn't had more of a push tbh, both guests sound great
― rob, Wednesday, 31 August 2022 13:32 (one year ago) link
powerfully dank but ravey drillhall from Intence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLw1RnOLwM
Correction
(I only watched half the video so caveat watcher)
― rob, Thursday, 22 September 2022 13:40 (one year ago) link
revisiting Jahshii and I dig these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC2_QdVSUN8
Domino Gyallis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na_oQRNih8g
Di Ting Mad (flute alert)
I also like some of what I've heard from Kraff Gad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwoPvlv94AA
Hot Docs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEMlcy5_z-U
OG Bobby Johnson, which seems to be his biggest hit so far
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81T0NMvtJhE
SleepWalk
Unfortunately, I'm not at all feeling Valiant who is blowing up right now ("North Carolina" in partic).
In general things feel stagnant right now though. I wish we could get some wilder riddims; the slow piano mode is repulsive to me at this point, and in general it would be nice to move past trap, even if I still like some of that stuff (see above)
― rob, Thursday, 3 November 2022 17:10 (one year ago) link
And on the reggae front, the new Protoje album has some really gorgeous production/playing on it (he's solid per usual)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhl_nnjrhxw
The Charm
― rob, Thursday, 3 November 2022 17:13 (one year ago) link
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20221115/koffee-scores-grammy-nom-gifted-debut?fbclid=IwAR1CzeOfQJd4UHTQwsz6YAd7WS65eIU8F4XXRIYwGzMwLjfgkHsnYClwdUA
the Grammys Best Reggae Album Category. Gifted by Koffee; The Kalling by Kabaka Pyramid; Scorcha by Sean Paul; Third Time's the Charm by Protoje, and Com Fly Wid Mi by Shaggy, also scored nominations.
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 16 November 2022 15:41 (one year ago) link
not bad!
― rob, Wednesday, 16 November 2022 16:33 (one year ago) link
Yep for the Grammys that’s not too bad . I guess Shaggy is probably best known to Grammys voters so he will likely win
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 16 November 2022 23:25 (one year ago) link
I like Valiant. Hope we can still be friends, rob.
Valiant - Dunce Chequehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YmXuop8yAk
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Sunday, 18 December 2022 00:35 (one year ago) link
That's pretty good actually, or at any rate, Valiant sounds good on it.
My problem is being bored with the traphall sound...I've already forgotten the riddim to that track. Basically, it's been a great couple years, but it all feels very same-y and unimaginative now. At this point, nothing new thrills like early Intence or Skeng, or when I first heard Skillibeng's The Prodigy, or even Squash's purple patch just earlier this year. I don't love Likkle Miss, but I wouldn't mind if that riddim inspired some new approaches (Eediattt has energy too but is more obviously retro).
All that said: I'm capricious, I liked this for ex:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ijz4iBsRCc
Valiant & Pablo YG - Motor Sport
― rob, Sunday, 18 December 2022 15:41 (one year ago) link
lol sorry for repeating myself so much in this thread. KIP: when I make my EOY playlist I'll post it here.
longneck, I'd be curious if you've heard other stuff from the second half of the year that you rate
― rob, Sunday, 18 December 2022 15:43 (one year ago) link
https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2022/g:dancehall/
Not as good as what Longneck would list for dancehall reggae 2022
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 22 December 2022 15:23 (one year ago) link
Some goodies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ3AfYuHwGQ
Bayka - Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jywWOAjMjCc
Chronic Law - Natural Talent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFt5IUXgtrI
Kraff - CalmC (same riddim as Dunce Cheque, but I like this more, or at least something about Kraff made me realize the riddim is good not forgettable)
― rob, Friday, 30 December 2022 20:55 (one year ago) link
Skeng enthusiasm got to me: rolling dancehall & reggae 2023
― rob, Friday, 17 February 2023 17:29 (one year ago) link