Pon Di Wire: New Reggae Albums, Heartbeat Reggae Podcast, Ninja Man

Cambridge-based Heartbeat Records has launched a new website and podcast called the Heartbeat Reggae Podcast. Founded in 1981, Heartbeat is known for its vast collection of rare Studio One and Channel One recordings, and was one of the first American labels to broaden reggae’s U.S. fanbase. Boston radio deejay Joshua B hosts the podcast, which previews and features some of Heartbeat’s most famous albums. The most recent two casts highlight the When Rhythm Was King (classic Studio One riddims) and Roots Man Dub (Dudley “Manzie” Swaby-produced versions) releases.

Ninja Man has returned to his former Kingston neighborhood with an aim of bringing peace to the Marl Road community. The highly volatile community has seen a series of gang-related and political violence that has left several members of the community dead, others injured, and businesses and schools closed. In late October, the Don Gorgon deejay Ninja, along with members of the community, security forces, and Shocking Vibes producer Patrick Roberts, launched their initiative. According to Ninja, “Mi not begging di man dem. Dis is something mi demanding, that Marl Road become a model community for peace. I am not going to let Marl Road go down. I don’t want to be no area don either.”

The Gleaner has an interview with pioneering rub-a-dub era DJ duo Michigan & Smiley. The pair got its start at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One label in the ’70s and have been active performers and artists since.

The UK’s three-day weekend, Boss Sounds Reggae Festival 2007, kicks off up north at Newcastle Carling Academy, Newcastle, November 23, 24, and 25. The showcase features performances by revered ska and rocksteady vets, including “Judge Dread” Prince Buster, silky singer John Holt (formerly of rocksteady act The Paragons), reggae crooner Ken Boothe, comical toaster Eek A Mouse, and Studio One legend Dennis Alcapone. The show will also feature premier roots vocalist Max Romeo and the mighty Trojan Sound System (pictured above).

On Saturday, December 1, the Booyaka concert will pay homage to reggae’s deceased artists, producers, and musicians. In colloquial Jamaican speech, “booyaka” signifies respect or a positive acknowledgment. Paying their respects to greats like Dennis Brown and Panhead will be Jack Scorpio, Merritone, and Kilimanjaro sound systems crews. Additionally, 44 reggae icons will be recognized on a Wall of Fame. Photographs and other historical information will also be on display.

According to the Star News, this holiday’s season’s hottest riddims will include Flava’s 83 riddim (featuring Queen Ifrica’s hit “Daddy”). The Star‘s Sharlene Suss also recommends we “look out for Delly Ranks new [riddim], Shoota.”

New Albums in Stores Now

Cultural RootsHell A Go Pop (Greensleeves)
A reissue of the vocal trio’s finest ’80s roots album.

Daddy RingsThe Most High (Rockers Town)
The underrated conscious reggae singjay splashes out with his best album to date.

TurbulenceLove Me For Me (Love Injection)
The rough and gruff Bobo dread’s latest collection.

Ras AttitudeTrodding Home (Green Sphere)
Virgin Island singer and DJ adds to already substantial album output.

Mikey GeneralConfidence In Jah Self (Qabalah)
Smooth-toned roots singer Mikey General’s excellent new set.

DJ Andy SmithTrojan Document (Trojan)
Portishead producer and hip-hop head takes on vintage Trojan cuts.

Strictly One Drop 2007 (Cousins)
Double-disc set of great one-drop reggae sounds from Sizzla, Natural Black, Maxi Priest, Lutan Fyah and more.

Reggae Rare Grooves (P-Vine Japan)
Zap Pow, The Chosen Few, Lloyd Parks and more get funky with ‘70s American-soul-inspired reggae covers.

Jamaica’sReggae Top Ten Singles Chart
1. Etana “Roots” (Freemind)
2. Sizzla “Show More Love” (Feed The Children)
3. Richie Spice “The World Is A Cycle” (Fresh Ear)
4. Edee & Irie Love “Revolution” (Unseen Label)
5. Noddy Virtue “Sang To Me” (Reflection)
6. Cocoa Tea “Poverty” (Minor 7 Flat 5)
7. Demarco “Fallen Soldiers” (Star Kutt)
8. Cecile “I’m Waiting” (Danger Zone)
9. Little Hero “Praise God” (Inspire)
10. Christopher Martin “Take My Love” (Fresh Ear)

Rob Sonic Sabotage Gigante

Another smart-ass triple-threat (rapping, producing, not sucking) from Def Jux, another slam-dunk for independent-minded hip-hop. Rob Sonic’s troubled-teen back-story puts him in good company with that label’s standouts like Aesop Rock and Cage, but his sneering, shotgun delivery hits harder, especially on the knockout “Brand New Vandals” and “Ready Aim Shoot.” And like the incredible El-P, Rob Sonic’s War-on-Terrorized lyricism is much needed, especially on tracks like “A Cold Cold War (I Loathed the 80s)” and “Rock the Convoy.” If we had more hip-hop heads like him, the cultural crossover wouldn’t suck so much ass. It would suck brains, right through the ears.

Jahcoozi feat. M.Sayyid “Hitech (Rustie Remix)”

Berlin-based trio Jahcoozi has always breathed excitement into the nu-dub genre, and “Hitech” is no exception. Now, Glasgow’s youngest electro-superhero Rustie serves up a glitchy remix full of intricate electronic instrumentation.

Jahcoozi feat. M.Sayyid – Hitech (Rustie Remix)

The Presets Prep New Single

It’s been a while since Australia-based duo The Presets released a new album (over two years in fact!), but with a short Australian tour with Daft Punk and member Kim Moyes releasing his “Wet N Wild” EP under the K.I.M. moniker, it looks like the duo is back in business. Further proof: the forthcoming single “My People.” Available to stream via the band’s MySpace page, the new track lives up to the Preset’s self-proclaimed “Industrial/Psychedelic/Techno” categorization, with brutal synth lines, KMFDM-esque breaks, and well, super poppy vocals.

Even given the band’s electro past–as indicated on 2005’s Beams–and its affiliation with blog posterboys Digitalism, Riot In Belgium, and the like, “My People” is far heavier than anything done by these peers. Released through Modular on December 18, this long-awaited 12” may bring back black clothes into the club. Check the Modular site for pre-order dates and, who knows, maybe even a new full-length?

The Quantic Soul Orchestra Tropidelico

As Quantic, Brit DJ and producer Will Holland has already made his love of funk and soul clear. But with the Quantic Soul Orchestra that love comes through clearer still. The group, an all-live, no-sample project, has a big-band sound, with bright, brassy horns layered over conga-filled percussion breaks. Funk is the driving force, but there’s hip-hop (guest J-Live’s flow over “She Said What?”), soul (Noelle Scaggs singing over “Lead Us to the End”), and plenty of Latin touches (like the cumbia rhythm of “San Sebastian Strut”) as well. Most of the cuts here are instrumental, with an emphasis on grooves that cut to the bone. What’s not to love?

Coughee Brothaz Waitin’ Our Turn

There’s a name for all the scoundrels and scalawags who turn up on Devin the Dude’s tales of debauchery: the Coughee Brothaz. “Coughee,” of course, is Devin-speak for that green sticky stuff, and Waitin’ Our Turn has all sorts of fun (see “Coughee in My Cup”) with the play on words. Predictably, the whole thing doesn’t play much differently than any of Devin’s recent solo albums and that’s sort of the point. When they’re not having fun with faux Cockney accents (“Rise and Shine”), Brothaz like Tony Mac, Manchild, and Juggmugg are talking strictly pussy, pot, and penis jokes (the rest of the album). What, you were expecting something else?

Photek Form & Function 2

Nine years after drum & bass producer Rupert Parkes’ first compilation of unreleased tracks follows its sequel, which caves to internet trainspotters by making the dubs of late-’90s jungle edits “One Nation” and “Saturated Hip Hop” available. Good thing, because along with the DJ Die & Clipse remix of the classic Full Cycle track “Thunder,” and Robert Owens’ elegantly vocalized “Things,” they’re the best of a can’t-help-but-seem-dated decade overview. The militaristic aggression on “Deadly Technology” is too heavy-handed for all but the fanatical, and “Industry of Noise” sounds like a cross between Pendulum and Nine Inch Nails. But there’s one bone for those still pissed that ’97 couldn’t last ’til infinity: TeeBee’s remix of “Ni Ten Ichi Ryu.”

Justice feat. Spank Rock and Mos Def “D.A.N.C.E.”

“D.A.N.C.E.” may be one of the most overplayed tracks of the year, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring this remix to our MP3 section. Benny Blanco chops and staggers Justice‘s original beats, while Spank Rock and Mos Def add their own lyrics to that ever-preset kids chorus, which you will undoubtedly be singing in your sleep for yet-another six months.

D.A.N.C.E. (Benny Blanco Remix Feat. Mos Def and Spank Rock)

Benny Blanco, Spank Rock, Mos Def and Remix Justice

We’ve heard “D.A.N.C.E.” by Justice more times in the last year than we’d like to recollect, but when we got word that Benny Blanco was remixing the track for RCRD LBL (a network of labels and blogs offering free, legal music as a means of promoting artists), we grabbed the nearest Technicolor t-shirt and headed back out to the dancefloor. Seriously, who would pass up the chance to hear Mos Def and Spank Rock singing “Do the D.A.N.C.E.” along with that kids chorus, then adding their own raps to Blanco’s chopped up beats. Now if only they’d release a video of this.

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