California Heatwave - video, photos and audio

Just before Christmas we crossed the pond to play in California for the first time, at Tormenta Tropical in San Francisco.

I posted the photos from the night last month and and this week I uploaded a video of our set:

The monthly night is promoted by Disco Shawn and Oro11, the guys behind the Bersa Discos cumbia label. Like Greg Scruggs points out on his Beat Diaspora blog, the posters are great:

The party was a lot of fun too; great tunes all night and an enthusiastic crowd that was receptive to all kinds of music from cumbia to dancehall to funky house.

Unfortunately we only managed to record the beginning of our set, which Rubi Dan kicked off by vocalling instrumentals like Come Around, Roll It Gal and the Crookers remix of Day N Nite:

MP3: Rubi Dan & Gabriel Heatwave - Live in San Francisco

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Paul Devro from Mad Decent played a wicked set taking in Baltimore club, kuduro, dancehall and more and generally proved to be a hyperactive one man entertainment machine.

Diplo was also in town for the Mad Decent power summit and played a couple of records - or at least got involved with the mixer - during Paul's set:

The Bersa Discos DJs set the dancefloor alight with cumbia that had the crowd skanking out from the moment the doors were opened. Here's a snippet of Disco Shawn playing just before we came on:

MP3: Disco Shawn - Live at Tormenta Tropical

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When we were wandering around town the day after the gig I spotted this street sign and thought sheeeeeeeit, I'd better take a photo:

I took a couple of other street pictures in Chinatown which my mate Sam featured this week on his Ghost Signs blog documenting fading 'brick ads' around the world.

Shouts to Shawn and Gavin for inviting us out there as well as Paul Devro, Chief Boima, Diplo, Kid Kameleon, Angel, Rachel, Jasper, Maneesh from Surya Dub, DJ A and everyone else I've forgotten to mention cos I left it so long to get this post up! Hopefully we'll be back in the States before long...

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Sunday 01 February 2009 | 2 comments

Video: Them GS Boyz - Do Da Stanky Leg

My new favourite dance move, courtesy of Texan hip hop crew Them GS Boyz.

Thanks to Prince Money of the Highness blog for the link - he also pointed me in the direction of Dallas native Fat Al's exquisite dancing skills which are not to be missed!

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 02 February 2009 | 5 comments

Vybz Kartel & Spice - Rampin Shop

This raunchy collaboration voiced over Ne-Yo's Miss Independent instrumental has been one of the biggest and most talked about tunes in dancehall for the last few months.

Now the lyrics have been flipped for a hilarious and terribly out of tune version advertising Vybz Kartel's line of Daggerin condoms:

I read a few weeks back that plans were afoot to remake the backing track so as to avoid or at least diminish the legal problems associated with pirating the work of a major label. I assume this is the instrumental that's used in the Daggerin advert, which doesn't sound like it's a patch on the original beat.

Anyway, the new version seems to have come too late to fend off a somewhat ridiculous cease and desist order from EMI/Universal Records.

In the meantime, while the record company are trying to round up all the stray copies of the tune on the internet (!), you can watch the Rampin Shop video here:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 02 February 2009 | 25 comments

Coconut Tree riddim

Carnival season is getting underway, with less than two weeks to go before celebrations kick off in Trinidad. From Barbados to St Lucia and St Vincent to Jamaica, artists all over the Caribbean are busy dropping brand new tunes in time for the festivities.

It's the first time for a while that I've heard so many wicked soca tunes and I'll be featuring some of my favourites here over the next couple of weeks. First up is last year's Coconut Tree riddim out of Barbados, with soca queen and Roll It girl Alison Hinds dropping it on her man:

MP3: Alison Hinds - Drop It

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The instrumental is based on (or at least uses the same melody as) the early 90s dancehall riddim Poco Man Jam. We Like It by Ziggy Ranking and Iwer George references two vocals on that rhythm - Gregory Peck's Poco Man Jam and then Super Cat's Nuff Man A Dead:

I'm not sure any more if I want to wine any more
She says Ziggy you a di boss I want to wine on you of course
Look at the man dem taking a line but the boy dem out of time
Girl show dem how you wine

MP3: Iwer George and Ziggy Ranking - We Like It

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On Bashment Winers, Lil Rick's distinctive Bajan accent comes through strongly. Rubi Dan spits Bajan style sometimes during our live shows; I'm trying to convince him to feature it in a tune, it sounds great over bashment rhythms.

MP3: Lil Rick - Bashment Winers

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Finally, Peter Ram's Tight - possibly my favourite cut on the riddim:

MP3: Peter Ram - Tight

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Video: Peter Ram - Tight

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 11 February 2009 | 2 comments

Bashment vs funky radio show tonight

Update: unfortunately it looks like the show's cancelled as the station's been temporarily locked off. I'll guest on another show in the next few weeks...

Tonight I'm guesting on the Immediate Sounds radio show which goes out every Thursday on Touch FM.

We're gonna be doing a bashment vs funky special - I guess I'm meant to be playing bashment but there'll be the odd sly funky house tune thrown in still.

The show runs from 12 midnight to 2am - you can listen live on the Touch FM website or tune your old school analogue radio to 94FM.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 12 February 2009 | Add a comment

Beenie Man - Ghetto Yutes (Baddaz Riddim)

Brand new vocal from dancehall king Beenie Man on Christopher Birch's heavy Baddaz riddim.

Like last month's Buju Banton vocal on the Beauty riddim, Beenie's late entry to the Baddaz collection is immediately one of my favourite cuts on the rhythm.

Though I think Busy Signal's Hustle still has the edge, which is appropriate given I realised recently that Busy is perhaps the best bet to be Beenie Man's successor at the top of the dancehall pile. More on that thought coming in a future post...

MP3: Beenie Man - Ghetto Yutes

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 12 February 2009 | 3 comments

Vybz Kartel & Spice - Romping Shop Remake

Due to legal problems in using the instrumental from the original Ne-Yo tune, the beat for Vybz Kartel & Spice's hit song Rampin or Romping Shop has been remade by Not Nice Productions.

Unfortunately the new rhythm track isn't a patch on the original and turns one of the best tracks of 2008 into something rather average.

The vocal is still engaging but the beat is pretty static and has lost all the roll and swing of the Miss Independent production. The synths sound a little cheap and out of place as well, which is a shame.

MP3: Vybz Kartel & Spice - Romping Shop Remake

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 12 February 2009 | 26 comments

Plenty Gyal vs Too Many Man

My first thought on hearing the recent Boy Better Know track Too Many Man was, 'if I was an MC I'd make a tune called Too Many Girls'.

About a week later, I heard Plenty Gyal by Bunji Garlin. I don't reckon he was swayed by the London grime crew's release, but you never know.

While it's a big and lively tune, it seems odd that Boy Better Know want to advertise that they get a lot of bookings to play to male-dominated crowds:

We need some more girls in here
We need some more girls in here
There's too many man, too many many man

MP3: Boy Better Know - Too Many Man

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In contrast, whatever party Bunji Garlin's going to sounds great, and not unlike our monthly bashment at Salmon & Compass.

Dance must have plenty gyal
No post office, not at all
Dance must have plenty gyal
Is not a male box, not at all

How we love party, dancehall and ram jam
Thirty gyal, thirty gyal to one man
How we love boat ride, how we love session
Forty gyal, forty gyal to one man
It seem like it rise everytime I ask a question
Fifty gyal, fifty gyal to one man

MP3: Bunji Garlin - Plenty Gyal

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There's a remix of Plenty Gyal with Beenie Man alongside Bunji. I'll feature that here in the next few days along with a couple more soca vocals on the Fix It Up riddim.

London garage/bassline producer Jay Weathers, whose track Leadership has been getting play on Radio 1 and 1Xtra recently, definitely knew about Too Many Man when he recorded this tune with Lenny Future:

I think there's too many girls
Oh Jesus, I think I need to thank them
And now I wanna move to the floor
And get what I came here for

MP3: Jay Weathers & Lenny Future - Dance aka Too Many Girls

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Friday 13 February 2009 | 3 comments

The Heatwave Chart - February 2009

Our latest refix, a bashment version of Donaeo's massive Party Hard, isn't finished yet but I've playing it out as a live blend and it sounds enormous so it's this month's number one.

Soca tunes that are currently doing for me include the Busy Signal remix of Machel Montano's Push Bumper alongside tunes by Bunji Garlin and Peter Ram.

Plus new dancehall by Beenie Man, Assassin, Mr Vegas and Buju Banton as well as sweet reggae from UK singer Kyla and Wayne Wonder in combination with D'Angel.

1. Donaeo, Capleton, Vybz Kartel & Danny English - Party Harder (The Heawave Refix)
2. Machel Montano & Busy Signal - Push Bumper (Remix)
3. Mr Vegas - Dope - listen
4. Bunji Garlin - Plenty Gyal - listen
5. Assassin - Priority (Dubwise Riddim)
6. Peter Ram - Tight - listen
7. Beenie Man - Ghetto Yutes (Baddaz Riddim) - listen
8. Buju Banton - Anywhere Gal Deh - listen
9. Kyla - Do You Mind (Reggae Remix) - listen
10. D'Angel & Wayne Wonder - Let Us Be Friends

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Friday 13 February 2009 | 2 comments

Da’Ville - Love You More

Given that today is Valentine's Day I thought I'd post one of my favourite reggae love songs of recent years, from sweet-voiced Jamaican singer Da'Ville.

If this is your thing, don't miss tomorrow's Reggae Valentine Showcase at London's Brixton Academy featuring live performances by Tarrus Riley, Cocoa Tea, Mr Vegas and more.

MP3: Da'Ville - Love You More

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Saturday 14 February 2009 | Add a comment

TNT on Ole Geezer riddim

Timberlee, Natalie Storm and Tifa - known collectively as TNT or the Badda Badda Girls - took the dancehall world by storm last year with a string of hit singles and the excellent Three The Hard Way mixtape.

Timberlee (left) was first out of the gates with the Ward 21-produced hit Bubble Like Soup and her cut Heels was the outstanding vocal on Leftside's crazy Benny Hill riddim.

The brilliant Crawny Gal and Bottom of the Barrel by Tifa (middle) were my favourite cuts on Ward 21's two female-only rhythms, Dem Gyal Sitt'n and Estrogen respectively.

Meanwhile, Natalie Storm (right) scored with Back It Up on the relick of the Corduroy riddim known as Tear Up Jeans - which was again produced by Ward 21. She also voiced several tracks for the Raggatronic album by Enur, the Danish producers responsible for Natasja's global smash Calabria.

Now the three ladies have teamed up with Ward 21 yet again on the Ole Geezer riddim and their latest voicings are nothing short of explosive. Tifa and Natalie (above) are indeed the talk of the town:

MP3: Tifa & Natalie Storm - Talk of the Town

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Timberlee's Backdoor Delivery is a humorous and skillful extended metaphor that isn't about the girls' courier namesakes.

The office a go lock at least five days a month
When you see the 'sorry, we're closed sign' no try no stunt
If you bring the package late, straight up and blunt
You haffi wait till a time fi open up round a front

MP3: Timberlee - Backdoor Delivery

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 16 February 2009 | 4 comments

Three Heatwave gigs this weekend

This weekend is gonna be a busy one - I'm playing in Bristol on Friday at Henry Heatwave's monthly residency, then in London on Saturday and Sunday:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 16 February 2009 | Add a comment

Live review: Mr Vegas and Cocoa Tea

I went to the Reggae Valentine Showcase concert last night at Brixton Academy. I wasn't able to stay too long so sadly I missed Tarrus Riley and Etana but I did see Mr Vegas, George Nooks and a brilliant performance by Cocoa Tea. I didn't take any photos; the pictures below aren't from last night.

Mr Vegas's set was short and accompanied by a DJ rather than a live band, which together with him performing a few other people's hits karaoke style made it seem like an afterthought rather than a properly scheduled show.

Still, the crowd were massively appreciative from the moment he bounded onstage to sound of Go Up on the Juice riddim, which had everyone's hands in the air.

Vegas then addressed the crowd, revealing that the promoter had said to him, "Only big people are going to be at the show so you can't do certain songs"! Apparently ignoring this advice, he launched into Yu Sure on the Faith riddim and the audience went mad, in a good way.

He also went on to perform Hot Fuck, though he pulled it up before the slackness really got underway and explained, "Mi nah go too far with that song cah it Valentine's". Fittingly for a Valentine's event, the plaintive love song Do You Know elicited a huge response, as did recent hit Must Come A Road and perennial crowd-pleaser Heads High.

After Mr Vegas's energetic but somewhat disappointing show, Cocoa Tea's amazing voice, consummate professionalism and experienced showmanship were mightily impressive. And so was his natty black and white diamond pullover.

Hits like Rikers Island, Girls Go Home (Too Young To Be My Lover) and Love Me Truly sounded great over the live band's heavy but sweet renditions of classic reggae rhythm tracks. Cocoa Tea also brought out Turbulence for a couple of songs, Name & Number and the inevitable and ecstatically-received Notorious.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 16 February 2009 | 2 comments

Busy Signal - Send It On and Push Bumper

Busy just can't stop knocking out big tunes - it's kind of hard to keep up without turning this blog into a Signalfest.

Send It On's rattling percussion and banjo skank gives it a calypso/mento sound and Busy's vocal is suitably melodic and feelgood:

MP3: Busy Signal - Send It On

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As a recent commenter pointed out here, it seems like more and more dancehall artists are voicing soca tunes these days. Busy Signal's effort, joining the Trinidadian legend Machel Montano on the remix of Push Bumper, is of course one of the better ones:

MP3: Machel Montano & Busy Signal - Push Bumper (Remix)

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 17 February 2009 | 2 comments

La Douma soca riddim

A driving, insistent soca rhythm which is not unlike Kirkledove's percussive productions for last year's Mr Vegas hits Daggering and Round of Applause. As much as I enjoy super fast soca, it's slower rhythms like this that grab me most.

As Bunji Garlin declares, "carnival round the corner":

MP3: Bunji Garlin - We Done Dey

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Jason and Blaze weigh in with a bit of bumper worship and some of the funniest lyrics I've heard for a while:

Is that bom bom a horse? Because that pants is riding it
An airbag seems to have been deployed in the back of her pants
Oh my it seems like a beehive on steroids, I must say
I tell you that bom bom is arresting my thought patterns and process

MP3: Jason & Blaze - Bom Bom

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Finally, a Jamaican vocal on the riddim from upcoming MC Pamputae, sounding here like a female Tony Matterhorn with her shouty hype style.

MP3: Pamputae - Wining Master

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 19 February 2009 | 2 comments

Rubi Dan & Chinski - Big Boi Spitta

Massive new funky house tune from the big boy spitter himself, Heatwave MC Rubi Dan, produced by Chinski. This has been causing serious recent damage on dancefloors across the UK...

MP3: Rubi Dan and Chinski - Big Boi Spitta

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 19 February 2009 | 4 comments

Lil Jon - Soca Fire Riddim

Lil Jon jumps on the soca train with 150 beats per minute of crunked-up Caribbean craziness. It's sparser than most island productions, though certainly no less energetic, propelled by whistles and rollicking percussion.

As well as producing the beat, the grandmaster of hype pops up all shouty on Pitbull and Machel Montano's brilliant Floor On Fire:

Ladies and gentleman, it's time to get wild!
It's time to get mad! It's time to misbehave!

MP3: Pitbull, Lil Jon & Machel Montano - Floor On Fire

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The other cuts on the rhythm don't really match up to Floor On Fire, but they make a nice juggling segment still. Ricky T of St Lucia echoes Pitbull's Spanish lyrics in co-opting the bullfighting chant of 'Olé':

MP3: Ricky T - Olé Up In De Air

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The third piece is by St Vincent and The Grenadines artist Skinny Fabulous, with a little help from every MC's new best friend, autotune:

MP3: Skinny Fabulous - Get On Bad

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Sunday 22 February 2009 | 2 comments

Black Ryno - Ball Out

This young artist from the Vybz Kartel-affiliated Portmore Empire has one of the more interesting voices in the latest generation of Jamaican MCs: an unusually delicate melodic lilt.

Despite liking Black Ryno's voice, I haven't massively enjoyed many of his songs to date, but he really shines on this one off production which sounds uncannily like a Neptunes beat.

MP3: Black Ryno - Ball Out

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 23 February 2009 | 4 comments

Video: Sizzla interview by Robbo Ranx

Sizzla talks to BBC 1Xtra dancehall DJ Robbo Ranx about his stage shows, non-stop recording schedule and latest album, Addicted.

I love how Sizzla describes voicing on hip hop instrumentals: "I heard hip hop riddims and they're empty - I'm gonna fill it up".

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 24 February 2009 | 2 comments

From the vaults: YT live at Heatwave vs Mas Fuego

Live recording of British dancehall MC/singer YT performing at our Heatwave vs Mas Fuego night back in November 2005.

This date was shortly before the release of his massive hit England Story, but his set was still packed with big tunes like Wicked Act, Innit and his anthemic version of John Legend's Ordinary People.

MP3: YT - Live at Heatwave vs Mas Fuego

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 24 February 2009 | 2 comments

The Heatwave Bashment Affair this Friday

It looks like this Friday's Bashment Affair at Salmon & Compass will be our last dance there as the venue is about to be sold.

We're currently looking for a new venue to host our monthly nights - more info on that soon.

So, this Friday - dancehall workout time.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 26 February 2009 | 1 comment