trying again (second time this week!) to make rob care about his rolling dancehall thread:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC3x3sUfp00Skip Marley ft. Ayra Starr • Jane(I can’t make heads and tails of all these genre mashups anymore. what am I hearing? is there amapiano in this? is this reggae as processed through a Made in Lagos afrobeats filter and then processed all the way back? Rykeyz is an American pop/r&b producer. I like it a whole damn lot either way)
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 26 August 2022 16:32 (one year ago) link
aw thanks for the push, breastcrawl :)
I like the production on "Jam" especially the horns, though it's a touch shapeless as a song. "Jane" is quite lovely, and yeah I've no idea what genre to call that, there's not much Jamaica in Skip's singing (though it comes in around 2:30). Funnily enough, as soon as she starts singing, I'm like "oh, it's an Ayra Starr song"—perhaps she's her own genre! but idk there's maybe something Latin in there too?
I'm still mostly listening to the "traphall" drill-ish stuff (like the playlist longneck posted) that, please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that beloved on ILM? This kind of thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE118eRQsAI
Skeng - Day Break
I do like this recent Sevana on a roots tip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAd3JQ1V-10
I don't really regret ignoring this thread this year—I can't pretend I don't sometimes get over-invested in ILM at times, and it was nice to divest a little—but I feel bad I never posted this, which is an ANTHEM (plus the video rules):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UwKrek6gks
Ding Dong - Bounce
― rob, Friday, 26 August 2022 18:24 (one year ago) link
alright two more. I just love this Countree Hype beat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8KEudRl_SM
Intence - Raid
And the dancing in this Squash vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0RiCWFdxxs
Squash - Sweepstake Life
― rob, Friday, 26 August 2022 18:27 (one year ago) link
ranking them because I feel like ranking: 1) Squash • Sweepstake Lifemy favourite. what a great sound.2) Ding Dong • Bouncea banger, you were not kidding & great vid too (as an aside: I couldn’t help comparing the dancing/looks/fashion + production value with those of African videos (Nigerian, Ghanaian, Tanzanian, Angolan, Ivorian, South African, doesn’t matter), and the African ones are so much more inspiring and glamorous in all respects. the creativity is off the charts. one more reason the axis has shifted, I think.3) Intence • Raidgood stuff, love the skitterish beat & percussive accents. in the clean version the vocal is kind of skitterish too because of all the gaps. oh, videos with acted out crime scenes: not a fan.I will also very belatedly endorse “Yahoo Boyz” here.4) Sevana • Lowe Mivery nice. a whole different world.5) Skeng • Day Breakwell, you put me on the spot. I do like this one the least of this bunch, still good tho
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 27 August 2022 00:04 (one year ago) link
I can't pretend I don't sometimes get over-invested in ILM at times, and it was nice to divest a little
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 27 August 2022 00:15 (one year ago) link
VP promo email text that y'all might nevertheless find of interest
Notting Hill Carnival returned triumphantly to the streets of London last weekend for the first time in two years. Greensleeves held an exclusive rooftop party at Soho House White City for a night of Reggae, Dancehall and Carnival Anthems. Special guest selections came from the amazing Ayanna Heaven and also U.K. Grime legend Footsie who had the crowd moving with one-away dubplates and revival gems. The Greensleeves Hi-Fi team (Oxman and Adam Prescott) played a scorcher of a set packed full of top-ranking music from the Greensleeves catalogue and beyond. On Sunday there was a moment of silence observed by the Carnival faithful to remember the Grenfell Tower victims and commemorate the five-year anniversary of the tragedy. A fitting tribute was held at Channel One Soundsystem, one of the heaviest Roots & Dub outfits in the world. Afterwards Channel One performed a special one-off Greensleeves Records showcase in which the great selector Mikey Dread drew for a hardcore sequence of vinyl from the Greensleeves archive, all of which was played on his own custom hand-built Sound to rapturous applause.
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 18:49 (one year ago) link
Brooklyn NYC carnival is labor day weekend I believe. Lots going on there
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 18:59 (one year ago) link
Thoughts on the new Jada Kingdom, anyone?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wiSBeUhx9Q
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 19:38 (one year ago) link
was just gonna mention it - reminds me of Tiwa, but not necessarily in a good way. only played it once tho. came across it when I checked the Jamaican charts, it’s top 10 - see… my upcoming post
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 19:43 (one year ago) link
These are the 100 top streaming tracks on Jamaican Apple today
the top 20:
1 = Nicki Minaj & Skeng - Likkle Miss (Remix)2 = DJ Khaled - GOD DID (feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy)3 +1 Chris Brown - Under the Influence4 -1 Burna Boy - Last Last5 = Skeng - Likkle Miss6 = Chris Brown - Call Me Every Day (feat. Wizkid)7 = Jada Kingdom & Di Genius - GPP8 +3 Skeng - Gang Bang9 = Chronic Law - Empty10 -2 Rygin King - Therapy11 +3 Oxlade - KU LO SA - A COLORS SHOW12 -2 DJ Khaled - USE THIS GOSPEL (feat. Kanye West & Eminem) [REMIX]13 +2 DJ Khaled - STAYING ALIVE (feat. Drake & Lil Baby)14 -2 Bayka - She Like It15 +2 Skeng - Vibes16 -3 DJ Khaled - THESE STREETS KNOW MY NAME (feat. Skillibeng, Buju Banton, Capleton, Bounty Killer & Sizzla)17 +5 Skeng - London18 +1 SKENG - Gvnman Session19 -3 DJ Khaled - BIG TIME (feat. Future & Lil Baby)20 +11 SQUASH - Peace of Min
don’t know how representative this is for what happens on the streets, but interesting just the same, I think.
heaviest hitters:Skeng: 16 (he is huge!)Masicka: 10 (still going strong!)Bayka: 6Squash: 6Chronic Law: 4Kraff Gad: 4Malie: 3
Naija represent: Burna x 7; Oxlade at number 11!!!! It’s breathtaking how “Ku Lo Se” is blowing up worldwide.
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 19:44 (one year ago) link
so I found a Skeng track I really like, “London” (#17):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqBnVIgHAUkI also like “Vibe”
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 19:47 (one year ago) link
"london" is excellent, one of my fav songs of the year
― comedy khadafi (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 19:56 (one year ago) link
have to say, this is some depressing vibe they’ve got going on right now in Jamaica: “Empty”, “Therapy”, “Dark Room”…that Jada song makes a lot of sense as an antidote to that. listened to it some more and I can see its appeal. it’s extremely catchy and memeworthy (hello World of TikTok!). I still hear a lot of Tiwa there - which is good actually, it’s just that I’m a bit allergic to that cutesy 1960 retro sound (the aural scars Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” left on me still haven’t disappeared)
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 20:12 (one year ago) link
Bayka’s “She Like It” is very moody as well, but it’s a lot livelier (also compared to his other big hit “1Uptown”) - plus his voice sounds great here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-m2Kemt1jw
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 20:14 (one year ago) link
oops, video is x-rated or something (hadn’t watched it yet)here’s the audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8ws-bkJZU
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 20:16 (one year ago) link
I'm on the fence about GPP myself. I think it will be huge for the above mentioned reasons but it still feels a bit... cheap. I do, however, love Shenseea and Skillibeng's Rain which SOUNDS huge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKsq4xL1Kt0
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 20:17 (one year ago) link
― comedy khadafi (voodoo chili), Tuesday, August 30, 2022 3:56 PM (one hour ago)
^otm
GPP is a bit too novelty for me I think. Surprisingly cheap sounding for Di Genius too. Jada is very funny though
I love the production on Rain but I'm not sure it works as an actual song. Listening now and liking it more than last time though
Bayka is awesome. "Real Life Killa" (a Zimi production) is a fave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJcTsFZq1G0
also Mobster:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DMdieTawZo
and Top Tier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgWVj6MvRqg
breastcrawl: I have no idea what happens in those videos, so probably don't watch them
have to say, this is some depressing vibe they’ve got going on right now in Jamaica
I know, it's so great :)
― rob, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:11 (one year ago) link
The trinibad wave seems to have receded a bit, but I really like this Boy Boy track (you might remember him from the Pa Salieu tape).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7q9X75enXs
Pitch Out
Over the winter/spring JA was churning out all these terrible piano-led ballads, but that one works for me
― rob, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:14 (one year ago) link
heh just noticed longneck called GPP cheap too
― rob, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:15 (one year ago) link
another Squash tune I really love is 6ix Rack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqzDo-VGcbI
as otm as "depressing vibe" is, Squash tends to bring a more impish energy to things (as in Sweepstake Life--glad you liked that one bc)
ironically Grim YG has that same energy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbKyOELoZ6s
Bruk Choppa
― rob, Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:27 (one year ago) link
@rob:a depressing piano-led ballad: Y/Nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY6uKSBj2N4it’s Alkaline’s latest, “Lone Madness”
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:28 (one year ago) link
and as for Squash, oh yes, definitely and otm - I was just preparing this post:it’s also becoming ever clearer that in the Skeng-Squash wars I’m very much #TeamSquash“Lattry”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYxLWhorh_Q“Foot”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftU1AshwBH0 “Ready”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwzxISxYiig (even when he’s at his moodiest, like here, there’s still a playfulness there, also in the production. I like that)
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 30 August 2022 21:33 (one year ago) link
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