BK Trancehall Innovator Drops a Sexy New Juggling To Hot Up Your Summer
Every so often the trap door on Ricky Blaze‘s basement studio in East Flatbush Brooklyn bursts open and the artist, producer, and trancehall innovator emerges amidst a cloud of smoke to bless us all with another banger. This is one of those days. FME Records’ “Uptown Julie” riddim is a compact juggling, comprising four songs—”Stunta” by Gyptian, “Endless Summer” by Kes Dieffenthaller of Kes The Band fame, “Sell Off” by Zoelah, and “All I Need” by Mr. Blaze himself—each of which rocks in its own special way, revealing essential aspects each artist’s personality. In the hands of a skilled selector, these tracks mesh to form an irresistible and never-ending soundscape. Like most great dancehall cuts—and all of Blaze’s -catalog—the riddim itself is deceptively simple: a gentle keyboard chord progression floats above the kind of pulse-pounding drum pattern that sets bodies into motion, starting with a head nod and quickly spreading to shoulders and hips. In short, Julie represents just what every summer needs: a feel-good party groove perfect for pool parties, cookouts, and sweaty late-night wining sessions—and maybe, just maybe, the soundtrack to a new romance. Summer just got a likkle bit hotter. No wonder his name is Ricky Blaze. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
