The Heatwave Chart - May 2008

Brand new tunes from Sharps, Busy Signal, Sizzla and Saxon 5 plus summer anthems from the likes of Wiley, Mavado and Jay-Z and our own production for Riko Dan.

1. Riko Dan & The Heatwave - Mind How You A Talk (Piano Riddim) - listen
2. Mavado & Jay-Z - On The Rock (The Mission Riddim) - listen
3. Sharps & Major Trouble - Big Up Yr Punani - listen
4. Tifa - Crawny Gal (Dem Gal Sittn Riddim)
5. Wiley - Wearing My Rolex
6. Busy Signal - Grades (Club Banger Riddim)
7. Sizzla - Morning (Black Blood Riddim)
8. Saxon 5 - Tell A Story
9. Elephant Man - Gully Creepa (Creepa Riddim)
10. Gyptian - Too Late (Apologize Riddim)

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Thursday 08 May 2008 | Add a comment

Bank Holiday weekend in London

Tonight we're playing at the ManMakeMusic vs Bruk party in south London's Corsica Studios. The soundsystem is fearsome, the line up includes DJ Cameo, Skull Juice and Cotti and it's only a fiver to get in. Bound to be a rowdy way to kick off the three-day weekend...

On Sunday night, the fire man Capleton is in town for an all star reggae concert at Stratford Rex which also features I Wayne, Junior Kelly and Fantan Mojah. Given the quality of the line up I'm surprised it's not sold out yet, but that's good if you don't have a ticket still - get them online or by phone from Ticketmania. Here's a brand new tune from Capleton on the excellent Rub A Dub riddim, which also plays host to great vocals from Richie Spice (Di Plane Land) and Morgan Heritage (Nothing To Smile About):

MP3: Capleton - Same Old Story (Rub A Dub Riddim)

Other things worth checking this weekend include Heatwave playing bashment and hip hop at Bar Rumba on Saturday and then foundation dancehall at This Dog Puts Out Fires in Stepney on Monday. Plus the Reggae Roast crew are indulging in another marathon bank holiday all dayer at Big Chill House on Sunday, featuring DJs like Dom (The Nextmen), Louis Slipperz, Dasha (Rodigan Jnr), Moodie and Shepdog (Nice Up) playing reggae, dancehall, ska, dubstep and more.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Friday 02 May 2008 | Add a comment

Charly Black - Buddy Buddy

Following in the footsteps of selectors-turned-artists like Tony Matterhorn, Fire Links and Richie Feelings is Charly Black of the Bass Odyssey soundsystem. He's scored a couple of hit singles in Jamaica recently with the high-energy hype of Backshot Time and this tune, Buddy Buddy:

MP3: Charly Black - Buddy Buddy

The joyful combination of soca-style bounce and fast chat slackness can't fail to light up any dancefloor. As is so often the case with bashment tunes currently, the song hasn't been released as a single, but it's featured (by 'Charlie Blacks') on the upcoming Greensleeves compilation, Ragga Ragga Ragga 2008.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Tuesday 29 April 2008 | Add a comment

Love Music Hate Racism free carnival this Sunday

This Sunday's Love Music Hate Racism free carnival in East London's Victoria Park celebrates the 30th anniversary of the first Rock Against Racism concert, which took place in the same park back in April 1978. It's not just rock acts performing any more, though funnily enough RAR's inaugural event two years previously featured a singer called Carol Grimes - and there's certainly a lot of grime artists performing this weekend.

Bashy, Chipmunk, Jammer, No Lay, Roll Deep, Tinchy Stryder and Wiley are all appearing alongside other artists and DJs including Akala, Alex Mills, Benga, Dennis Bovell, DJ Hype, Heartless Crew, Jocelyn Brown, Juggy D, Nihal, Ny and Skream. If the weather's nice it'll be unmissable...

Here's the Roll Deep track Racist People from Wiley's Tunnel Vision Vol 2, which includes eloquent verses from Scratchy, Trim and Wiley himself:

MP3: Roll Deep - Racist People

Last year an official Love Music Hate Racism video was made for the same track without Wiley and Trim but with the addition of Riko Dan and his memorable line, "BNP - your time soon dun out". Indeed.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Friday 25 April 2008 | Add a comment

Ruffnek Diskotek’s Dub Boy at our monthly dance this Friday

This Friday is our monthly bashment at Salmon & Compass in Islington, where we'll be playing brand new and classic dancehall reggae, bashment and hip hop alongside guest DJ Dub Boy, promoter of Bristol bass music night Ruffnek Diskotek. Listen to his recent dancehall/reggae mix for Spannered, check out his productions with Atki2 or visit our events section for more info on the night.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Wednesday 23 April 2008 | Add a comment

RWD In Stereo on MTV Base

I already posted Rubi Dan's video of Ghetto's performance at the RWD In Stereo event we played at Cargo last month. Now here's an MTV Base feature on the night filmed for Trevor Nelson's show The Lick, with live footage and interviews with the likes of Wiley, Hattie Collins, Chipmunk, Spoonface, Jammer and Chantelle Fiddy:

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Monday 21 April 2008 | Add a comment

Heatwave sets in New Cross and Shoreditch this weekend

We're playing alongside Wiley and Tomb Crew at Amersham Arms in New Cross tonight for the Deadly Rhythm vs No Pain In Pop night, and then at the Patchwork Pirates monthly Thugs'n'Hugs at The Legion in Shoreditch on Saturday.

Fully expect to see Wiley (and the crowd) doing the Rolex Sweep, as described by him and Skepta in their eponymous follow up to Wearing My Rolex:

MP3: Wiley & Skepta - Rolex Sweep (Radio Rip)

Check the video below for the full dance - I can't help thinking that it would've been better if it was simply restricted it to the Signal Di Plane-esqe sweep of the arms without the other Macarena-style elements.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Friday 18 April 2008 | Add a comment

More Badman Commandments

People seemed to be into the Badman Commandments piece I did for the first issue of Woofah, so another ten went in the latest issue of the excellent reggae, grime and dubstep fanzine. Buy Woofah #2 here - it also features interviews with Shut Up and Dance, Durrty Goodz and Mark Iration.

"Badman nuh Cub Scout"
Bounty Killer & Ninjaman - Boy Nuh Run
(Jammy's)

"Badman nuh retire"
Beenie Man - Toyfriend
(Black Shadow - The Buzz riddim)

"Bad man no ramp with informer"
Elephant Man - Ova Di Wall
(Kings of Kings - Dancehall Rock riddim)

"Badman nuh wear screwface"
Leftside - Mr Evil Liar
(Baby G - Gang War riddim)

"Badman nuh inna the Boyz II Men ting"
Cojo Banton - Check Yu Self Out
(2 Sweet - Queen Face riddim)

"Badman nuh wear horse hair"
Merciless - Live at Sting 2001

"Badman don't tell lie pon punaany"
Buccaneer - Lie
(Opera House - Rock Stone riddim)

"Badman nuh kiss weh go in a sanitary pad"
Ward 21 - Never Bow
(Jammy's - Head To Toe riddim)

"Badman nuh follow girl go bathroom go pee pee"
Busy Signal - PPPPP

"Badman nuh bleach or shave them eyebrow"
Munga - Na Hear
(Don Corleon - Silver Screen riddim)

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Wednesday 16 April 2008 | 3 comments

Sirkus & BassCulture - Sweet Potato Mix

Really enjoyable, well mixed 50 minute selection from Amsterdam's Sirkus Recordings and BassCulture crews which takes in 80s dancehall, jungle, dubstep and bashment and features our recent single with Warrior Queen, Things Change. Also included is a late 90s Rubi Dan drum'n'bass tune produced by Ray Keith that we came across in a record shop with Elected from Sirkus when we played in Amsterdam last year.

Zip File: Sirus & BassCulture - Sweet Potato 3

This mix was actually made to promote an appearance in Holland by German digital dancehall DJs/producers Jahtari, who have got a new tune out now on Scotch Bonnet Records with veteran Jamaican artist Mikey Murka.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Tuesday 15 April 2008 | Add a comment

Dr Evil & Elephant Man - Wild Out

Fun party anthem from Leftside's comedy alter ego, Dr Evil aka Mr Evil, alongside the Energy God, Elephant Man. As well as being one of Jamaica's best modern dancehall producers, Leftside's an underrated singjay with hits like Tuck In Yu Belly, The Tribute, No STD and More Punaany under his belt, both as himself and as Dr Evil.

MP3: Dr Evil & Elephant Man - Wild Out

The rhythm track's got a retro, skanking feel not dissimilar to the Daseca production for Assassin's Pum Pum Surveillance. Should be a big tune for the summer that's hopefully only around the corner now.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Sunday 13 April 2008 | 1 comment