Monday, October 31, 2011

Chase Vampire Riddim A Get A Wicked Relick!

Wicked revamp of the riddim used by Sancho for Chase Vampire. Cisko relicks dis oneya for Belleville International outta France, pairing his fresh take with top vocalists, the likes of Lone Ranger, Chronicle, Joseph Cotton, Jigsy King an' fellow Frenchmen Guive and Azrock. Check di megamix video courtesy of Patate Records, dem a handle di record sales too - 7" a sell off fi true!



Belleville Intl's Chase Vampire Riddim Tracklist:
Lone Ranger - Johnny Pram Pram
Chronicle - Murder A Soundboy
Joseph Cotton - Gold Spoon Society
Azrock - Demago Dem
Jigsy King - Blaze Marijuana
Guive - Protect Me
Cisko - Chase Vampire Dub
Cisko - Nosferatu Dub

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Protoje & Da Professor's Digikal Skank...


A likkle taste of Da Professor's new album, due to drop soon. Nice combination 'longside Protoje with Don Corleon on di mix, droppin' a chunky 80s digikal riddim. Skankin' & Rockin'- reggea music dem droppin', it a mash up down a yard an' it a mash up a foreign- Boom!

Junie Ranks Brings Back Di Love!


Nuff great info inna diss hearticle from Cecelia Campbell-Livingston writing for the Jamaica Observer-

Junie Ranks who reigned in the 80s with songs such as Cry Fi Mi Boops is today singing a different tune. Known for risqué songs, the female deejay who is now based in the United States is all about bringing back the love in dancehall.

Released on her own J-Ranks label, Bring Back De Love is said to be receiving a lot of buzz on the international scene.

In an interview with Splash, Junie Ranks says the track is about the days when dancehall was full of love -- when it was all about the love of the music and not the bling every time new artistes buss," adding that "nowadays it's all about guns and war with each other."

Junie came up with the hook for the song about three years ago but just could not seem to come up with the right lyrics for the song. That is, until she heard a song by fellow artiste Ed Robinson entitled Heroes - a song about icons in the business.

"As I heard his song, the words just hit me. I took up my pen and book and said what's on my mind. I did not call anyone's name but if the cap fit just wear it -- mi throw mi corn mi never call no foul," Junie said about her latest single.

"It hurts my heart to see how the sweet reggae music has turned into violence music, so Bring Back De Love is about calling back the foundation artiste to build peace and love inna the dancehall," she continued.

Junie says she has a lot of respect for young artistes, but is saddened by the fact that they seems to have no real love for each other. "They are too thin-skinned. Music is love not war," she pointed out.

On the subject of clashing, Junie Ranks was swift in her reply. "I would not clash with Lisa Hyper or Spice, or any other female artiste that's under my age group. They could be my daughters. You have to give respect to get respect. What happened to lyrical war? Not bad word cussing on stage, but a friendly clash like Four the Hard Way -- back then with me, Lady G, Sister Charmaine and Lady Junie. Look at Ninja Man and Shabba Ranks -- Ninja Man and Shabba used lyrics against each other but I never see one raise a hand at the other, and when the clash was over we all are friends again," she mused suggesting the direction clashes need to go again.

If this New York-based artiste has her way then it will be all about love in the dancehall again and not war.

Looking ahead Junie is hoping to hit the local stage one day soon as she needs to "put my name back out there".

"Although I am no stranger to dancehall, I am a stranger to the younger generation. A lot of them never heard about me. They might have heard my songs but don't know who sing them, so I have to let my voice be heard again," she told Splash.

June Evans aka Junie Ranks was born in Kingston, but grew up in Old Harbour, St Catherine. At a young age she fell in love with deejaying listening to artistes such as Lady Ann, Sister Nancy, Sista Verna and Mama Liza among others.

Junie Ranks soon started to make a name for herself deejaying on the local sounds ET Sound System and on Technique Disco where she initially got her first big break.

Junie Ranks got the break she was seeking when she was introduced to producer Winston Riley, who was so impressed with her talent when she auditioned for him that he took her to the studio the same evening.

Over the years Junie Ranks has recorded singles such as Big and Ready, Dibby Dibby Man, Naw Stop Ge Bun, Sweetest Girl a combination with Wayne Wonder, Lick Out 'Gainst De Man Dem and Sea of Love featuring John Mouse which went to number one in Canada in 1990, and gave her the Female DJ of the Year title in that country.

Currently affiliated with DASK Entertainment, Junie is busy working on some new material for her upcoming album scheduled to be released sometime this year.

The video for Bring Back De Love was released at the B-Hive Lounge in Brooklyn and has appearances from a lot of foundation artistes such as Wayne Smith, Tony Tuff, Michael Palmer, Sammy Dread, Lady Ann, Ed Robinson, Al Campbell, Courtney Melody, Ansel Meditation, Johnny Osbourne, Mikey Jarrett and more.

Certain Law Vegas & Toddler A Deal Wid!

Q45 & MV Music team up for this remix of Mr. Vegas' Certain Law pon di Barbwire Riddim. Harry Toddler AKA Blond Ras is featured 'longside Mr. Vegas, soundin' like one a dem wicked 90s dancehall chune, but brand new fi true!

Max Tannone's Mix A Echo!


Max Tannone's Echo is a crucial foundation style mix for UK's Oki-Ni Mix Series, here is a description in his own words from the Oki-Ni website:

'I got really into dub reggae after my Mos Dub project. The historical and cultural factors that engendered this sound are recounted in Lloyd Bradley's outstanding book 'Bass Culture'. I watched films like 'Roots, Rock, Reggae, Babylon', and 'Dub Echoes' and dug through YouTube for clips of Jamaican and British sound systems.

What was it really like at Lee Perry's mysterious Black Ark recording studio? Or to be under the stars dancing to roots tunes driven through King Tubby's Hometown Hi-Fi? Although this brief snapshot of history has come and gone, the musical foundations laid by its founders are everlasting. Dub is the architect of the modern remix, and its ties to contemporary hip-hop and electronic music are innate.

This mix, Echo, is a selection of my favourite dub and roots tunes. It also includes some deejay toasting (a vital element of early Jamaican sound systems) and the beginnings of "digital dub", which saw the influence of digital recording equipment and instrumentation. Echo is an amalgamation of what I love about dub: Heavy bass and drums, haunting yet beautiful melodies, humor, and an underlying sense of hope and determination. Find a sunny spot, put some ice in your glass, and enjoy the echoes of this rich musical history that are still reverberating today.'

- Big respect Max, gwaan let di music play!