Boomshots

Category: Reggae

  • RIDDIM UP: The “Different Eyes” Juggling

    RIDDIM UP: The “Different Eyes” Juggling

    A Warm & Easy Reality Set Featuring Jahmiel, Vershon, Sizzla & Delly Ranx

    Over the past half century or so Jamaican music has evolved through so many different styles and sounds that it can sometimes be hard to discern the various strands of musical DNA. From mento and calypso to jazz and bluebeat on through ska, rocksteady, reggae and dancehall, the musical morphology continues to this day. Boomshots’ Riddim Up series digs deep into certain outstanding riddims, seeking to identify the unique qualities that make them certified Boomshots. We kick off today with “Different Eyes,” a new juggling from Pure Music Productions, distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos Digital, which hit iTunes today. The understated, slow-burning instrumental is a prime example of the sonic changes within modern dancehall.  Because none of the usual hallmarks of vintage reggae or dancehall are present—from the drum pattern to the familar “skank” guitar or piano—we have to hear the Different Eyes with different ears. Even the bassline is subtle, overpowered by a mournful, hypnotic guitar figure and a few gentle rimshots. The minimalist riddim sets a mood that inspires all the vocalists to hold a similar vibe. Each tune on the riddim complements the ones that come before and after it, and the whole becomes one unified statement that’s greater than the sum of its parts.  Audio & Track-By-Track Review After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Chronixx “Out Deh”

    HEAR THIS: Chronixx “Out Deh”

    Straight Outta Spaintown

    Teased on the masterful Roots & Chalice mixtape released earlier this year, the official full length version of the latest Chronixx single to touch the road is here. “Out Deh” showcases Di Steam Ministah hitching a ride upon the Shiah Records’ rugged “Lion Paw” riddim with a true king of the jungle flex. Chronixx does what he does best, displaying his knack for paying subtle if not outright homages to the reggae/dancehall days of old, wrapped in the cloak of swag that defines today’s younger generation. Stepping up with a nod to Shabba’s classic King Jammy’s selection “Get Up Stand Up and Rock,” Chronixx tips his hat to the Rankin as if to say I, Chronixx, am the reggae future as well as the reggae now—because I & I never forget I roots—and yes those roots reach all the way into the street. (Folks keep filing his music under “roots revival” although Chronixx has always maintained that “me’s a dancehall man.”) The riddim—produced by Shiah Coore, son of Third World’s guitarist/cellist Cat Coore, and musical director for Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley—is fierce. Chronixx’s vocals are crisp and laced with grit, his lyrics both “wise and street smart” as the tune specifies. The stage is being set for a full-scale Chronixx uprising. Our  job is to make sure we stay tuned and don’t miss the opportunity to witnesses what’s next. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Protoje “Can’t Feel No Way” DOWNLOAD

    HEAR THIS: Protoje “Can’t Feel No Way” DOWNLOAD

    New Music From Diggy British!

    First things first: Protoje’s debut album Ancient Future was a masterpiece. The fact that it did not receive a Grammy nomination was a grievous oversight, but then again the Grammys have a long history of fuckry. Ancient Future joins a distinguished group of reggae albums that were slept on by the Recording Academy. Diggy speaks on these and other matters on a dynamic new song—the first taste of a soon-to-drop album, Royalty Free—which is currently downloadable for free on his Soundcloud. Produced by Hartford’s own Tracker John MD, the track—built around a ghostly Horace Andy sample—is str8 fiyah. (Shout out to Taj Francis on the ill single illustration; attention to detail we say!) The song’s title notwithstanding, we can’t help but feel like the DJ feels some type of way. Listen and draw your own conclusions.  Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Super Cat Confirmed for Reggae Sumfest 2016

    Super Cat Confirmed for Reggae Sumfest 2016

    The Don Dada Will Headline Reggae Night

    Super Cat will make his Reggae Sumfest debut on July 23, 2016, headlining the festival’s Reggae Night in Montego Bay, Jamaica. “Our headline act on Saturday night—which is Reggae Night—will be none other than the Don Dada himself,” said Josef Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Records, which took over the well-known annual festival this year. “We just signed him today. I have a feeling this show is going to be really magical” Cat’s live performances have been few and far between, going back to Sting 2013, last year’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise, and earlier this month in New York at Irie Jam’s Oracabesssa Festival. A living legend of reggae music and dancehall culture whose career built bridges into the international music industry, Cat has collaborated with artists like Heavy D, Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Kriss Kross, Sugar Ray and Pharrell, to name a few, but he has remained a cornerstone of reggae music. It seems like poetic justice for Cat to make Sumfest debut on the festival’s first Reggae Night in recent memory. “Don’t let them trick the youth and keep talking about dancehall—that is a miseducation we have to straighten out that,” said Cat during an exclusive Boomshots interview in 2013. “Only thing we were playing in dancehall was reggae music. What dancehall is are venues.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Delly Ranx “No Limit (Money Nuff)” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    WATCH THIS: Delly Ranx “No Limit (Money Nuff)” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    The World General Stays On That Paper Chase

    When it comes to living out one’s dreams, there’s nothing quite like money to make a vision turn to reality. Just ask Delroy Isaac Foster, the dancehall artist and producer known as Delly Ranx. His latest juggling for his Pure Music Productions team is a slow-burning riddim called The Different Eyes. Most of the songs on this set tend towards the more consious, real-talk end of the spectrum, and what’s more real than the paper chase. As the World General Delly Ranx explains on his latest, it takes many things to make a woman happy—but one thing that’s never out of fasion is money nuff. Boomshots is proud to premiere the brand new visuals, shot on location in New Jersey. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Damian Marley “Caution”

    HEAR THIS: Damian Marley “Caution”

    When The Fire Starts, Don’t Say Gongzilla Didn’t Warn You

    He’s given us three Set Up Shop compilations and one classic collaborative album with Nas, but it’s been a minute since Damian Marley’s last solo album, the multi-Grammy winning Welcome To Jamrock. Now here comes the first single, a hardcore slice of ghetto life reminiscent of Robert Nesta Marley’s “Dem Belly Full (But We Hungry)” The track for “Caution” is based on Black Uhuru’s “Youths of Eglington,” anchored by a solid Sly & Robbie bass line as Jr Gong kicks that real. Audio After The Jump…

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  • HEAR THIS: Derrick Morgan “Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)”

    HEAR THIS: Derrick Morgan “Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)”

    Big Big Request To The Greatest

    Forget what you heard. Muhammad Ali will never die. Ali may be one of the few larger-than-life icons to challenge even Bob Marley for nearly universal respect. We’ve all seen photos of The Greatest with Elvis, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan—he was even Prince’s hero—but what’s his connection to reggae? Derrick Morgan, one of Jamaican music’s greatest, pays tribute to boxing’s “Black Superman” in this Bunny Lee production which made a splash in the UK with Trojan Records in 1975, the year of the Thrilla in Manila. (The song predates the famous DC Comics book, published in 1978.)  Audio After The Jump…
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  • Reggae Sumfest Announces Newly Re-Focused 2016 Lineup: Strictly Reggae Night and Dancehall Night

    Reggae Sumfest Announces Newly Re-Focused 2016 Lineup: Strictly Reggae Night and Dancehall Night

    Message Sent In True Downsound Fashion: By Wrapping an 18-Wheeler Semi Truck

    After announcing earlier this spring that Jamaica’s leading music festival, Reggae Sumfest, was under new management, Josef Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Productions, has now revealed the newly re-focused two-night lineup for Sumfest 2016, rolling out with the slogan “our music, our festival.” This catchphrase holds a vital clue to the spirit of the newly re-imagined festival—with the whole world rocking to Jamaican sounds recorded by “foreign” artists, Reggae Sumfest is now focusing on 100% Jamaican lineup, letting go of the whole “International Night” mindset. Moving forward from its long-standing Thursday night slot, Dancehall Night 2016 will kick off the festival on Friday, July 22nd with a lineup boasting Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Popcaan, I-Octane, Agent Sasco and I-Shawna among many others. Saturday, July 23rd is the festival’s inaugural Reggae Night 2016 with strictly world-class singers like Barrington Levy, Luciano, Sanchez, Tarrus Riley, Busy Signal, as well as Downsound’s own up-and-coming artist Nature. The message was delivered in fittingly over-the-top fashion, via wrapped 18-wheeler semi-truck. (Make sure to be on the lookout for them in traffic near you!) And just in case you would like to trick out your own 18-wheeler, the official artwork is pasted below. Semi Truck Wrappers After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Bim Sherman & Dub Syndicate “Haunting Ground Dub”

    HEAR THIS: Bim Sherman & Dub Syndicate “Haunting Ground Dub”

    Previously Unreleased Music From Adrian Sherwood, Style Scott & Bim

    Last year’s Sherwood at the Controls Vol. 1 compilation served as a timely re-introduction to the UK dub genius and electronic music visionary Adrian Sherwood. The even wickeder second edition, focusing on works from 1985 to 1990, arrives later this month. Having worked as a live mix engineer for The Clash and The Slits, Sherwood went on to found no fewer than four record labels—Carib Gems (established in 1975 when he was 17 years of age), Hit Run, 4D, and the legendary On-U Sound. His mind-blowingly mic’d, mixed and mastered recordings with in-house groups like Singers and Players, Dub Syndicate, African Head Charge, New Age Steppers, Creation Rebel, and Lee “Scratch” Perry and many more are the stuff of legend. This previously unreleased dub version of “Haunting Ground,” the title track off Bim’s 1986 album produced with Dub Syndicate, which—like many of Sherwood’s finest productions—was anchored by steady rockin’ Lincoln Valentine “Style” Scott, the late great drummer who co-founded Jamaica’s legendary Roots Radics band. “I originally recorded this for On-U Sound but gave [Bim] the vocal to use on his album,” recalls Adrian of the “Haunting Ground” sessions at London’s Southern Studios. “That’s Style Scott on drums, and I’m fairly sure it’s Crucial Tony on guitar.” The earth-shaking dub mix with sabre-sharp high-hats of death and billowing clouds of echo could only be Sherwood. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley ft. Waka Flocka “Scars on my Feet”

    HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley
    ft. Waka Flocka “Scars on my Feet”

    Ragga x Flocka Connect and Reflect

    If you’re paying attention you already know that the long-awaited final chapter of Ragga Marley’s two-album epic is set to arrive July 22nd. Today team Ragga revealed the full track listing of Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life and offered these thoughts about the overall project: “The Fruit is about the different branches; there are many pages within my mind, many colors and ideas” says Marley. “We come from a versatile generation that can’t be put in a box.” As if to underscore that versatility, Marley also teased a new track from the album, featuring ATL trap star Waka Flocka Flame, bringing out the Brick Squad rapper’s revolutionary side. Stephen’s duet with dreadlocked turn-up king is available now with a pre-order of the album pon iTunes.  Audio and Track Listing After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “Different Eyes” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “Different Eyes” PREMIERE

    The Powerful Title Cut From Pure Music’s “Different Eyes” Juggling

    Hailing from Portmore, Jahmiel Foster found his musical calling from early out, and has since carved out a niche as one of modern reggae’s most exciting new  voices. Building on the success of his 2015 breakthrough “Gain The World,” Jahmiel and the Quantanium camp are setting a standard for conscious songwriting in Jamaica’s current dancehall scene. On his latest release, the title track of a slow-burning riddim from Pure Music Productions—and distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos Digital—Jahmiel wastes no time getting straight to the point: “Povery, still nuff. Life road, still rough. When the bills dem, build up. You maybe get your grill cut.” The song’s title refers to one’s point of view, seeing things as they truly are rather than as you wish they would be. Open your eyes and your ears—for who can’t hear must feel. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Shanique Marie ft. Cali P “Coconut Jelly Man” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Shanique Marie ft. Cali P “Coconut Jelly Man” Official Music Video

    An Ode to the Coconut Jelly Man

    Shanique Marie is preparing for relaunch of her debut EP Uno in a deluxe edition this summer and is excited about the possibilities. Her incendiary single, “Coconut Jelly Man” featuring Cali P, first released in November 2015, is seeing another steep rise in popularity as the warm weather approaches and coconut cravings run amok. Video After The Jump…

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