Last December, we highlighted Dinamarca‘s No Hay Break EP, which was label Staycore‘s inaugural release. The label was co-founded by the producer and Ghazal, and we just knew right away it was attention-worthy. Their latest 13-track compilation, SUMMER JAMS 2K15, proved us right. It’s packed with enough body-pumping tunes to soundtrack this whole hot season, plus they’re giving it away for free.
The compilation travels around the world, gathering producers from places as diverse as Germany, Mexico, Croatia, Chile, and Sweden, making this a global bass feast. Dinamarca appears a couple of times – be it connecting dembow and dancehall on “Sufrimiento,” collaborating with Ghazal on the African-influenced, The Underdog Project/Craig David-sampling, and aptly-titled “Summer Jam;” or being paired up with Busy Signal’s “Jail” by Gil on an edit by the same name.
Caribbean rhythms have a strong presence here, of course, because this is a summer compilation. It just takes a spin of Uruguayan producer Lechuga Zafiro‘s “Aviancamoc” and his dark but hugely infectious take on soca to get in the party mood. DJ iLL Tariq also gives soca a shot, but in a more experimental way, flanging out synths with a disorienting result.
The influence of artists from the Fade to Mind/Night Slugs roster can be heard here many times, like on Lil Tantrum‘s “Picuda,” which is heavy and austere, and successfully samples Don Omar’s “Guaya Guaya,” or even on Imaabs‘ “La Apuesta,” a track that makes us think the Chilean producer is willing to try it all. From Germany, KABLAM brings probably the sweetest and most daring track here, called “Priéremix.” It sounds like a flawless collage of genres, where you can hear little elements of trap, baile funk, kuduro, and reggaeton, and it’s very impressive.
Staycore is pretty new, but with SUMMER JAMS 2K15 they’ve proven we can trust them with the soundtrack for this and future summers, and we know they won’t let us down.