A smashing hit gets a fiery remix.
Only few persons has been more in sync and committed to the Dancehall genre in this generation than King Perry. From his extraordinary but less popular debut “Citizen Of The World” which was really a beautiful album in any way you wish to spin it, to its mainstream seeking follow up “Continental Playlist“, King Perry’s intentionality to refining what’s left of Dancehall in this part of the world and turning it into the force it was once was has been an exceptional highlight of career.
On the release of his second body of work earlier this year, we highlighted and praised his ability to tap into the permeability of Dancehall and create something unique and entirely new. While it may not have achieved enough success, it was really a break from the norm of the mainstream, providing a viable and delectable alternate routes for avid listeners of music.
Denge, however, in its original form, comes as part of the aforementioned project, serving as the outro with 1da Banton helmimg productions and also starring as a featured act on the track as well. Eight months since its release, Denge II being released is a wake up call to the public to tap into the beauty of not only the song, but also the project and extensively the artist himself.
On its second version, Runtown and Shatta Wale add a much needed dimension and explore the residual potential of the track which 1da Banton could not really tap into on its original. Runtown and Shatta Wale have excelled on the soundscape in some of their previous releases, so it was easy for them fit in perfectly. Offering in a much needed dynamism, Runtown glides through the first verses seamlessly with Shatta Wale taking his turn after him with an inflected dialect in his delivery to match the requirements of the Caribbean rhythm and drum patterns.
Remixes should be only done when it can amplify the song to potential audience and also increase it’s appeal among current listeners. We have seen Odumodublvck’s “Dog Eat Dog II“, Asake’s “Omo Ope” remix, Rema’s “Calm Down” remix and many others in space of a year amplify the impacts of the original version. The decision can only be said to have been gotten right in its post evaluation stage.
However, “Denge II” excels in the fact that it raises the appeal of the song, with the artist performing comfortably. While the collaboration with both heavyweights also helps to increase the song’s visibility to other audience, it remains to be seen what the results will be. However, early signs are positive and it’s interesting to see how it will take over waves in the country and beyond to audience who finds it appealing.
[LISTEN]: Denge II by King Perry, Runtown, Shatta Wale.
