Words by DJ Theory —
Big Mixtape Mondays on deck today, celebrating 50 years of JA raving in the UK, JA Independence Day and of course good music worldwide. A string of essential classics, UK bashment, bass, dancehall, hip hop and more squeeze their way in this week, with big sounds and vibes from Switzerland, UK, NYC and JA. Get some below:
The Heatwave, Five Million Rewinds: In honor of JA Independence Day, you know we had to include this monumental commemorative mixtape from our own UK contributor Gabriel Heatwave. As one of top sound systems in the UK, Gabriel has been running mixtapes, raves and generally covering Caribbean culture on that side of the pond for a minute now, and now boasts the Five Million Rewinds tape to add fuel to the fire. The mix is a journey through the biggest UK anthems to come out of Jamaica over the last 50 years, showcasing the massive extent to which Britain’s music has been influenced by JA, from the time of gaining its independence until the present. From Jimmy Cliff and Prince Buster to Stylo G and Sean Paul, this mixtape serves as a comprehensive and quick-mixed vibe of 50 years JA raving in the UK, with full salute to JA’s Golden Jubilee. Stream and download below, tracklist and info here.
Saydis, Above And Beyond Mixtape: Young Portmore, JA rapper Saydis is back with a new mixtape, adding to his already growing catalog of material. You can hear in the production and Saydis’s vocal delivery on this project that his sound is evolving. Produced primarily by Scotty JLA, of music collective Kid Dreamer, of which Saydis also reps, the tape incorporates a heap of different experiences and tones, and also flexes some of the artist’s diversity in the booth. If you’re unfamiliar with this up-and-comer in the rather sparse world of JA hip hop, this would be the place to start. Stream and download individual cuts below, download the full mixtape here.
WILDLIFE!, Nasty FM Summer Jam: Our dude from Switzerland WILDLIFE! always comes proper with the mixes, throwing tropical heat and future vibes into the pot from every angle. Tunes and remixes from Machel Montano, Bounty Killer ft. Cecile, Vybz Kartel, Azealia Banks, Famous Eno, Dubbel Dutch, some kuduro trap vibes from Branko (of Buraka Som Sistema fame) ft. Dominique Young Unique, and of course some WILDLIFE! originals compliment this quick and breezy trip. Stream below.
Murlo, Fireworks 42 (via Brooklyn Radio): The man like Murlo back with more mixtape love for you, this time cooked up for the lovely and badd Jubilee. Her regular radio show Fireworks hosts some of the top bass gigolos in the game, gyrating between many different sounds and influences each edition. For this round Jubilee leads off with some bits, including a couple cuts from Dre Skull’s wildly infectious Kling Klang riddim. Murlo does what he does best after, dipping into funky, soca, grime, bashment and a few originals in fine style. Stream below, full tracklist and download here.