Smile Davis & Dj Maars - ULURU 002
18th September 2020
Smile Davis & Dj Maars
'Roots The Jewels' / 'Rocksteady Business'
(ULURU)
Uluru is back for its 2nd release, and it's another choice easy skankin' rubber-dub-mash-up-nugget. Roots reggae and hip hop acapellas go together like coffee and donuts, why is that? Maybe the warm rounded corners of roots reggae with a vocal that you know deep inside was a little more jarring has a softening effect, like you want to jump up jump up and get down, but instead, you slide your skankin' butt around the dancefloor instead? Hands in the air, or just a knowing smile as you lock into the groove? Something like that.
So when a producer nails the concept with a perfect marriage of rap and arrangement, it resolutely climbs above what could just be 'another mash-up' and is transformed into something that sounds original. And that is even if you know ALL the original sources. DJ Maars, in particular, has done just this on the B side with 'Rocksteady Business', a perfect arrangement of a de la rap, soulful vocal and a rocksteady jam, floating like a butterfly but with no sting.
Flip for the A-side and Run The Jewels are layered over another rocksteady riddim, there's also an instrumental of that (digital only). Personally I wish the instrumental was on the vinyl along with 'Rocksteady Business'. Anyways, waddayaknow, it's another B side winner for this reviewer! Click that buy button now, 50 copies ONLY on white vinyl, 250 on black. It will sell out.
