The Heatwave Chart - April 2008

Number one this month is the Jay-Z remix of Mavado's epic On The Rock, closely followed by our brand new tune with 'London city warlord' Riko Dan. Plus big new bashment tunes from Elephant Man and Tifa and Gyptian's brilliant version of Apologize by Timbaland/One Republic.

1. Mavado & Jay-Z - On The Rock (The Mission Riddim)
2. Riko Dan & The Heatwave - Mind How You A Talk (Piano Riddim)
3. Blak Twang, Blackout JA & Mr Benn - Long Time
4. Elephant Man - Gully Creepa (Creepa Riddim)
5. Gyptian - Too Late (Apologize Riddim)
6. Warrior Queen & Sunship - Quits (Sinden Remix)
7. Beenie Man - Wine Gal
8. Michie One & Pama International - High Rise (Cherry Oh Baby Riddim)
9. Tifa - Crawny Gal (Dem Gal Sittn Riddim)
10. Alborosie, Queen Latifah & Shabba Ranks - Ting A Ling (Refix)

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Monday 07 April 2008 | 3 comments

Warrior Queen - Live Set and BBC Documentary

I finally got around to uploading the audio from Hot Milk in Manchester, where I played alongside Warrior Queen back in February. She was on fire that night and had the crowd eating out of her hand as she dropped lyrics like Almighty Father, Check It, Poison Dart and Things Change over dancehall riddims including Egyptian, Hot This Year and Heathen. Listen and see the photos or just download the 30 minute mp3:

MP3: Warrior Queen Live at Hot Milk

Also this week, Warrior Queen was featured in the BBC 1Xtra documentary I Have A Dream, talking over our Piano riddim about what Martin Luther King's famous speech means to her.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Wednesday 09 April 2008 | Add a comment

Woofah Issue 2 - Dancehall Reviews

My dancehall reviews for the second issue of the excellent reggae, grime and dubstep fanzine Woofah, which came out last month. It also features excellent pieces on Ninjaman, Iration Steppas, Durrty Goodz and (the lack of) live grime events in London - buy it here.

Beenie Man - No No
Fambo - Happ'n
Vybz Kartel - Money Fi Spend
Big Ship - Bee Hive Riddim
Though still a teenager, Stephen McGregor (son of the reggae singer Freddie) has already earned the nickname 'Di Genius' thanks to his prodigious talents - he wrote his first song at five and played five instruments by the age of ten. Recently, his futuristic, uptempo productions like Tremor, Power Cut, Red Bull & Guinness and Ghetto Whiskey have been among the biggest riddims in the dancehall world. The Bee Hive riddim retains McGregor's trademark synths but here he changes up his style, looking back to the 90s with a slower-paced foundation ragga beat, ased around grinding, whirring percussion. Dancehall veteran Future Troubles continues his renaissance since renaming himself Fambo while big hitters Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel drop the stand-out vocals on the riddim.

Buju Banton - Flava
Elephant Man - Wife Material
Timberlee & Ward 21 - Bubble Like Soup
Ward 21 - Rae Riddim
The multi-talented and Ward 21 crew produce the goods once again with a hype, staccato rhythm punctuated by exuberant shouts of 'Rae', which also pays more than a cursory debt to 90s styles. Underrated female artist Timberlee teams up with riddim creators Ward 21 for my favourite vocal, though it's hard to choose between the others. Vybz Kartel and Mad Cobra deserve a mention, though ultimately it's got to be about Buju Banton and Elephant Man, their low-slung voices riding the riddim flawlessly in a rapid-fire style. Buju especially is perfectly at home; the cadences of foundation dancehall bring out a style of his that I prefer infinitely to his singing over one-drop reggae.

MP3: Timberlee & Ward 21 - Bubble Like Soup

Chukki Starr - Party Wid Me
Lady Chann - Ease Off
Starrdom - Party Time riddim
Brand new production from English dancehall veteran Chukki Starr, with vocals from himself and Suncycle's Lady Chann aka Baby Chann. The rhythm track isn't outstanding and lacks a certain gloss that the top level Jamaican productions have, but the beat bounces along nicely, propelled by congas and skipping hi-hats. Chukki Starr combines bubbling vocals with a plea to bring no trouble to the party and have a good time, but it's Chann who takes the riddim with her super-tight flow and engaging lyrics. Her clever, self-referential wordplay takes in slackness, tongue-in-cheek badgalisms like, "cap your knees off with my sweet talk" and even a call to revolution while her style and pattern never falters.

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Friday 11 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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