Reflections (2006 Review)

*** 200-6 ARTIST Of The Year ***

1. Plan B: Breakthrough year for the groundbreaking, story weaving emcee, who's made acoustic waves with hip hop heads, indie kids and critics alike.
2. Ghetto: Kano's aggy right-hand man came of age, developing his lyrical and delivery skills to set new standards in MCing. Watch out for Devlin too. Purest rhymes.
3. Lily Allen: Irresistably original takes on youth culture, with a cheeky reggae twist and a distinctly LDN atitude.
4. Akala (& Ms Dynamite): Talented MOBO award winner combined with his sister's long-awaited comeback as an MC to produce best mixtape of the year ('A Little Darker').
5. Fantan Mojah: 2006 was the year I found out about this incredible prodigy of Capleton's - a versatile, conscious dancehall MC with a strikingly smooth soul.

6. Boy Better Know: The combination of 3 of the most talented MCs in the game - Wiley, Skepta & JME - dominated the mixtape scene with devastating effect. "Shhhut ya mouf"

*** GIGS Of The Year (strong in 06 - click on links for review) ***

1. Buju Banton & Capleton @Stratford Rex (Jul)

2. Kano @Astoria (Feb)
3. The Roots @Shepherds Bush Empire (Dec)
4. Plan B @Mean Fiddler (July)
5. Martha Wainwright @Big Chill Festival (Aug)
6. Electric Proms - 1Xtra @Roundhouse (Oct)
7. Lou Rhodes @Big Chill Festival (Aug)
8. Regina Spektor @Shepherds Bush Empire

9. Aim @Big Chill (Aug)
10. The Wailers @Rise Festival, Finsbury Park (Jul)

*** 200-6 SETS Of The Year (Click on links for review) ***

1. Norman Jay @Big Chill Festival (Aug)

2. DJ Derek @Big Chill (Aug)
3. DJ Friction @London Zu (Jun)
4. DJ Version @1Xtra/Innovation DJ Competition (May)
5. Marky @Pressure (Jan)
6. Sabre & Sky @Cafe 1001 (Oct)

*** 6 EVENTS Of The Year ***
1. Big Chill @ Eastnor Castle Deer Park (Aug)
2. Salaam World Music Festival @Kew Gardens (Jul)
3. Brazilian charity night @Guanabara (Sept)
4. Straight Outta Bethnal @333
5. FWD @Plastic People
6. Rise Festival @Finsbury Park (Jun)

*** 6 TUNES Of The Year ***
1. Fantan Mojah - Hail The King
2. Kano & Vybz Kartel - Buss It Up
3. Benny Page - Turn Down The Lights
4. Sabre / Alix Perez - Solitary Native
5. Martha Wainwright - Bloody Motherfuckin' Asshole
6. Regina Spektor -Us

*** 6 Reggae ***
1. Fantan Mojah - Hail The King (Maroon Riddim)
2. Gentleman ft Barrington Levy - Caan Hold Us Down
3. Fantan Mojah - Eternal Love (Slingshot Riddim)
4. Jah Cure - What Would It Take (Istanbul Riddim)
5. Bounty Killer - Say You Leaving (Istanbul Riddim)
6. Richie Spice - Youths Are So Cold (Truth & Rights Riddim)

*** 6 Drum 'n' Bass ***
1. Benny Page - Turn Down The Lights
2. Sabre / Alix Perez - Solitary Native
3. Benny Page - Rub A Dub
4. Jenna G / Chase & Status / Switch - In Love
5. High Contrast - Days Go by
6. Nu:Tone - Missing Links

*** 6 Grime & UK Hip Hop ***
1. Kano & Vybz Kartel - Buss It Up
2. Akala - Shakespere
3. Terra Firma - The Foundation
4. Ms Dynamite & Akala ft Gendor & Snipekeedo - So Much Flows
5. Boy Better Know (Wiley, Skepta, JME) - Boy Better Know
6. Kano - Bust Dat

*** 6 Folk / Acoustic ***
1. Martha Wainwright - Bloody Motherfuckin' Asshole
2. Regina Spektor -Us
3. Lou Rhodes - Fortress
4. Regina Spektor - Consequence Of Sounds
5. Martha Tilston - Brighton Song
6. Jose Gonzalez - Crosses

*** 6 KILLA GIGS ***
1. Killa's final Pressure as resident:
Mampi/Friction, IC3/SP:MC (Apr)
2. TKOver Presents premiers on
InnaCityFM.com (Dec)
3. Baron & Fresh:
@Pressure 10th Anniversary (Oct)
4. Amnesia Old Skool Special:
Mad March Party (Mar)
5. Scratch Perverts & Dynamite MC:
Pressure (Jan)
6. Version & Killz:
New Style mix CD (Oct)

*** 6 TO WATCH in '07 ***
1. Kano
2. Ghetto
3. Fantan Mojah
4. Devlin
5. Sabre
6. Version

*** 6 ART EXHIBITIONs (Click on links for review) ***
1. Sultans Elephant
2. Wildlife Photographer 2006 @Natural History
3. Roll Deep vs Anish Kapoor @Tate Modern
4. Chris Ofili's The Upper Room @Tate Britain
5. Volume @V&A
6. Sunday Times Magazine @Proud Gallery

*** 6 FILMs ***
1. Dave Chappelle's Block Party
2. Capote
3. Glastonbury
4. Rock The Bells @ResFest
5. Idlewild
6. Howl's Moving Castle @Somerset House

*** 6 RESOLUTIONS ***
1. Unleash fire mix CDs, tunes and mixtapes
2. Up the levels lyrically... for all emcees
3. Lock down more gigs and residencies
4. Get more involved in music journalism
5. Spread 360 musical vibes and knowledge
6. Maintain positive perspectives

Big Chill 06 - Sunday *High*lights

Norman Jay: Boy! The Open Air field was rammed for the traditional Big-Chill-Norman-Jay-Sunday-afternoon knees up. Exploiting our privileges, we slipped backstage to the VIP lake for maximum dancing space. Mr Jay smashed it, playing a heavy dose of DnB that spanned the ubiquitous Prodigy remix to High Contrast. I swear down, the whole field was bouncing - it was some view! Throwing down everything from David Bowie to Gnarls Barkley, with plenty of Motown, the outstanding memory will be of Benny Page's DnB anthem 'Turn The Lights Down'. Big Chill was the purest of vibes. Huge.

Rodrigo y Gabriela: Caught in the spoilt festival dilemma of watching Lily Allen or RyG, I satisfied myself with Lily's great 'LDN' before heading to the Village Green. The sun was in the sky... why, oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?! Because Rodrigo y Gabriela were sensational... that's why. The Mexican pair play their acoustic guitars with a heavy metal influence but a DnB mentality. Frankly, they beat the shit out of the guitars - in the most beautiful way possible. No word of a lie, Gabriela plays the guitar like a turntablist. The crowd was lapping it up, stunned by their speed and elegance. Mesmerising.

Martha Wainwright: Daughter of the legendary Loudon and sister of the popular Rufus, Martha strode on with her edgy brand of folk acoustic. Her intimate tales and unique insight are woven with clever songwriting, complemented by a dramatic, raw voice. Powerful stuff, and like Rodrigo, only fully realised when watched live. Raised hairs for my favourite, the serenely obscene 'Bloody Motherfuckin' Arsehole'... beautiful.

Ukelele Orchestra: Always good for a laugh even if im not totally convinced. Middle aged dudes singing rock tunes with a ukelele. Exactly as you'd imagine... but fun.

Future World Funk: These boys always rock shows with their blend of world beats and breaks. They didn't disappoint with a record bag of deceptively heavy Balkan and Gypsy tunes. Ass-shakingly eclectic.