Welcome back to “Selector’s Choice,” our weekly look inside what our favorite DJs and selectors are holding in their record bags and hard drives right now. This week, we check in with the homie EchoSlim, out in New York, for a mixed bag of Soca, House, Reggae Hip-Hop, Roots and Rapso.
Greetings, massive! EchoSlim here on the check in. I’ve been in the studio a lot more these days, but whenever I’m spinning in a club, or at a stage show, I like to do what I believe all DJs and Selectors should do…. break records!!! Here are a few tracks that you might not know about now, but will likely end up on your playlist after taking a listen.
Luciano – Change Dem Ways
Produced by master engineer, Nicko Rebel, Luciano is in rare form with this track. Its always nice to drop music with a strong message in a dance and see the people react to it. Nicko has been releasing a string of great one drop and roots tracks throughout the years. This is definitely something for the dub listeners and all reggae lovers.
DJ Autograph & Bounty Killer – Truffle Butter War Lord Medley
DJ Autograph delivers with this sick remix over the “Truffle Butter” instrumental from Nicki Minaj’s The Pink Print. This is the best Bounty Killer remix I’ve heard in years. “Truffle Butter” has a hip-hop/house vibe to it and Autograph meshes some of Killer’s most popular tracks with the already groovy instrumental. This reminds me of the great Bounty remixes from the 90s.
Walshy Fire & Kelissa & Keznamdi – Live For Today
This is probably the sickest track I’ve heard all year. Given his Black Chiney and Major Lazer pedigree, Walshy Fire went totally left with this one in my opinion, and it worked. Well played, Walshy. Kelissa’s voice sounds angelic on this track, and Keznamdi went off. I had no clue he could deejay that aggressively.
J. Nation & CYN – Hard Work
This is world music at its finest. It has a soft rock vibe with some Latin flair, all glued together with some love from the Caribbean. Producer J. Nation, aka Jus Bus, stepped out from behind the control boards and into the recording booth to voice a potential classic. The video has been No. 1 on Tempo for the past few weeks. This is the definition of feelgood music, even with the serious message.
Bunji Garlin & Ataklan – Renegade Soca
Hype. Vibes. Madness. Probably the best definitions of this song. We all know “Like Ah Boss” and “Party Done” were big soca songs for the 2015 Carnival season, but this song was easily the most underrated and underpromoted song of the season. Produced by the great production duo, Jus Now, Bunji starts off with bare lyrics and straight bars. Then, out of no where, Mr. Rapso himself, the Midnight Robber aka Ataklan, finished the track off. This is the definition of jump up.
Bottles Belafonte, Anita Will & Bobby Pheenix – Love Matters
The nephew of the great guitarist and producer, Willie Lindo, and cousin of Kashief Lindo, artist Bottles Belafonte has a rap flow that was born in Kingston (JA) seasoned in Queens (NY) and now shines in Miami (FL). He’s all about spreading love and good vibes with his music, and he shows us in “Love Matters.”
Toian – Love it
One of my favorite songs right now, “Love It” is just an all around good song. Produced by Sean Alaric of Class One Music, Toian straight vibes up the track with her one-of-a-kind voice. Something reminiscent of dancehall in 1980s, you could slip this in after a Super Cat, Barrington Levy or Little John without a hitch.
Kieran Meadows & EchoSlim – “Ram Pa Pa Pam Pam”
This mixed-genre remix is produced by myself and the multi-talented Kieran Meadows. He’s the drummer of a great hip-hop band called Illegalize, a DJ, journalist, and LargeUp contributor. I call this one a “Doubles” with everything slight. Its slightly reggaeton, slightly dancehall, slightly electronic, and slightly Buju. Something for the ladies to wine their waists to.