December 2008 | The Heatwave Blog

Dancehall, reggae, bashment and more from the UK, the Caribbean and beyond

The Heatwave Chart - December 2008

Henry Heatwave's just finished his re-rub of reggae classic Train To Skaville featuring vocals from original dancehall veteran Burro Banton and it's already tearing down our dances. Watch out for the vinyl release in 2009.

Foundation reggae is also succesfully reimagined by Busy Signal's junglesque take on Ba Ba Boom, Kardinal Offishall's hip hop version of the Conversation riddim and Cage The Elephant's rapping over Lee Perry's Chase The Devil instrumental.

Plus uptempo bashment from Vybz Kartel, Mr Vegas, Sean Paul and Fudgie Springer and Bugle paying tribute to Barack Obama's massive achievement.

Burro Banton & Duckman - Phenomenal Skaville (The Heatwave Refix)
Busy Signal - Get Bright (Ba Ba Boom Riddim) - listen
Kardinal Offishall - Nina (Conversation Riddim) - listen
Vybz Kartel - Duggu Duggu (Mini Skirt Riddim) - listen
Mr Vegas - Deh Pon The Scene (Beauty Riddim) - listen
Cage The Elephant - Ain't No Rest For The Wicked (Wicked Devil Remix) - listen
Sean Paul, Busy Signal & Busta Rhymes - Gun Dem Bark (Remix) - listen
Bugle - Supremacy - listen
Beniton The Menace & Ne-Yo - Independent Woman - listen
Fudgie Springer - Body Good (Vybz Riddim) - listen

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 02 December 2008 | 2 comments

Baddaz riddim - Joyride relick

Brand new production from Christopher Birch, arguably a relick of and certainly heavily influenced by Dave Kelly's massive Joyride riddim. Birch's rhythm track has the irresistible stomp of the original but is cheapened by some tacky synths and isn't underpinned by the same driving bassline.

MP3: Christopher Birch - Baddaz Riddim

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It's still big though - there's always a place for riddims like this or Dave Kelly's recent Joyride update, Overdrive. I read something once which described Joyride as "futuristic rocksteady", which I like - faster than most one drop reggae and fully digital or computerised.

Unsurprisingly, given the prolific and fruitful year he's had, Busy Signal's vocal is probably the strongest on the riddim.

MP3: Busy Signal - Hustle

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Flipping a much-sampled Cutty Ranks lyric, Elephant Man outlines his compelling dancehall philosophy: "It's a million ways to dance; choose one". Simple things:

Dance, everybody fi a dance
Everybody fi a dance
Music mek mi a dance
Mi want fi you a dance

MP3: Elephant Man - Dance

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On the other cuts:

Voicemail give us another bad boy (band) commandment with Nah Stray
On Molester, Assassin in agreement with Chuck Fender's Gash Dem
Vybz Kartel does his woeful caterwauling business on Me Never Born
Kiprich becomes the latest musician to comment on the election of Barack Obama: "Who say the White House couldn't turn black?".

Given it's essentially a relick of such a classic rhythm, the selection of artists who have voiced Baddaz isn't as interesting as it could be.

I'd love to hear this ridden by veterans like Bounty Killer, Mad Cobra or General Degree who never voiced the Dave Kelly original. Or by more artists who weren't around in the mid 90s - Mavado, Sean Paul, Cecile, Mr Vegas, Bugle et al.

These are definitely gonna get a lot of play still.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 11 December 2008 | 6 comments

A few things for the weekend

A bunch of stuff worth checking out that I haven't managed to post about individually...

First up is a posthumous video for Natasja Saad's track with Beenie Man, Better Then Dem. With Natasja sadly no longer with us, artists like Spice, Macka Diamond and Lady G stand in and pay tribute (via Sounds Like Fun):

To listen:

Our Class of 2008 mix for FACT magazine focusing on new artists and my favourite tracks from 2008.
Marcus Nasty show on Rinse FM featuring MCs Ranking, Coldsteps, Riskgo, JME, Frisco, Sharky P and Versatile - via Riddim
New album from Vybz Kartel, The Teacher's Back - via dancehallreggae.com
King Jammy interview on BBC 1Xtra - via Dissensus
Two pirate radio compilations from the excellent Grimetapes - featuring untold moments of genius from Wiley and D Double E

To read:

The Year In Dancehall/Reggae by Erin MacLeod for Pitchfork
Upcoming reggaeton book featuring contributions from the likes of Tego Calderón, Wayne Marshall and Raquel Rivera
Woofah issue 3 is out now!

And finally...Shaggy does an R Kelly with a seven minute soap opera video for his badman-commanding single Bad Man Don't Cry:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Friday 12 December 2008 | Add a comment

Ms Dynamite - Bad Gyal

I am so horribly excited about this little development. I heard it on the world wide web last night. Repeat: I am very, very excited. Imagine if she came back and just told everyone to shut up. It would be like when Gandalf comes back in Lord of the Rings, except produced by Sticky.

Lyric - "Question: boy can you add up? The equation of you plus me equals nada" Tune - Toxic string poison bubble gum bass.

MP3: Ms Dynamite - Bad Gyal (radio rip)

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One night I fell asleep in my brother's front room listening to the first Ms Dynamite album. It was the best night's sleep I ever had. I dreamt of white tracksuits, feminist fast chat and pirate radio.

Video: Ms Dynamite & Sticky - Boo

I think Ms Dynamite might be the best thing England ever produced. She makes everyone else look like little kids who shat themselves. Her and Durrty Goodz should get married and have a lyrical baby. They could call it MC God.

Posted by Benjamin_D | Saturday 13 December 2008 | 15 comments

Badman Commandments part 3

This third instalment of the Badman Commandments - who knew there would be so many? Check parts one and two if you missed them and buy the excellently irregular magazine that publishes them.

This set of commandments has more of an international flavour, with contributions from Lord Kossity (France), Killa P (England) and Visionary (Canada). Usual suspects like Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel and Ward 21 are still present and correct though...

"Badman nuh hitch fi go blow petrol"
Dave Kelly - Slurp
(Showtime Riddim)

"Badman dem nah go say sorry"
Killa P on Logan Sama's radio show

"Badman nuh run nursery"
Delly Ranks - Have You Ever
(Tek Ova Riddim)

"Badman never pray fi bruk out"
Visionary - One Foot Skanking

"Badman nah bathe with them baby mumma rag"
Elephant Man - Bad Man
(Fiesta Riddim)

"Badman nuh tek back chat"
Lord Kossity - Speed

"Badman nuh really too beg nuh gal nuttin"
Ward 21 & Timberlee - Give It Up

"Bad man nuh throw word"
Vybz Kartel - From When
(Dancehall Rock Riddim)

"Badman nuh go a candy shop"
G Maffiah - Deh Pon Di Block
(Creepa Riddim)

"Badman know where to start and where to stop"
Bugle - Genuine
(48 Bus Route Riddim)

Tom from Bruk magazine recently sent me a few commandments he'd collected to add to the series:

"Real badman we nuh play table tennis"
Elephant Man - Dem Nah Like We

"Real badman don't buss dem likkle small guns anymore - I got big bumbaclaat rifle that you never seen before"
Elephant Man & Ward 21 - Real Badman

"Badman nuh wear pink"
Bounty Killer - As A Man

"Badman nuh leak information"
Anthony B - Nuh Leak

As previously mentioned, the third issue of Woofah magazine, home of the badman commandments as well as excellent writing on grime, reggae, dubstep and dancehall, is now available.

Artists featured in the new issue include The Bomb Squad, Flow Dan, 2562, Dusk and Blackdown plus there's an interview with Sarah Soulja of FWD/Tempa and a piece on Kingston's Bellevue Hospital.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 15 December 2008 | 8 comments

From the vaults: Capleton refix of Flat Beat

The first of a new series on this blog where we upload previously unreleased Heatwave productions, mash-ups, live recordings etc that have for some reason managed to avoid ever being available online.

Here's a refix that Henry Heatwave put together over four years ago, sweetly blending Capleton's 90s classic Tour with the electro anthem Flat Beat by Mr Oizo. We cut it to dubplate back then in the vinyl-only days and it's now one of those records that's in a bit of a state from being played so much.

MP3: Capleton & Mr Oizo - Flat Tour (The Heatwave Refix)

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In Henry's own words:

Flat Beat's style and sound made a big impression on me at the time. It's a shame it got drafted by Levi Jeans for their stupid adverts so I had to put someone like Capleton on it to help erase that ridiculous puppet from my mind when I play it.

Video: Mr Oizo & Flat Eric - Flat Beat

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 17 December 2008 | 5 comments

FACT 100 best tracks of 2008

FACT magazine recently published their list of the 100 best tracks of 2008.

It's nice to see our Piano riddim included at number 29:

"A riddim as sensational as this deserves equally sensational vocal turns, and Warrior Queen, Rubi Dan and Riko dutifully obliged. Jubilant, homegrown dancehall you absolutely need in your life."

The top ten includes Wiley's Wearing My Rolex, Joker's Gully Brook Lane and the funky house anthem Do You Mind by Kyla (pictured), Paleface and Crazy Cousinz.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 18 December 2008 | Add a comment

The Heatwave hits California this weekend

We're making our West Coast debut on Friday at Tormenta Tropical in San Francisco, alongside Paul Devro and the Bersa Discos DJs:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 18 December 2008 | 2 comments

A Caribbean Christmas

The best of this year's Caribbean Christmas carols - three from Jamaica (Elephant Man, Assassin and Delly Ranx) and one from Barbados (Rihanna).

No doubt we'll be dropping a few of these in our set at SubLow vs Immediate Sounds on Boxing Day.

Assassin reinterprets Oh Come All Ye Faithful to bring us a thoughtful, positive reflection on the theme of seasonal renewal:

Mi no want a gift, no
My wish for the Christmas a say
Next year the shotta dem no so vicious

Badmind people a go stop be pernicious
And so malicious and damn gravalicious
Police killings gwaan stop be suspicious

MP3: Assassin - Christmas Is Here

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The tuneful Christmas message from veteran artist Delly Ranx is also one of positivity and pacifism:

The war vibes is not great
But guess what?
Mek we just teach di yout dem to elevate

Artists me a beg unno done wid di war
Nuh bodda tek it too far
Me nuh want nuh body left pon tar this Christmas

MP3: Delly Ranx - This Christmas

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Somewhat incongruously, especially given the lyrics of Assassin and Delly Ranx, most of Elephant Man's previous Christmas efforts have been badman or gun tunes. This year he's focused on his other favourite aspect of dancehall culture: dancing. Which seems a much more appropriate and festive course of action than bussing your gun.

MP3: Elephant Man - Dancing Paradise

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Rihanna's output since her Diwaliesque breakout track Pon De Replay has tended not to incorporate much Caribbean influence but she's from Barbados so I thought I'd still include her sleigh bell ballad Without You. It's pleasant enough, though is pretty syrupy and doesn't measure up to the perfection of my favourite R'n'B Christmas song of all time.

MP3: Rihanna - Without You

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 23 December 2008 | Add a comment

Immediate Sounds, SubLow and Dirty Canvas this weekend

We're keeping busy over the festive period with the SubLow vs Immediate Sounds bash on Boxing Day (drum'n'bass, funky, bashment and garage) followed by our first appearance at grime/dubstep night Dirty Canvas on Saturday 27th:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 24 December 2008 | Add a comment

All I Want For Christmas - Michelle Gordon

Only a couple of days ago I mentioned that Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You is my favourite R'n'B Christmas song of all time.

Then on Christmas Eve I was sent this reggae version of Mariah's tune by Florida-based singer Michelle Gordon:

MP3: Michelle Gordon - All I Want For Christmas

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 25 December 2008 | 1 comment

Busy Signal’s festive message

I was going to include these two Busy Signal tracks in the post on Caribbean Christmas carols but I thought they deserved their own shine. Also, neither track makes explicit reference to Christmas - though the chimes, accordion and vocal lament of Nine Night are all pretty Christmassy:

MP3: Busy Signal - Nine Night

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Done Wid Di War features a festive glockenspiel and a seasonal message of goodwill, as well as being the kind of song you'd expect to hear blasting out over the PA at an outdoor ice rink:

MP3: Busy Signal - Done Wid Di War

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Lyrically, like the Delly Ranx and Assassin tunes featured last week, both of these songs are all about peace over war. Or, er, glockenspiel over Glock. Which seems like a good sentiment with which to end the year.

And what a year it's been for Busy Signal - even though Vybz Kartel was crowned DJ (MC) of the year, Busy has got to be my pick for Jamaican artist of 2008.

He's been prolific but also consistent, putting out hit after hit with nary a miss or a turkey between them. Unlike Kartel, he hasn't got involved in the war business and also unlike Kartel, he's got a fine singing voice with or without autotune assistance.

Busy's second long-player, Loaded, is certainly loaded with big tunes and is sufficiently varied - both musically and lyrically - to really work as an album. And he dropped one of the most hype and interesting tracks of the year, Get Bright, which for some reason I still haven't featured on this blog. I guess there's a first resolution to be getting on with for the new year...

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 31 December 2008 | Add a comment

The Heatwave Chart 2008

Our top ten tracks of the year, compiled for FACT magazine. All these tracks also feature in our half hour mix, Class of 2008, which we recorded recently for the FACT website.

Mavado - So Special
Kyla & Paleface - Do You Mind (Crazy Cousinz Remix)
Erup - Click Mi Finger
Lil Wayne - A Milli
Elephant Man & Lieutenant Stitchie - What A Mighty God
Warrior Queen & The Heatwave - Things Change
Charly Black - Buddy Buddy
Giggs - Talkin Da Hardest
Queen Ifrica - Daddy
Mr Benn feat Blak Twang & Blackout JA - Long Time

Here's the video for Kyla's funky house anthem Do You Mind, which with a mainstream release due early in the new year looks set to reach even greater heights in 2009 than it did in 2008: