LargeUp Premiere: EchoSlim + Nicko Rebel feat. Kari Jess — Di Best

You might recognize the name EchoSlim from his wicked, LargeUp-approved hip-hop remix of The Wailers’ “Bus Dem Shut” and his super dope SuperCat tribute remix/video “Salute We,  as well as his work holding down DJ duties for Miami’s Black Violin. As he’s let us know before, Slim is also a highly experienced dancehall selector, with an ear towards the dancefloor, something he’s put to use for his latest release.

Slim and production partner Nicko Rebel recruited vocalist Kari Jess to drop some vocals on “Di Best,” but the emphasis here is on the riddim—the vocals are deployed sparingly enough you can still almost call it an instrumental. With its stampeding kick drums, 808 bass drop and bubbling synth melody, the track puts elements hip-hop/trap and EDM next to dancehall signifiers like the ubiquitous “hey” chant, placing it in a sweet spot of DJ friendliness. Expect to hear more voices pon di riddim soon but, in the meantime, download the track below, and tell us what you think.