Two Thousand and Great

Despite being the start of the calendar year, I don't always see January as a time of renewal - September usually feels more like that to me and the gloom of winter months isn't always conducive to kick-starting new projects. But this year feels kind of different and very much the beginning of a whole set of new stuff for The Heatwave. Firstly there's the upcoming release on Soul Jazz 12" vinyl of our first production, Warrior Queen's Things Change on our Piano riddim:

Though she began recording as Wendy Culture for producers such as Steely & Clevie and Donovan Germain (Penthouse) in her native Jamaica nearly 20 years ago, Warrior Queen has made her name while living and working in London. So it seemed apt to include Things Change on our forthcoming compilation, An England Story. Especially as the track details the struggles of making it as an artist in London and explores the relationship between the sunny island of Jamaica and our cold, wet and grimy capital city.

An England Story will hit the shops in February also courtesy of Soul Jazz Records, an official, double CD version of our 2006 mix that shines a light on the importance and influence of Jamaican music in the UK. The twenty tracks showcase the cream of reggae-influenced English MCs, from the old guard like London Posse and Tippa Irie to younger artists such as Jakes and Doctor (pictured), alongside 90s classics by the likes of General Levy, Blak Twang and Navigator.

Also in February, after several months of silence our monthly bashment will be resurrected at Salmon & Compass, a regular feel-good dose of the bashiest dancehall, reggae and hip hop around. And in the same month more cuts on our Piano riddim from Riko Dan, Rubi Dan and Quality Diamond will be out on 7" vinyl. We've already got a varied of bunch of riddims slated for release later on this year featuring vocals from English artists like Suncycle, YT, Tippa Irie and Top Cat, while UK producers Flex and Mr Benn are also stepping up their game with excellent original productions vocalled by Papa Levi and Blak Twang respectively.

Considered alongside the recent output of producers Curtis Lynch, Toddla T and Seani B, the prospect of albums by YT and Lady Chann and the ever closer relationship between grime and Jamaican MCing (Doctor, Badness, Flow Dan), it all seems to indicate we can expect to hear a lot more noise from UK dancehall in 2008. I'm looking forward to the resurgence of talented, deserving and often under-appreciated English artists as a force to be reckoned with, not to take anything away from the Germans, Italians, Bermudans and Canadadians who have dominated non-Jamaican dancehall in recent years. Two thousand and great?

Posted by Gabriel Heatwave | Thursday 10 January 2008