WEEKEND MIX 7.29.11: REGGAE LOVE

Being stuck in an office while the Summer is in full effect outside, is not a good feeling. Even when the heat is almost unbearable, it still feels like the season is slowly slipping away. Of course, I’m not necessarily stuck indoors like some sort of prisoner, the 9 to 5 is not that oppressing. But, coupled with the hours spent working on the new 1200Dreams, and of course performing my family duties, and trying to maintain a semblance of a social life, it’s almost like there has been no Summer at all. Until I throw on the Reggae.

Reggae is good no matter what time of the year it is, but it most surely feels the most right during the Summer months. Press play on some Roots Reggae, put some Dancehall on blast, and suddenly, you’re transported to that island where this most wonderful genre originated, Jamaica.

I can listen to Bob Marley on repeat for days, even weeks on end, no exaggeration, but I often like to delve into the recent classics, and also go digging for the new sounds; the following two mixes present a nice combo of the two. First up, is a mix by DJ Denkym from the Knocksteady crew out of Los Angeles.

Denkym and his fellow table mates bring some deep creativity to their sets, and Denkym does the same here, mixing classic Roots Reggae and pumping new Dancehall jams that will get you pondering and pounding on the dancefloor, just what good Reggae is meant to do, right?

Wrapping ‘tings up’, is Scotty Tamatea and his mix ‘Irie Reggae Control’. Though Tamatea is from an island, he could hardly be any further from Jamaica; serving as a testament to the power and reach of Reggae, Tamatea comes to us via New Zealand. Despite an unfortunate skip deep into the mix, he still brings it with a melodic, wide ranging, and yes, spiritual mix of truly chill Roots Reggae in its purest form, that more than does the job!

If like me, you’re stuck working in an office for a great deal of the day, then press play on these two mixes and meet me in Jamaica!

DJ DENKYM

SCOTTY TAMATEA