Artists To Listen To If You Like Major Lazer

It's kind of awkward when you think about it; dancehall had a huge boost in the mainstream (thanks, Sean Paul), but once it started to decline, Diplo'

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Complex Original

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It's kind of awkward when you think about it; dancehall had a huge boost in the mainstream (thanks, Sean Paul), but once it started to decline, Diplo's Major Lazer project grew. The hybrid, dancehall-meets-dance music vibe of the project has been met with much acclaim, with many producers and vocalists looking to get in on some of that Major Lazer vibe. And being that we at DAD like to explore multiple styles of dance music, it's always interesting to see Major Lazer doing so well, while a number of equally-ill producers not getting that hype. We have a feeling that those who have an itch for hearing more dancehall in their dance music will want to reference more than Major Lazer, right? We've come up with a group of producers that will help feed that need.

Ape Drums

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Recently, Slow Roast's DJ Craze expressed his love of Ape Drums' sound, specifically speaking on his ability to infuse the dancehall sound into his tracks. Makes sense that Slow Roast would release Ape Drums' latest single, "Bashment (Bun Dem)." You can hear the vibe perfectly in the tempo of the tune, but if you hit up our own We Keep It, Vol. 2 release, Ape Drums took it to the next level, truly encompassing everything that's amazing about dancehall and essentially giving it an EDM shine. He could be one of the best artists to check out if you're looking for the point where dancehall and EDM meet.

JSTJR

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New Hampshire's own JSTJR has been causing quite a stir over the last few years, but for good reason. He has no problem exploring a number of tropical vibes, bringing everything from moombahton to tarraxinha and incorporating them in his own sonic stew. The also includes a hearty dancehall vibe, which has shown itself in a number of his tunes. He already has support from Mad Decent and Enchufada, and is truly one of the few artists that everyone should be keeping their eyes on in 2014... and beyond.

Deejay Theory

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The man from San Francisco has been working with dancehall sounds for a minute now, and has made some of our favorite and enduring DJ tools. His work shows not only a deep knowledge of dancehall but of hip-hop and electronic dance music. Often he'll take ingredients from multiple genres and put them together like it always made sense. We've included only his most recent edit, but his SoundCloud is full of great stuff, most of it for free.

So Shifty

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The boys from Hamburg, Germany have been making dancehall and soca influenced tracks from the start. Success came quick with key releases on Mixpak, T&A, Mad Decent, and Top Billin, among others. They'll always hold a special place in my heart because Till from So Shifty made me (Brice) throw up seconds before a set at SXSW because he insisted we do one too many shots of tequila. That's the kind of energy they bring to their tracks. It's perfect party music for those crazy, messed up, hot, summer nights.

Schlachthofbronx

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Also hailing from Germany are Schlachthofbronx. Though they don't specialize in Caribbean-influenced EDM specifically, they make some really fun tropical bass tracks jam packed with a ton of energy. It's paid off, since they've toured with acts like M.I.A and dropped releases with Mad Decent, Mixpak, and Man Recordings just to name a few. Their live shows are straight up debauchery. They're an act that can make tracks that can be enjoyed on their own but work even better as DJ tools. A must have for your arsenal.

Dubbel Dutch

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The Austin native who now makes his home in Brooklyn works in a variety of global bass genres but earns his spot on this list with his amazing futuristic dancehall productions. His Self Help Riddims EP from last year is the perfect example of this sound. Along with some great remixes of the likes of Vybz Kartel, Aidonia and Leftside, it's no suprise he's found an important place in the Mixpak crew.

Dre Skull

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After Major Lazer and South Rakkas Crew, Dre Skull is the producer of this group who has done the most extensive work with established dancehall artists of the likes of Popcaan, Vybz Kartel, and Stylo G. In fact, he actually produced the entire Vybz Kartel Kingston Story album and had a large in hand in the Snoop Lion album. On top of all of that, he founded Mixpak Records, which has been one of the primary labels pushing this sound.

Murlo

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The UK's Murlo is one of the kings of deep, futuristic, bass driven dancehall. On top of this, he adds delicate, crystaline melodies to create music that is both hard and beautiful. When he takes this formula and mixes it with R&B vocals, he's unstoppable. He's one of the few EDM producers whose tracks I will play more than a year after they have come out. If you haven't checked him out yet, please, do yourself a favor and get that done. These are tracks that work as well on a sunny afternoon as in a night club.

Rizzla

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The influence of Caribbean sounds on the music of Brooklyn's Rizzla may not be as overt as others in this list, but it is no less strong. Whether it's a dancehall vocal over a club track or a dancehall beat infused into a deep bass music track, the elements are there, and it's why he's worked with future dancehall stalwarts Mixpak. He's worth checking out for his other global bass music offerings as well (there's a reason why he has releases with Fade to Mind) and his great DJ mixes (dude has done a Boiler Room).

Poirier

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Poirier is key to the global bass scene in Montreal and is definitely counted among the first to fuse Caribbean music and EDM. He's got skill at crafting party wrecking dancehall and soca tunes that have been released on key labels like Ninja Tune, Mixpak and Man Recordings. I've had the priviledge of seeing spin to a massive crowd at Montreal's annual Nuit Blanche art festival and the energy was through the roof. It's not surprising since he's been at this for more than 10 years.

South Rakkas Crew

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Even though we've seen them less of late, make no mistake, South Rakkas Crew were the originators of mixing electronic dance music and dancehall. I don't hesitate to say that they paved the way for all or at least most of the other acts in this feature. Led by D-Rakkas, they've been putting out what they've called "electro dancehall" since 2003. Their "Red Alert Riddim" from 2004 remains one of my all time faves. Also you need to grab their tune "Get Mad Again" that flips the synth line of Inner City's "Big Fun" immediately or else you have missed out on life. They've also done remixes for M.I.A, Lily Allen, and Diplo (among others).

Wildlife!

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Swiss act Wildlife! uses dancehall as a departure point for various explorations of tropical bass music. This has led him to put out some key releases with hot labels like Mixpak and Enchufada. Though the music is more experimental and less accessible then Major Lazer, some of the results can be more interesting. Of note is his self-released Roxy Reboot EP, which takes the punk and reggae fusion of the early 1980s and reinterprets the songs through today's global bass and dancehall artists. It sounds like a risky gamble, but the execution is perfect.

Chong X

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Hailing from the Czech republic, Chong X is a jack of all trades when it comes to global bass music. That being said, a quick perusal of his SoundCloud makes it clear there is an enormous influence of dancehall in his work. Though he has done a grip of more straighfowardly dancehall tracks he's also, much like Major Lazer, explored the combination of dancehall and other edm genres like moombahton, zouk bass, and cumbia. He's a really capable producer with a lot of fun remixes and edits. Most of them are free so I would strongly recommend exploring his extensive soundcloud stream.

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