The Groove Thief

The Groove Thief - 0:20 Massive Mix

Here’s 20 minutes of bangin’ reggae straight from Hong Kong! Huge tracks from Krak In Dub and Mungo’s Hi Fi bookend an uptempo modern digital mix with featured instrumentals and riddims from Black Chiney, Dub Breakah, FreeRoots & Youngheart, and Riddim Tuffa. A literal anthem appears from High Tone and Pupajim alongside a classically-inspired track from Collie Buddz, a tough vocal from The Beast, and Numa Crew’s alter-ego Gangsta No Play. Made for a mixxtape battle, this is loaded with choice tracks.

Available on both Mixcloud & Soundcloud as well as DIRECT DOWNLOAD.

This Saturday night (November 10th) I will be DJing with True Skool HK at their monthly rooftop party. If you’re in Hong Kong and like reggae, this is definitely worth going to - the scenery is great since Pier 7 (above the Star Ferry in Central) has a view of the whole city, and the music and vibes will of course be perfect as well. I’ll be playing a set of mostly modern tunes, with a focus on digital reggae, steppers dub, and other reggae-influenced beats. Since it’s public space it’s even BYOB until midnight, so come early and dance until late with 100% Reggae Dancehall! Only $120 at the door, which includes a free drink, and I’ll be joined behind the decks by DJs Ray Shizzle, Blood Dunza and Christian Da Phat Selekta. Here’s a recent mix of mine to get your ears ready for Saturday:

Tonight the dub drops in Hong Kong, as my new night - with MC Loki Dolo - begins at Midnight & Co. DIGITAL DUB will explore the vast expanses of the dub/reggae universe, with a focus on modern sounds and styles. For your listening pleasure here’s a 2-hour live promo mix, up on both Soundcloud and Mixcloud. This will be a bi-weekly event, first and third Thursdays of each month, so if you are in Hong Kong you have no excuse not to check out proper dub and reggae music - this IS NOT dubstep or bass, though there will be plenty of diverse influences throughout the night!

In a dancehall clearly inspired by 2 Many DJs, High Time Sound, DontCallMeJunior & Flash It Up Sound [more tunes here] have united forces to produce their “2 Many Selectaz Vol. 1” mixtape. Heavy on the hits, Capleton is mashed up with The Jackson 5, Anthony B is set atop Queen, Elephant Man meets Crookers, plus lots of strong uptempo riddims, all alongside productions from other modern dub/reggae heroes like J-Star, Krak In Dub, and MAFFI. Lots of rock, digital reggae, and dancehall madness are crammed into this hour long mix, and the best part is many of these productions are available for free download from the artists’ Soundcloud accounts. Hopefully this series will continue soon!

YT’s album Revolution Time explodes with fierce digital dancehall riddims, upon which the MC keeps it irie with talented and timely vocals. While guests Mungo’s Hi Fi, Solo Banton, and Mr. Williamz alone make this worth a listen, YT holds his own on the microphone on these strong tracks. Lead (and downloadable) single “Forward To Reality” is an indictment of modern times, “World News” gives the Dutty Diseases riddim an excellent workout, while closer “Heathen Agenda” is smooth with an upbeat vibe - balance is the key here, as YT includes a lot of different styles within the reggae-sphere. A nice mixtape from Ashanti Yard is available as well…

If you’re in need of some funky digital reggae to get the summer started right, then Jahtari has got a fresh mix for you: a Promo Mixtape for SKANK IT UP Paris that’s guaranteed to blow your head up. Full of productions from Jahtari’s stable of laptop wizards, label-head Disrupt features prominently as do banging tracks from Jahtari Riddim Force, Maffi, and Tapes. On the mic are talented MCs like Soom T, Mr. Williamz, and Kenny Knots, all of whom add up to make this a mighty mixtape indeed. The middle of the mix (Mr. Williamz -> Kenny Knots -> Speng Bond -> Maffi) gets particularly rocking and bass-heavy.

If you happen to live in Paris, you’re probably already swimming in great Parisian dub and reggae, but if you can surface for air you ought to get to this show in mid-July. For the rest of us, this rough-and-raw mix is the closest we’ll get:

Negritage! are truly exclamatory: this self-described lost son of King Tubby proudly carries the flag of analog dub high. Amidst echoes and reverberation, powerful mutated riddims emerge from the depths of southern Argentina. Plenty of free downloads abound, covering the range from the pulsating beat of “Digi Dub Era” to the smoothly melodic “Drumah Dubah” to the ambling warbles of the suitably-titled “Bass and Delay Battle” to the delightful and hopefully-not-mistyped ”Dubbing Into Thd Wild” which unleashes a melodica upon plinking synths and heady drums. Every track here is dub art, making Negritage! one of the more under-appreciated artists reviewed yet. Originally discovered via Dubbhism’s fine Strictly Analog Dubs, there are no-longer-hidden gems galore up on Soundcloud.

With tracks spanning decades and continents, my latest DJ mix Welcome To My Funky Digital Dancehall features a diverse mix of tunes designed to rock any dancehall.  With vocals and production work coming from England, Germany, Jamaica, South Africa, France, Portugal, Italy, India, and the United States, the multinational modern face of reggae is emphasized throughout this mix, which was made in Hong Kong.  Much respect to all of the artists, particularly Krak In Dub for the *EXCLUSIVE* track, 7FT Soundsystem, MC Zulu and Cast-A-Blast for the ongoing support, and of course to the mighty Tenor Saw, may he rest in peace - a true legend gone before his time.

Crafted, assembled, and edited using Ableton Live on a MacBook Pro.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD

Tracklisting:

1. Mr. Williamz - Herbzman Town

2. El Fata - London Town

3. Yami Bolo - Babylon System

4. 7FT Soundsystem - Come Fe Warn Dem Refix (The Groove Thief Re-Edit)

5. Krak In Dub - Marimbaa *EXCLUSIVE* - Fogata Sounds

6. Jammys Jam2 James - Peenie Peenie

7. Dedy Dread & DJ Rebel feat. Delhi Sultanate - Criss & Shine - Cast-A-Blast

8. Mochipet & MC Zulu - To The East

9. Sister Nancy - Bam Bam (DJ Fashen Remix)

10. Tenor Saw - Who’s Gonna Help Me Praise

Available on either Soundcloud or Mixcloud: