After blasting onto the scene on the biggest dancehall tune of the year, “Clarks,” Portmore’s Popcaan has since proved himself as one of the most talented vocalists in the genre. Coming up as Vybz Kartel’s protégé, the young man has lent his distinctive voice to an arsenal of bashment hits, from ghetto laments to party smashers. Most recently, this past fall Popcaan was the first dancehall artist since Sean Paul to have his track playlisted on the BBC and big things are set to follow for the “Raving King.”
Popskull now is teaming up with Dre Skull for a series of Mixpak releases, the first being the single “Get Gyal Easy”. Dre Skull’s shaking bass crescendos and minor key string stabs provide the backbone for an emotional gallis anthem, a slow-burning and euphoric bashment tune that showcases Popcaan’s versatile singjay style.
After being playlisted on BBC 1Xtra on the day of its release in January, ‘Get Gyal Easy’ now keeps in the Mixpak tradition of the remix EP, getting the rework treatment from UK dancehall ambassador, Toddla T, alongside collaborator Cass Lowe, and Montreal’s forward-thinking soca producer, Poirier.
Toddla T & Cass Lowe take the ‘Raving King’ moniker to its limits, keeping the deep bass intact while chopping the vocals and even layering in some steel drums to produce an anthemic UK funky track whose synth-filled chorus will take you into festival euphoria. Across the pond, Poirier’s offering keeps the island vibe strong, pushing the bpm to 160 and transforming the original into a hyperactive soca track fit for any carnival, complete with synthlines reminiscent of 90s UKG.
Get Gyal Easy Remixes package is Mixpak pushing dancehall to the edge, keeping the collaborations fresh and the music fresher.
