The Heatwave Blog

Dancehall reggae, bashment and Caribbean rave

Busy Signal - Jafrican Ting and Bare Gal

By Dan_Bean | Monday 08 March 2010 | 1 comment

In our January chart we couldn't choose between two Busy Signal tunes and had to make both of them number one. In February Busy got even more serious with this pair of tunes on the Jafrican riddim and we were forced to give him a double number one again. He's not normal.

Last year's Da Style Deh was the pre-cursor for Jafrican, with its chanting and call and response chorus. But Jafrican Ting went further. Big up the Coppershot team for producing such a crazy riddim.

When I played this tune to Gabriel and Benjamin for the first time on the way back from a gig in Reading we had to stop the car. It got 23 reloads. Twenty three. No exaggerating.

Busy Signal - Jafrican Ting | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Then we heard Bare Gal on the same riddim and things got out of hand. Gabriel started sounding the horn on the motorway and everyone got very over excited. We had to pull over onto the hard shoulder.

Busy Signal - Bare Gal | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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We've opened our Rinse FM show with these two tunes twice and they've already been on heavy Heatwave rave rotation for a few weeks, starting to get forwards even though they're just a month old.

The irony is I haven't been able to get through the whole song in one piece yet; everytime it gets to "hey gal, me put yuh pon a block" I have to start the whole thing over again.

By Dan_Bean |
Monday 08 March 2010 |
1 comment |

Young Lion comes to Hot Wuk

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 08 March 2010 | Add a comment

This Thursday at our weekly bashment affair we'll be joined by special guest Young Lion (BBC 1Xtra).

Young Lion was one of the first dancehall DJs in the UK to push the funky bashment crossover sound, featuring the likes of Lady Chann, Aidonia and Maxwell D on his BBC 1Xtra show.

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Monday 08 March 2010 |
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Ward 21 & TNT - Fyah Wyah Riddim

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 04 March 2010 | 2 comments

Ward 21 are undoubtedly one of the most innovative, creative, original and versatile production outfits in Jamaica. Check our Rinse FM feature from last year if you didn't already know that.

Their latest rhythm track, Fyah Wyah, brings together cellphone bleeps and full bodied celloes with shuffling shakers, tablas and a driving kick drum.

As on previous riddims like Dem Gyal Sitt'n and Ole Geezer, the TNT ladies aka Timberlee, Natalie Storm and Tifa are on vocal duties.

Timberlee is in a no nonsense mood, giving very direct instructions to her man in an effort to make sure he doesn't run off and bust some synchronised dance moves with his mates:

Timberlee - Push Back | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Natalie Storm is joined by some deftly played tinkling ivories as she embarks on a musical metaphor in Mr Piano Man:

Natalie Storm - Mr Piano Man | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Tifa turns in an exuberant performance with an odd but certainly rewind-demanding introduction. Plus she joins the likes of Tony Rebel, Super Cat and Tia in a small but hallowed category of 'Jamaican vocalists who sing about vegetables':

He twists me up and turns me into a vegetable of love
He makes me see the twinkle twinkle stars dem above
He gives me love

Tifa - RockMeSo | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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And of course Ward 21 themselves are as brilliant behind the mic as they are behind a drum machine, keyboard or mixing desk.

Ward 21 - Never Sell Out | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Thursday 04 March 2010 |
2 comments |

Vybz Kartel - Unfaithful (Don’t Kill Him)

By Benjamin_D | Thursday 25 February 2010 | Add a comment

Me waan move and can't move
Where mi boxers, where mi put mi shoes?

Every cheat gets busted sometimes. Whether you’re a politician, a footballer or a dancehall MC. If you spit in the sky it'll fall in your eye.

In Unfaithful, Vybz Kartel breaks into another man's ramping shop and almost has to go home via the hospital.

Di bredda say "weh you a do inna mi yard star?"
Mi say, "See you woman deh you fi ask her"
Mek mi put on mi clothes and come out
Him say, "you haffi leave inna di ambulance star"

Vybz Kartel - Unfaithful (Don't Kill Him) | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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By Benjamin_D |
Thursday 25 February 2010 |
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The Heatwave Chart - February 2010

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 25 February 2010 | Add a comment

Busy Signal is getting ridiculous this year. For the second month in a row we're forced to have a Busy double header at number one. And you know the Busy tunes must be MAD to keep Gyptian's Hold Yuh off the top spot...

Busy Signal - Bare Gal / Jafrican Ting (Jafrican Riddim)
Gyptian - Hold Yuh
Ms Dynamite & DJ Zinc - Wile Out
Rubi Dan - Swagga Jacking (Pon De Floor Riddim)
Beenie Man - Good Inna (Style & Swagga Riddim)
Natalie Storm & Footsteps - Play Di Ting (The Heatwave Refix)
Bugle - Don't Need Yuh Friendship (DNA Riddim)
Busy Signal - Food Fi The Pot (Duck Riddim)
Sizzla - Money We A Make (Shaolin Temple Riddim)
So Shifty feat Ward 21 & Natalie Storm - Clap

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Thursday 25 February 2010 |
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Sleng Teng - Happy 25th Birthday

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 24 February 2010 | 2 comments

Yesterday was 25 years to the day since Wayne Smith's anthem Under Mi Sleng Teng was first played in a dance.

The tune was built at Jammy's studio in Waterhouse before being unleashed during a clash with Black Scorpio at Waltham Park Road on 23rd February 1985. It flattened the dance and dominated the scene for months, with dozens (and later hundreds) of artists and producers rushing to record their own versions of the rhythm track.

Wayne Smith - Under Mi Sleng Teng | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Generally acknowledged as the first fully computerised dancehall riddim, Sleng Teng completely revolutionised Jamaican music and paved the way for all the ragga, bashment, dancehall or whatever you want to call it that I love so much.

Tomorrow night on our Rinse FM show, me and Benjamin D will be running through 25 years of digital dancehall, ragga and bashment, from Wayne Smith to Busy Signal. Expect to hear the likes of Super Cat, Ninjaman, Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, Capleton, Sizzla, Lady Saw, Tanya Stephens, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Mr Vegas and Sean Paul.

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Wednesday 24 February 2010 |
2 comments |

Heartless Crew on the Showtime riddim

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 22 February 2010 | Add a comment

Live recording of Heartless Crew smashing a rave back in the day, first with an acapella dubplate and then with their own slowed down, junglified version of Dave Kelly's bashment classic Showtime riddim. Mighty Moe tells me they call this the 'Slowtime'...

Heartless Crew - Showtime Riddim (Live) | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Mighty Moe will be doing a rare bashment set at Hot Wuk this Thursday. Pure energy!

Get down early to avoid disappointment, it's gonna be a roadblock affair.

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Monday 22 February 2010 |
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Gyptian - Hold Yuh

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 18 February 2010 | 10 comments

This tune has been out for a minute now but it's one of those slow builders.

If it doesn't grab you the first time, just reload it and once you've heard it a few times you'll be hooked on Gyptian's sweet vocals. Within hours you'll be clamouring to hear it again and again and again.

Out to Ricky Blaze on the cheap piano, simple drums and deep bass.

Gyptian - Hold Yuh | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Thursday 18 February 2010 |
10 comments |

From London to Barcelona

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 11 February 2010 | Add a comment

Tonight I'm playing at the Barna Hill Carnaval in Barcelona along with Tomb Crew and Meneo:

Meanwhile in London, Rubi Dan, Sticky, Serocee and Dan Bean will be playing a LOVERS vs SLACKNESS special at our weekly bashment affair, Hot Wuk:

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Thursday 11 February 2010 |
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Video: Sticky & Natalie Storm - Look Pon Me (Jumeirah Riddim)

By Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 04 February 2010 | Add a comment

Last year, New York producer Dre Skull took Sticky's enormous Jumeirah riddim to Jamaica and got Natalie Storm to jump on it. The result, Look Pon Me, was featured on my Funky Bashment mix back in September before its name was even decided.

Now there's a video for the track shot in Kingston featuring the delectable Natalie: