Words by Jesse Serwer
British beatmaker Toddla T’s name has come up a lot lately but, for whatever reason, we’d never felt compelled to find out why. Turns out that move was wrong because his Wayne Marshall-featuring single “Streets So Warm” is as solid as outsider dancehall tunes get, and something it seems we should have caught sooner. Marshall has been one of the more consistent voices in dancehall lately, and “Streets So Warm” (the pair’s second collaboration—they previously teamed up for the far less impressive single “Sky Surfing”) continues that pattern of quality, with one of the better vocal performances that we’ve heard from Wayne. Rounding out the “Streets So Warm” package is this subtly poignant black-and-white video depicting the producer riding shotgun as Marshall drives him through the streets of Kingston. Watch it and stream the audio below and, if you like what you hear, be sure to check Watch Me Dance, Toddla T’s new album on Ninja Tune Records, which dropped last week (after a delay due to a fire set during the recent London riots). Also turning up on tracks are Roots Manuva, Timberlee, Ms. Dynamite and Serocee.
[audio:http://largeup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/01-Streets-So-Warm.mp3|titles=01 Streets So Warm]