Ratigan Era // Era LP

 This is a record released by rapper Ratigan Era from Kampala, Uganda, from the Kampala dance label Hakuna Kulala in January 2024.

Contains 7 Afro dancehall ~Gqom songs using Luganda, Patois, Spanish, and English.

Below is a commentary by the label.

"Dancehall may have originated in Jamaica, but in recent decades the tendrils of this popular genre have spread across the globe. Kampala's Ratigan Era draws on East African humor and imports from Ghana and Nigeria. Blending elements of hyper-melodic Afrobeats, he gives dancehall a uniquely Ugandan twist.The versatile MC grew up listening to Jamaican music such as Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal and Mavado. In his hometown of Kawempe, there was little way to avoid it - and he channeled this diverse influence into a completely unique Afro-dancehall simmering between Luganda, Patois, Spanish and English. It developed into a current, reflecting the melting pot of cultures and dialects that characterize modern Africa.

Rattigan broke out with his memorable feature on Palaso's Ugandan hit "Nsaba," a track that echoed across the country from nightclubs, motorcycle loudspeakers and convenience stores. Their first album, ``Era,'' is a fierce and creative weave of Gqom-like vocals and impressive chants, backed by futuristic beats created by Hakuna Clara's most boundary-pushing producers. With Congolese producer Chrisman taking the reins, 'Gorilla Attack' offers a downtempo groove that echoes recent developments in Jamaican chops from breakthrough artists like Skilliben and Skeng. Rattigan weaves between Chrisman's GQOM-inspired low-end swamp and corrosive synths, capturing attention with his smart, deft flow and tongue-in-cheek lyrics.

Created by Modern Institute and Golden Teacher's Richard McMaster, "Top Strike Force" is a spindly minimal beat that allows Rattigan to oscillate between anthemic repetition and ice-cold auto-tuned wails. leaving space inside. In the featured track "Badman Style," Rattigan's voice echoes over a trap-dancehall hybrid beat by HHY & The Kampala Unit's Jonathan Uriel Saldanha (aka Lithium Beats). MC Yara collaborator Deb Master joins us on “Gan Dem,” matching Rattigan’s double-time raps with soundsystem-destroying rolling subs, while veteran American noisemaker Kush Arora sings “Cool.” and Deadly,” he sprinkles the magic dust and revitalizes the global bass mutation and connections between Jamaica and East Africa.

Rattigan provides an accurate snapshot of Kampala's colorful sounds and phrases. Rattigan's generous personality conveys the sights, sounds and smells of Kampala far and wide, with a familiar, local and enthusiastic rhythm. That may be the future we desperately need. "

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12 "black vinyl.

tracklist:

1. Gorilla Attack
2. Top Strike Force
3. Baman Style
4. Four Corners
5. Gan Dem 02:34
6. Drop It Down
7. Pussy
8. Cool & Deadly
9. I Feel Alright
10. Bark 02:45
11. On My List
12. Stop

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Hakuna Kulala:

"Dancehall might have emerged in Jamaica, but over the last few decades the popular genre's tendrils have stretched out across the globe. In Kampala, Ratigan Era is adding a distinct Ugandan twist to dancehall, fusing it with East African humor and hyper-melodic afrobeats elements imported from Ghana and Nigeria. The versatile MC grew up listening to Jamaican music like Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal and Mavado - in his hometown of Kawempe there was almost no way to avoid it - and it blurred into the background, blending with local church music , US hip-hop and radio pop. He developed this diverse range of influences into a completely unique Afro-dancehall flow that simmers between Luganda, patois, Spanish and English, reflecting the melting pot of cultures and dialects that characterizes contemporary Africa.

Ratigan broke out with a memorable feature on Pallaso's Ugandan hit 'Nsaba', a track that echoed throughout the country booming from nightclubs, motorcycle loudspeakers or from convenience stores. Now he's assembled his first album "Era", a furiously inventive interweaving of rubbery vocals and memorable chants backed by futuristic beats from Hakuna Kulala's most boundary-pushing producers. Congolese producer Chrisman takes the reins on 'Gorilla Attack', providing a downtempo groove that echoes recent Jamaican chop deployments from breakthrough artists like Skillibeng and Skeng. For his part, Ratigan ducks and dives between Chrisman's gqom-inspired low end womps and corrosive synths, commanding attention with his smart, dextrous flow and tongue-twisting lyrics.

The Modern Institute and Golden Teacher's Richard McMaster handles 'Top Strike Force' leaving space in his wiry, minimal beats for Ratigan to flit between anthemic repetitions and ice-cold AutoTuned wails. On stand-out track 'Badman Style', Ratigan's guttural patois is measured against a dizzy trap-dancehall hybrid beat from HHY & The Kampala Unit's Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, aka Lithium Beats, while on the surreal 'Drop it Down', Japanese mad scientist Scotch Rolex brings out Ratigan's cheeky sense of humor with toytown bleeps and laser zaps. MC Yallah collaborator Debmaster appears on 'Gan Dem', meeting Ratigan's double-time raps with soundsystem destroying rolling subs, and veteran US noisemaker Kush Arora sprinkles magic dust on 'Cool and Deadly', galvanizing the link between global bass mutations, Jamaica and East Africa.

And despite the grab-bag of producers and inspirations, "Ratigan" is a strikingly coherent listening experience that accurately snapshots Kampala's colorful froth of sounds and phrases. Ratigan's outsized personality is welcoming and captivating, providing the sights, sounds and smells of the city with a frenetic rhythm that's as intimate and local as it is far-reaching. It might just be the future we so desperately need. "

Artist : Ratigan Era

Label: Hakuna Kulala