Demarco: behind the scenes video

Demarco's Love A Come Down (She Can't Wait) has had a really successful ride since its release earlier this year. It's such an infectious banger.

So far we've seen a smoothly directed video featuring 'swagger man' - a character that I can't help but think would have been called 'dagger man' if the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission hadn't had their way. That was followed by the expert touches of soca don Machel Montano on the remix.

But the bit we don't get to see is behind the scenes. In the video below, watch Demarco play Love A Come Down for the first time to bossman Suku from Ward 21.

Things to watch out for:

• Timberlee on crutches
• Demarco's anxious face as he plays the tune
• Suku's joke unimpressed face
• Demarco getting called 'fatty'

Posted by Dan_Bean | Monday 02 November 2009 | 3 comments

The Go-Go Club Riddim

This is shaping up to be one of the biggest riddims of 2009 and is certainly the hottest dancehall rhythm around right now.

Tarik 'Russian' Johnston's instrumental was originally used for a one-off Vybz Kartel vocal which came out in September:

Download: Vybz Kartel - Go-Go Club

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I guess the tune was too big for other vocalists not to turn it into a riddim project!

The first batch of voicings that came out included stand-out vocals from Kartel's fellow Portmore artists Black Ryno, Lisa Hype and Gaza Kim (pictured below):

Download: Black Ryno - Bike Back

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Download: Gaza Kim & Lisa Hype - Bills

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But the rhythm wasn't done yet; more vocals trickled out one by one, underlining its ongoing and increasing popularity. You can see why Elephant Man wanted a piece of the action:

Download: Elephant Man & Ishawna - Give It To Me

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If you're paying attention you'll notice that Go-Go Club isn't your average dancehall riddim; it's got a definite hip hop feel to it.

Having said that, "average dancehall riddim" is less meaningful now that Kingston's producers are dealing in everything from minimal retro ragga to dark orchestral epics and are influenced by dubstep and electro as much as reggae and soca.

Anyway, even with what seems to be a hip hop beat, Go-Go Club is recognisably dancehall, featuring a bad boy bassline and a syncopated snare anticipating the fourth beat of each bar.

These musical mathematics got a little more complicated when lovers' rock crooner Tarrus Riley (below) joined forces with gun-obsessed Aidonia for a tune defending the herb, creating a track that falls somewhere between hip hop, dancehall and reggae:

Download: Aidonia & Tarrus Riley - Di Trees

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And still the riddim wasn't done - only last week new vocals from Laden and Flippa Mafia dropped. Flippa's is the first of the many cuts on the riddim which is anything less than good, confirming our feelings at Heatwave towers that this guy is simply not a top flight artist.

If you can't cut it on a riddim this good then there's not much hope for you. Even Leftside's slightly grating comedic creation, Gran Faada, bangs out a big tune on the Go-Go Club:

Download: Gran Faada (Leftside) - Mi Tyad

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Finally, English dancehall's most wanted Gappy Ranks has also got involved in the riddim. Watch out for him blowing up Jamaica at Sting this Christmas.

Download: Gappy Ranks - Ball Out

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Honourable mentions go to Merital, Konshens & Dario, Demarco and Nicky B - all good voicings on the riddim but too many to feature all of them here!

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 03 November 2009 | 8 comments

Video: Spragga Benz - Who Inna The Middle

Spragga is one of my favourite foundation dancehall artists, he's been making big tunes with his slightly offkey voice for nearly 20 years now.

In this video he gets properly old school though, taking it back to the first half of last century!

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 04 November 2009 | 1 comment

Skip To Ma Lu

Gabriel's already brought you the Rubba Bounce and now it's time to feature another move that is taking dancehall by storm.

Both of these songs are irritatingly catchy and irritatingly fun. QQ's tune also bears a striking similarity - both in the rhythm and dancing instructions - to funky bashment.

RDX bring one of the funniest videos of the year:

Posted by Dan_Bean | Tuesday 10 November 2009 | Add a comment

Keida - Hot It Up

I haven't been so impressed by a new artist for a while.

Keida (aka Makeida or Maqueda) comes in like a female Leftside, all strange pronunciation and mid-Atlantic accent. She's not wrong when she introduces the song by saying:

This track is wicked / goddamn wicked
So flipping wicked / so bloody wicked
Terrible!

Her flow fits Leftside's slinky, liquid production perfectly, which I guess is why he named the whole riddim after her vocal.

Keida - Hot It Up | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 10 November 2009 | 8 comments

Video: Natalie Storm - God Bless Me

Hot and fiery new video for Natalie Storm's tune on the Cheez Trix riddim. It's so nice they play it twice.

Watch out for a big big vocal by Natalie on our Popcorn riddim coming soon to a Rinse FM show near you...

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

Busy Signal - Nuh Fraid of Them

This week has seen the exciting combination of Busy Signal and Twitter. If you’re not already convinced by Twitter, Busy’s contributions should be enough to persuade you.

"I'm busy busy busy soo busy I'm busy busy busy I'm very busy…hey just believe mi nuh man" 18th November

"hey a baaay studio work mi a deal wid from whadday so wha..we a put een d werk..dont juss say BUSY say BUSINESS..hatthead turf" 17th November

The reward in following people like Busy Signal stretches beyond moments of humour: you get their tunes hot off the press. We've got hold of a fresh Busy remix - and Twitter exclusive - of Forever by Drake, Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kanye West:

Busy Signal - Nuh Fraid Of Them | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Busy blazes through the track with his usual hott-ed and hot fire delivery, plus a touch of Twitter related wordplay:

Move to the sister - twit her, woah
Wuk her hard - twist her like a twister, oh

Big up Stainless for hooking this up and strengthening our conviction that Busy is artist of the year.

Posted by Dan_Bean | Thursday 19 November 2009 | 1 comment

Video: Elephant Man, Buju Banton & Big Tigger on BET

This is how dancehall should be done - look how much fun Ele and Buju are having.

Check how high Buju's dreads jump when he starts vibesing, and clock Ele's sea shell hairpiece.

In this old footage it's good to see artists just having fun with the music.

Posted by Dan_Bean | Monday 23 November 2009 | 1 comment

Video: School Bell riddim medley

A medley video for one of my favourite riddims from earlier this year, it's big and strictly heavyweight.

School Bell riddim is a relick of the Bogle/Gi Gi/Ting A Ling riddim from Leftside's wicked label Keep Left Records. Expect instant forwards if you're in the dance and you hear any version from Leftside, Elephant Man, Bugle or Gaza Kim & Vybz Kartel.

Posted by Dan_Bean | Monday 23 November 2009 | Add a comment

Oneman at Hot Wuk - ragga garage mix

This Thursday at our weekly bashment carnival Hot Wuk we've got fellow Rinse FM DJ Oneman playing a ragga garage set.

To give a sneak preview of the ammunition he'll be bringing to tear apart the club, Oneman's recorded us an exclusive mix of ragga garage and funky bashment:

Oneman - Hot Wuk Ragga Garage Mix | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Alternative links: MixCloud | Sendspace

Tracklist

• DJ Deller - Romantic Call
• PD Syndicate & Elephant Man - Zoom Zoom
• B-15 Project feat Crissy D & Lady G - Girls Like Us
• B-15 Project & Lady Saw - Freak
• Ed Case & Sweetie Irie - Who?
• Toddla T & Hervé feat Serocee - Shake It (Martelo Funky Edit)
• Baobinga & Killa Benz - Wine Up
• Sticky & Heartless Crew - Jump Around
• Breach - Sizzla Remix
• Geeneus & Ms Dynamite - Get Low
• Richie Dan - ??
• Pay As U Go (Maxwell D & Plague) - Champagne Dance 09

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 24 November 2009 | Add a comment

Tifa - So Good To Be Me

When I first heard this song, I was well excited for the following reasons:

1. It references Gun In A Baggy
2. It's by Tifa
3. It's produced by Ward 21

Then for a while I wasn't 100% sure about it and thought the chorus is maybe a little too sugary. But who doesn't like sweetness, especially when contrasted with Tifa's tough talk in the verses?

Tifa - So Good To Be Me | Download MP3 (right click, save as)

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Also, you can't really argue with such positive, feelgood, happy summertime music at this time of year.

The way the riddim bounces along with snare drums rattling, synths squelching and hi hats hopping reminds me a bit of Dumpling Shop.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 26 November 2009 | 1 comment