As we enter the fourth quarter of the year, music releases have slowed somewhat. Still, for many, the fourth quarter is the championship quarter. That time of the year when champions shine. It is a sign of endurance, a sign that one has it in them to triumph not just over their opponents but over the competition itself and its temporal boundaries. With dancehall listeners, it can be a detriment to ease up and and not have a presence during this latter part of the year as many classics were and continue to be popularized during this time. End-of-year hits tend the set the tone for the next year and as a result, often get raptured into the new-year hit lists. This month we have some interesting releases so without further hesitation; 7 reggae/dancehall songs worth streaming, released in October 2022.
This single is currently on fire in the streets of Jamaica. I went back and forth between this release and a more recent one by Valiant called C.A.L(Cut All Losses). Of course, North Carolina, according to the Broadcast Comission, is unfit for Television or radio airplay. However, I still chose this song simply because even though it doesn’t re-invent the choppa genre (which is the kind of creativity we all hope for in dancehall), it’s more musically rich than most songs of its ilk. Valiant is a talented singer and the melodic tone of his voice enhances the texture of the track which is also well-produced. I also chose this song because if I put on C.A.L in a party it will get a fawud, but if I put on North Carolina the whole place a lif up no question.
This track slaps significantly as one of October’s releases because of the beat and the infectious flow. Yaksta, although mentioning that this song was prerecorded, dropped it post JBC’s latest music ban. Lyrically the song does well at guiding the attention of the listener in an intentional way. This song works well as a criticism of dancehall’s love/hate relationship with controversy and the hypocrisy of the audience, but it still does well as a catchy memorable track that could easily become a hit. It’s critical, but it’s also creative and innovative, which is the best way to do criticism.
The heavy bass in this track is undeniable. This alone makes it ideal for transit or workout music since it gets the blood pumping. The beat itself is flagrant and inventive which we can hear in its simple but suggestive introductory horn. This easy-going groove later turns into the quick tempo bass heavy, outrage lyricism which is on brand for Malie and Brysco. Overall it’s a great vibe to just dance to while maintaining the rambunctious, unapologetic energy dancehall is known for.
This track may not necessarily be #1 and trending on youtube but it is one of the diamonds in the rough we often speak of when we say reggae/dancehall has a lot of powerful undiscovered music. The artist Jhoe Speng was a apart of a duo consisting of himself and his twin brother Jaidon who unfortunately passed away. This young artist is now left to discover the journey into music alone. The single is meditative and though it oozes pain and grief, the underlying message is embracing the life the transition.
The intro for this song has an operatic choir and a dark instrumental lul into Silk Boss’ sinister laugh that creates an interesting contrast for the title. The official music video pictures an actual choir and opens with Silk Boss in church with his gun. More high contrast symbology. Despite Silk Boss’ recent public woes, he continues to demonstrate that regardless of how he got the break, and the story being told of who gave it to him; he deserves to be here. The young man is genuinely talented and in this new track we can hear more of that, from melodies both high and deep to a rapidly developing lyrical aptitude. This one is a late entry, being released on October 30th but it was worth the wait.
This is another fun new track from some of dancehall’s youngest and most hilarious. 450 is known for hit songs like Journey, Gyal Thief, Be honest and recently Save Me Life, and has been a household name in dancehall music for roughly two years. Deno Crazy is both an artist and comedian, whom most will know through his comedic endeavors on social media as well as nationally syndicated programs like 876 Roommates. Deno however is known by his core fans for songs like Polo Fi Days and Crazy Way. As one of the most promising young artists of this time 450 has displayed true camaraderie by not only collaborating with the creative Deno Crazy for the track, but also fast rising director DJUnivision.
This is a nice addition to Lila’s growing discography. Singles like this are often underrated because they might not exactly come with news of an album or body of work, but they do an important job. Singles like these connect the narrative we have from songs like Where I’m Coming from. These in-between touches to an artist’s developing story can be crucial in creating a sense of continuity while establishing new essential details. The single is about money, but Lila does tell parts of her story as she professes her current goal and focus in life.
In This Story: 450, Brysco, Deno Crazy, Jhoe Speng, Lila Iké, Malie, Silk Boss, Valiant, Yaksta
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