Description:
A two CD compilation of dancehall – disc one is entitled ‘new runnins’, with all but one track from the last two years, and the second is called ‘classic runnins’ with tracks dating back to 82.
Which means?
43 tracks and 150 minutes of unintelligible lyrics and a track by Aswad.
Is it much cop?
Well, I guess that’s a matter of perspective and all depends on whether you like reggae and dancehall, for me though – it’s no cop at all.
How many good tracks?
Not many, about seven or eight at most and all of these are from the ‘classic’ disc.  These would include the contributions by Gregory Issacs, Dennis Brown, Barrington Levy, Frankie Paul and ‘Ganja Smuggling’ by Eek A Mouse. There is an obvious pattern here though as the better music is mostly the older and is much more reggae than dancehall. Standout track here is the early 80s classic ‘Cocaine In My Brain’ by Dillinger, a funky slice of reggae if ever I heard one.
And the bad?
Despite the ‘new’ disc being the worst of the two discs', overall the worst track is from the ‘classic’ disc and I really don’t think I’ve ever heard anything quite so aurally offensive as ‘Dancehall Good To We’ by Papa San. It’s a reworking of ‘Dub Be Good To Me’ by Beats International (one of Norman Cook’s earlier incarnations) and has all the quality, charm and musical sophistication of Timmy Mallet’s cover of ‘Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’.
Biggest disappointment:
That I don’t know the girl featured on the cover and inlay.
Verdict:
If you enjoy your contemporary dancehall then you’d probably get a kick out of this and it might even introduce you a more laidback style of classic reggae on the second disc. I can’t think that this would appeal to anyone else though.  And to me?  Well, I developed an antipathy towards reggae in Thailand where every other beach bar seemed to be reggae themed.  A month of Bob Marley murals, Jamaican flags and reggae beats were enough to sour my taste for a while and the current crop of modern dancehall serves only to re-ignite those feelings as it lack’s a fundamental thing – quality.
(1/5)