TuneLab
Chimpo w/ Chunky, Ragoloco & Slay
Keep Hush Manchester: Strategy presents
When the soundsystem is right and the selection is deeper than the bassline, a reggae and dub set can feel like a religious experience. Chimpo’s Keep Hush Manchester outing, with guests Chunky, Ragoloco & Slay, is a sweat-drenched baptism in sound. The venue’s basement atmosphere—all concrete and bass pressure—becomes a temple where every classic riddim is a hymn and every new twist feels revelatory. This dub and dancehall marathon averages 137.1 BPM but spans a wide range from 94 to 176, showing a dynamic journey from roots to dancehall frenzy. Harmonically, it’s rooted in 12A, with shifts to 4A and 4B adding brightness and tension.
The energy is mid-dominant (0.56 mid, 0.32 low, 0.12 high), meaning the focus is on melodic hooks, vocal cadences, and percussive interplay, with low-end providing a steady foundation and high-end keeping it crisp. Chimpo’s mixing is likely quick and energetic, matching the live MC interplay, with cuts and drops that keep the crowd on their toes. The crate digging is impeccable. Starting with Michigan & Smiley’s “Nice Up the Dance” is a statement of intent—pure, unadulterated dancehall energy. Sound Dimension’s “Real Rock” is a timeless dub foundation, while Bitty McLean’s “Lately” offers a soulful, lover’s rock interlude.
The peak comes with The Bug’s “Skeng,” a modern dubstep monster that rattles the foundations, and Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam” is a guaranteed crowd-roarer. Deeper cuts like Supercat’s “Under Pressure” and Barrington Levy’s “Here I Come” show a reverence for the canon. The journey opens with “Nice Up the Dance,” builds through classic anthems to the apocalyptic weight of “Skeng,” and closes with Super Black’s “Deh Wid Yuh,” leaving us in a haze of bass and good vibes.