Support NeoGAF

[QSD]

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BUMP THREAD
This thread used to start off with an introduction about the stressful times on the forum, but things seem to have calmed down some (knocking on wood) so it no longer seems as appropriate. Anyway, I thought it would be nice to start a thread where everyone can just chill and collect their thoughts while listening to some easy grooves. I'll kick off with some favorites and am interested to see whatever anyone wants to contribute. Although I love reggae music I have far from an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre so I'm genuinely curious to see what comes up. I'm not a purist btw, so it doesn't matter to me whether it's from Jamaica or somewhere else, just as long as it's reggae/dub-ish.

So first off it's 'Israelites' by Desmond Dekker. This was actually one of the first pieces of Jamaican music that went around the world, even before the genre was called 'reggae' proper. Still, you can already hear what's coming. Never fails to cheer me up, and (thanks to the lyrics) it's an ideal song to make waking up and going to work a little easier.



Dub FX is a street artist from 'straya who really knows his way around a looping rig and travels around the world with his extremely mobile sound system to collaborate with other artists/vocalists. I really like this collab with Forelock, a singer from Sardinia, Italy who has an awesome voice for reggae



Jah Lude is a reggae singer from ethiopia who sings in his native language. It's actually interesting to see reggae coming from Ethiopia as it's the country of Haile Selassie, the erstwhile emperor who Rastafarians believe is their god/devotional figure. Selassie actually visited Jamaica in his lifetime, drawing huge crowds and outpourings of adulation. Afterwards he granted some land to the rastafari movement, so that any who wished could return to the continent of their ancestors.



Hollie Cook is the daughter of the drummer of the Sex Pistols(!) and her 1st album "Milk and Honey" is definitely a modern reggae classic



This last track is a supremely easy cover of A-Ha's 'Take on me" I heard while sitting on a Caribbean beach in Belize in 2019. I don't know much about it other than I like it better than the original!

 

[Maiden Voyage]

 

[joedan]

Cant go wrong with Dennis Brown.

 

[Ionian]

A classic

 

[QSD]

Great contributions so far, thanks!

One of my best friends is an Eek-a-Mouse fan, but I never heard this track before. I think he (Eek) did a collaboration with Dub FX quite recently.

Cant go wrong with Dennis Brown.

Great live performance and LOL at that dancer in the pink outfit, never heard this before.

A classic

Great choice. I'm pretty sure that acapella "wooh... yeah" in the intro was a very popular sample in late 80ies early 90ies hiphop and eurodance music, so hopefully there was an unexpected retirement fund of royalties for the T&M

 

[Old Retro]

I've listened to reggae for decades and have a few 100 CDs, lots of vinyl, and plenty of MP3s. Taped several hundred hours of radio shows in the 90s and early millennium. All from mento to early ska, and favorites dub, roots reggae and 90s dancehall.

Smoodest riddims fi you:






jazzy fusion






I remember hearing this on the radio in 98 Bought the CD as soon as I could find it.



Much like rap, most reggae I hear nowadays has become a mumbly shitfest of autotuned trash. Not this pure gem of a song!



I'll throw in a rugged dancehall track to balance out todays selection, seen!

 

[down 2 orth]

Two of the best artists in modern reggae:

 

[DarkestHour]

Thank you for this.

 

[QSD]

Awesome contributions

Thanks for these man, great stuff with a lot of variety. I didn't know a single track of these. I liked the Peter Broggs track the best, that's been stuck in my head for the last evening. Buckshot Lefonque I know pretty well, his track "another day" was a big hit here in holland, I didn't know about the reggae connection though. There was a lot of lounge/jazz/dub crossover going on at the turn of the millenium. My favorite example/recommendation is "The Black Album" by The Rockers HiFi, considering these tracks you posted you'd probably love it.
Mad Professor was actually my last gig pre-corona lockdown. He was being very fussy about the sound system so it wasn't as fun as hoped I have to admit. This kind of digidub / dub-electronica crossover is actually most of what I have in my own collection in terms reggae/dub, so I love the style.

Two of the best artists in modern reggae:

Haven't heard this before. Such a chill track, "I go where the trade wind blows" YES PLEASE! god I want to travel again

Anyway, all these suggestions have unearthed new inspiration so here's a couple more tracks that pop to mind

This track has been on my chill playlist forever, Old Retro 's recommendation brought it to mind. It's almost meditative, with the flutes and all.



Another "dub youtuber" (like dub fx and forelock) that I love is Paolo Baldini Dubfiles. His skills on the analogue mix desk are truly a sight to behold.



Burnt Friedman (I think he's austrian) combines dub reggae with a penchant for extremely meticulous sound design.

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

So in these stressful times when tempers flare and flame wars erupt, I thought it would be nice to start a thread where everyone can just chill and collect their thoughts while listening to some easy grooves. I'll kick off with some favorites and am interested to see whatever anyone wants to contribute. Although I love reggae music I have far from an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre so I'm genuinely curious to see what comes up. I'm not a purist btw, so it doesn't matter to me whether it's from Jamaica or somewhere else, just as long as it's reggae/dub-ish.

So first off it's 'Israelites' by Desmond Dekker. This was actually one of the first pieces of Jamaican music that went around the world, even before the genre was called 'reggae' proper. Still, you can already hear what's coming. Never fails to cheer me up, and (thanks to the lyrics) it's an ideal song to make waking up and going to work a little easier.



Dub FX is a street artist from 'straya who really knows his way around a looping rig and travels around the world with his extremely mobile sound system to collaborate with other artists/vocalists. I really like this collab with Forelock, a singer from Sardinia, Italy who has an awesome voice for reggae



Jah Lude is a reggae singer from ethiopia who sings in his native language. It's actually interesting to see reggae coming from Ethiopia as it's the country of Haile Selassie, the erstwhile emperor who Rastafarians believe is their god/devotional figure. Selassie actually visited Jamaica in his lifetime, drawing huge crowds and outpourings of adulation. Afterwards he granted some land to the rastafari movement, so that any who wished could return to the continent of their ancestors.



Hollie Cook is the daughter of the drummer of the Sex Pistols(!) and her 1st album "Milk and Honey" is definitely a modern reggae classic



This last track is a supremely easy cover of A-Ha's 'Take on me" I heard while sitting on a Caribbean beach in Belize in 2019. I don't know much about it other than I like it better than the original!

Awesome thread man. Desmond Dekker is a legend. I always liked the sound of It Mek



I like the switch up to more hard edged dance hall type of reggae thst came about in the early 90s, but these classic reggae tunes are so good in their own right. Love me some Junior Murvin



Of course can't mention this classic style of reggae without bringing up Sister Nancy. Yesh it's been sampled to death, yeah it's kind of a cliche pick but fuck it. I love this song so much.

 

[Lemonade by Beyonce]

I went to an eek-a-mouse show in SF in 9th grade and found my history teacher smoking a joint. He would not share. This is my contribution.

 

[down 2 orth]

Awesome thread man. Desmond Dekker is a legend. I always liked the sound of It Mek



I like the switch up to more hard edged dance hall type of reggae thst came about in the early 90s, but these classic reggae tunes are so good in their own right. Love me some Junior Murvin



Of course can't mention this classic style of reggae without bringing up Sister Nancy. Yesh it's been sampled to death, yeah it's kind of a cliche pick but fuck it. I love this song so much.

That Sister Nancy song is so iconic. I used to play it at house parties, and it was great for getting people dancing.

 

[QSD]

Awesome thread man. Desmond Dekker is a legend. I always liked the sound of It Mek

the classic 60ies tube-y sound really gives these old tracks some extra flavour.

I like the switch up to more hard edged dance hall type of reggae thst came about in the early 90s, but these classic reggae tunes are so good in their own right. Love me some Junior Murvin

I like this one, the falsetto style singing gives it a soul vibe (that and the disco decor LOL)

Of course can't mention this classic style of reggae without bringing up Sister Nancy. Yesh it's been sampled to death, yeah it's kind of a cliche pick but fuck it. I love this song so much.

Such a classic track, insta-catchy and like down 2 orth says even your grandma loves it


let's see, you said 90ies? I don't know exactly what you mean by dancehall (like Shaggy type stuff?) but here's a couple of tracks of dubby electronica I know:

this was a pretty big hit when I was like 12, it's got fatboy slim on the bass, long before he got famous



this track by Leftfield is darker, but an absolute tune and you can already hear some prefigurations of dubstep in it



and this (instrumental) track is made by Rollo Armstrong (of Faithless fame) minimalist but trippy and evocative

 

[Maiden Voyage]

the classic 60ies tube-y sound really gives these old tracks some extra flavour.


I like this one, the falsetto style singing gives it a soul vibe (that and the disco decor LOL)

Such a classic track, insta-catchy and like down 2 orth says even your grandma loves it


let's see, you said 90ies? I don't know exactly what you mean by dancehall (like Shaggy type stuff?) but here's a couple of tracks of dubby electronica I know:

this was a pretty big hit when I was like 12, it's got fatboy slim on the bass, long before he got famous



this track by Leftfield is darker, but an absolute tune and you can already hear some prefigurations of dubstep in it



and this (instrumental) track is made by Rollo Armstrong (of Faithless fame) minimalist but trippy and evocative

Leftfield rules.

 

[Kadayi]

 

[QSD]

classic tune, famously sampled by The Prodigy so I'll make a slight rave excursion...

 

[Old Retro]

Been drinking Jamaican rum all night... more songs from your #1 selecta lady







Good if you are smoking ganja or not



Listen if 2020 beat the shit out of you. Will get you out of bad times...






100% stress filled

 

[Hazzard4life]

The only mouse Inna de world who can sing..... This is is a name I haven't heard in 30. Well played

 

[edbrat]

\o/

 

[QSD]

Been drinking Jamaican rum all night... more songs from your #1 selecta lady

great contributions

I envy the rum! I loved The Gladiators the most. Augustus Pablo is also cool but he's better on the melodica than as a singer! (if it's him that's singing). Your last recommendation is a timely reminder that reggae can also be social commentary.

Which reminds me of this truth bomb

Leftfield rules.

if you like Leftfield, this album could be right up your alley... it's up there with my favourite all time dj mixes



also, try this (veering slightly from the reggae theme but dubby alright)

\o/

Lol this is gold, never heard of this before!

My favourite british band is The Coral (at least they were in their early years) and they have a pretty pervasive reggae influence

 

[Delf]

I was a white boy in the 90's and around 14 I stumbled onto BET 'Caribbean Rhythms' and fell in love. To this day I know every Bob Marley song by heart... but it didn't stop there.
Thr dance hall grabbed me when I found my first 'Selectah Bam Bam' mix tape..

 

[Delf]

I enjoyed the late 90's hip-hop ragga cross over also.




All time favorite Remix using 90's rap beats


The original tho, early 90's ragga hip hop cross over (and some Super Cat could also be included)

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I did not realize how much I needed this thread. Jah bless, Op QSD

Also, those recs are straight fire

 

[#Phonepunk#]

 

[Delf]

Is Jungle also ok? I feel like I'm posting more rude boy style stuff rather then rasta stuff lol

 

[down 2 orth]

I was a white boy in the 90's and around 14 I stumbled onto BET 'Caribbean Rhythms' and fell in love. To this day I know every Bob Marley song by heart... but it didn't stop there.
Thr dance hall grabbed me when I found my first 'Selectah Bam Bam' mix tape..

Pirate's Anthem is so catchy it'll stay in my head for days. In this anti-rebel world we live in today, you can thank Jamaican music for keeping it real.

 

[down 2 orth]

Here are some of my favorites:







And for the ganja smokers, you can smoke to this:

 

[Delf]

Pirate's Anthem is so catchy it'll stay in my head for days. In this anti-rebel world we live in today, you can thank Jamaican music for keeping it real.

I remember ordering the CD's for a penny from Columbia house. That's how I got Shabbas Rough and Ready Vol 1 and Xtra Naked.
Had Pirates Anthem on one (and of course the chart topping "Mr Lover Man" and Ting a Ling) but damn there was so much fire on those albums.



Then in 95, on a trip to the beach I snagged A Mi Shabba which of course was more fire.








I feel like Shabba never got the respect he deserved due to his short main stream success and... "Mr Ugly Man!" LOL

 

[edbrat]

Is Jungle also ok? I feel like I'm posting more rude boy style stuff rather then rasta stuff lol

love Shy FX, I was in a dance tent at a festival some years back when he dropped Everyday well that was a hectic and awesome three minutes of my life

 

[QSD]

OMG I'm building up a back catalogue here. But since we're on a d & b excursion



Also here's a special dedication to all our libertarian guests. I used to open my chill sets with this track: warning extremely deep bass, needs SUB

I got stranded because hearing the intro to this triggered a really REALLY deeply buried memory of having worked with that sample or having it in another track somewhere. I sent it to my musical collaborator in the hopes of getting some kind of foothold but no luck so far.

 

[edbrat]

I'm now half drunk and ripping through some old favourites, Heads High, Mr Vegas:



Lady vocalists represent, Loyd and Claudette



I must warn you it is illegal to listen to this unless you're caned af, Tribe of Issachar



Max Tannone mash up of Jonny Too Bad and Mos Def, just ring the fire alarm already

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

It's a remix of the legendary Bob Marley but such a chill song I'll put it on weekly. My daughter loves this song at 8 years old and we just roll on feeling the love when driving and singing along together.

 

[QSD]

Never heard this before, another cool history lesson. He did an album with The Orb in the early 2000's but it was a bit naff

Shabba Ranks career restrospective

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would LOL

I'm now half drunk and ripping through some old favourites, Heads High, Mr Vegas:

I know this one! When I was a student and working in the supermarket my colleagues from Surinam and the Dutch Antilles were big into this guy. This and the wu-tang.

It's a remix of the legendary Bob Marley but such a chill song I'll put it on weekly. My daughter loves this song at 8 years old and we just roll on feeling the love when driving and singing along together.

that's a really nice remix, the bass drop is unexpected and cool.

That reminds me of the weirdest Bob Marley remix I know. Brace yourselves one and all, for The Mungolian Jetset

 

[Delf]

Little respect for the 'Queen of the Pack' who brought the butterfly dance to us all in the mid-90's







You did NOT live through the 90's mix tape era with out KRS Ones main man..
(The Real Thing album is a 10/10 Hip-Hop/Reagge 90's masterpiece. No bad tracks ) Absolutely defines mid 90's boom bap..reggae.









Dougie Fresh blessed us with this...kid lol



Smiff n Wesson blessed us with this fire



And can't forget just radio heavy fire we had..

 

[Delf]

 

[Porcile]

What ever happened to Tarrus Riley? After Parables I thought he was gonna be huge when I heard that album, but I guess he dropped off.

 

[Migu]

Thanks for all the recommendations! I discovered Hollie Cook a couple of years ago, like her very much (Angel Fire!). I don't know much about reggae except that I like it Best album I got was "Roots 'N' Culture", full of great songs.

Here's some of my favourites.
Bob Marley - Rat Race


Toots and the Maytals - Pressure drop


The Abyssinians - Jah Loves


Culture - Behold


Anthony B - My Hope



Edit - Bonus track!

 

[Delf]

This thread had my jamming to a bunch of stuff yesterday lol My buddies heard and now are bugging me to compile a playlist for them. Been doing that all night.
I'll share some more. Like my other things above, its mostly late 80's-mid 90's stuff that was found on a lot of NY/NJ mix tapes and/or found through out the NYC hip-hop club scene (they all had a ragga night or better yet the room up stairs that smelled like the finest weeeeeed!)

 

[lock2k]

While I'm not a huge Reggae fan, I have an open mind for music and I'll check out the tracks in this thread.

There is one reggae song that I love and it's very nostalgic to me:

 

[QSD]

Just a heads up that I'll be at work till late in the evening so I won't have much time to respond until late this evening. I feel like I'm getting a personalized guided tour, amazing contributions!

 

[Vow of Silence]

Thanks for this thread.

 

[Ornlu]

@hariseldon world riddum

 

[down 2 orth]

A few more goodies:

 

[QSD]

Little respect for the 'Queen of the Pack' who brought the butterfly dance to us all in the mid-90's

[

The top link is doesn't work in 'my region' (the netherlands) but I had to smile with nostalgia at the second track, it just oozes the 90ies out of every pore, the whole R&B production...

You did NOT live through the 90's mix tape era with out KRS Ones main man..
(The Real Thing album is a 10/10 Hip-Hop/Reagge 90's masterpiece. No bad tracks ) Absolutely defines mid 90's boom bap..reggae.

I enjoyed the Mad Lion tracks but I'm not super into hip hop in general so my attention waned a little here...

...but I'm glad I stuck with it because I love this track, and I haven't heard it in YEARS. Thanks!



Here's my favorite hiphop/reggae collab (it's also a pretty good track for the current moment) and Old Retro this is definitely my "such is life" track



also wanna drop this Dub FX track, I never heard of this rapper Chali 2NA before but I love his flow and lyrics on this track plus now I know what it would be like if neill degrasse tyson were my crazy rapping uncle

 

[QSD]

Thanks for all the recommendations! I discovered Hollie Cook a couple of years ago, like her very much (Angel Fire!). I don't know much about reggae except that I like it Best album I got was "Roots 'N' Culture", full of great songs.

Haven't listened to Angel Fire much yet (I have a significant 'backlog' where music is concerned). Do you have a favourite track?

Here's some of my favourites.
Bob Marley - Rat Race

Can't argue with Bob!

Toots and the Maytals - Pressure drop

This is another one I haven't heard in a long time but love. Used to be on one of my favorites playlists but dunno why it left...

The Abyssinians - Jah Loves


Culture - Behold

'HARDER THAN THE REST' LOL the contrast with the music is striking. If "behold, I come quickly" is gonna be your chorus you're gonna be inviting some trolling

Anthony B - My Hope

This guy sure knows how to get mileage out of his backing singers

Edit - Bonus track!

Whoah that brass section is pretty impressive. I dunno why nobody is smiling though, there's a weird "forced seriousness" about this which doesn't sit well with me.

 

[QSD]

This thread had my jamming to a bunch of stuff yesterday lol My buddies heard and now are bugging me to compile a playlist for them. Been doing that all night.
I'll share some more. Like my other things above, its mostly late 80's-mid 90's stuff that was found on a lot of NY/NJ mix tapes and/or found through out the NYC hip-hop club scene (they all had a ragga night or better yet the room up stairs that smelled like the finest weeeeeed!)

well good to hear I managed to send you down memory lane, this first one bears repeating on account of the message

I really loved this one, that guy's voice is just crazy. Also, look how baked he is in that picture

 

[bender]

Somewhat related but in my feed this weekend.

 

[Old Retro]

There's like 100 irie songs on this one epic page! Here's some more to nice up your week!

brings back simple times for me



Never heard of Reggae Cowboys? Well you have now!



more sleng teng fi you, sing along if you can



always gotta include female DJ



semi dub, semi drum & bass, all good



picked up this CD in 1997

 

[QSD]

A few more goodies:

This one is proper chill but with a sentimental streak. Nice, but I need a handkerchief.

Are you big on the whole 432 Hz thing? What's the conspiracy status of that LOL?

 

[QSD]

Somewhat related but in my feed this weekend.

This was gold BTW so random