Maxwell D vs UK Funky

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Wednesday 03 June 2009 |
8 comments |

Maxwell D, a former member of the Pay As U Go Cartel alongside the likes of Wiley, Riko Dan and God's Gift, was a key player in the birth of the grime scene in the early 00s.

Recently he's been getting busy with the sound of UK funky, dropping his Jamaican-influenced but distinctly London vocals over some of the biggest instrumentals in the scene.

Many of Maxwell's latest and greatest tunes are collected on his new mix CD, Funky Funky Funky - Maxwell D Takeover, mixed by DJ Sidies.

Download: Funky Funky Funky - Maxwell D Takeover

The mix CD is a must-have, but I thought I'd pull out some of his biggest recent tunes and give them some individual shine.

The first tune of his I heard this year that really caught my ear is the anthemic Blackberry Hype on Lil Silva's grimey house banger Different:

MP3: Maxwell D & Lil Silva - Blackberry Hype

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There was apparently some resistance from Lil Silva to Maxwell voicing on his production. Given how I love that in dancehall culture it's cool for any artist or producer to re-version a riddim, this seems a bit wrongheaded to me. I like the way Maxwell gets straight to the heart of the matter on New Brand Dance:

I don't need no permission to jump on your beat
I'm a big mic man that will jump on your beat

MP3: Maxwell D - New Brand Dance

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Veteran London producer Sticky knows all about bashment-style version excursions, so it's no surprise that Maxwell has been working with him. Along with Lady Chann's Your Eye Too Fast, Maxwell's Text Text Text has made Sticky's Fugitive riddim one of the hottest beats of 2009.

Another seven voicings will be touching down this summer, so expect to hear the sick live drums and piano combination of the Fugitive riddim pumping out of cars and club soundsystems for a while to come.

MP3: Maxwell D & Sticky - Text Text Text

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Maxwell also features on Sticky's next bashment/funky/dirty pop riddim, Jumeirah, with a track called Mad MD. Watch out for that one on our Rinse FM show this Thursday.

Our last radio show featured So Bad Mind, where Maxwell adds Jamaican-style melodies and lyrical themes to Perempay's explosive, synth-driven Buss It:

MP3: Maxwell D & Perempay- So Bad Mind

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