From the shores of Salento, in South Italy, production duo Papa Leu and Rankin Lele aka Adriatic Sound have built the “Italian Bomb Riddim” dropped last 25th of January 2019. The riddim itself invokes a late 90’s early 2000 dancehall vibe; a driving bass-line with a teasing, guitar heavy, steel pan tinged melody that makes a direct connection. The select crew of 3 dancehall mainstays: Bay C, Elephant Man and Anthony B, deliver equally classic dancehall performances. Fresh talent from yard is given a focus on the Likkle Charlie track, while the producers, Rankin Lele and Papa Leu themselves deliver the fifth track of the juggling.
A “High Grade” track, is what Anthony B brings to the juggling, with a vibrant declaration of his sacramental use of cannabis. In “Welcome to Italy”, Elephant Man shares his love for all Italian things. From Salento to shoes, Ele is back at his lyrical best, delivering a track that captures the joyful irreverence of the south coast and connects it to his Jamaican core. Bay C, from TOK family, similarly cross connects cultures in “Pepper Pot”, voicing his appreciation for the ladies, especially Salento’s scotch bonnet hot senoritas, in patois and in Italian! Salentino dialect is less known than patois, but Rankin Lele and Papa Leu’s delivery of “Prova Cu Te Movi” showcase it in a way that already has the streets of Salento buzzing. In a listening, the riddim gives the sense that Likkle Charlie’s “Walk and Talk” is as much an order to all listeners, as it is a playful freestyle by the relative unknown.
The last track of the compilation, in perfect Jamaican style, is the instrumental “Italian Bomb Riddim”, produced by Rankin Lele and Papa Leu for Adriatic Sound and arranged with the drummer Antonio “Fossa Drummer” Miglietta and the keyboardist Alessandro “Maestro” Garofalo. Recorded in Salento, in Italy between Adriatic Sound Studio and Sud Sound System Studio, and mastered by Jamoi “J-twiss” Monteith at the Clearsonix Production Studio of Kingston in Jamaica.
Big tings a gwaan inna Italy!!!
