Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏÍø

Shanghai's dedicated reggae, dancehall, world sounds -- talking about that global underground -- celebrates six years in the books . Always a good party with Sal (AKA Skinny Brown) and guests, trading in unique sounds you won't find anywhere else in the city. Ahead of the anniversary event, SmSh asked Sal to dig through his crates and serve up something nice. Five or six something nices. Click on the jump for Popasuda-approved tunes. (VPN ACTIVATE.)

***

The Mixmaker:

A constant fixture in Shanghai's alt clubbing scene for around a decade now, Skinny Brown has played out all over the city, taking the reggae and dancehall background of his youth and adding in fresh new sounds coming out from a grab-bag of immersing international dance scenes, from American Moombahton to South African GQOM. As he's been saying lately on his flyers, "Shit We Like". His own "global bass" night Popasuda is celebrating six years of parties at Dada bar this Saturday. Should get sweaty. Should go real late. Walk like a champion, talk like a champion. * Skinny Brown Says: "Here's five wicked tunes from the crates of POPASUDA Sound. This Saturday, I imagine we'll be on a heavier kick with DJ Ajouly on that deep African stuff, and DJ Abalone on the more straight-up bassier end. But I will of course be there with nuff dubplates, tons of feel good Makossa remixes, some reggae, and probably some rude rude dancehall. Big Love and Respect."

"Midnight Starring" - DJ Maphorisa ft. DJ Tira, Busiswa, Moonchild Sanelly

Skinny Brown Says: "Okay, so I just got this tune Monday night. I asked DJ Ajouly to send something over that might represent his set this Saturday at POPASUDA, and this is what he sent over. Moonchild's been one of my favorite MCs for a minute, but hearing her over top of these new school GQOM beats is dope. Busiswa starts the tune off with the chopped up vocal before Moonchild drops in at like five minutes. They both murder it. Very unique. The whole tune sounds really clean with a lot of space, but it still maintains a sense of rawness. I've said it before, and I'll say it again the best music comes out of Africa."

"Babes" - Umngan'wami ft Mampintsha & Danger

Skinny Brown Says: "This stuff is again on that new kick of GQOM coming out of Durban, South Africa. I love how they're fucking with the structure, in that it only loosely fits the "hook-course" format. It's raw, it's bassed up, and it sweats culture. GQOM came out a few years back, but it's cool to see how the new African producers are cleaning it up and rapping over it. I've been turning towards a lot of African music lately, just cause it continually surprises me, and it's always nice to hear something I've never heard before. I have to big up Ajouly Sound for putting me in the right direction, whenever he plays a set I always enjoy it. Right now a lot of pop music seems to be sourcing dancehall, but I think were going to start seeing pieces of the GQOM (and afro beat in general) coming out in a lot of western pop. Major Lazer already has a couple of tunes with the South African GQOM artists on them, and jah knows, once Major Lazer does it, it's just a hop skip and jump away for Katy Perry."

"Where Man Come From" – Mr Williams

Skinny Brown Says: "Popasuda will always have a reggae component, that's my foundation. But I really enjoy this new UK digital stuff. A lot of Deejay have been playing stuff like this for a minute, namely Maze out in Hangzhou and Gaz over at . I generally stick to the classic Jamaican style roots and dancehall, but this tune was so Bad, that it has to get played. I love the heavy dub style baseline, and I've always enjoyed Mr Williams rub-a-dub vocals."

"Youth Dog and Brute" - Shumba Youth & Leo Samson

Skinny Brown Says: "On that roots kick, "Youth Dog and Brute". I really like how a lot of new roots reggae riddims are being produced to sound old. They still bass it up, and the vocals have just enough grit to give it a sense of authenticity. That said, I'm pretty sure Shumba and Leo are both British. Either way, this is a solid reggae tune, and one of my favorites right now."

"Thornato" - Tera Deewana feat. Vasanth S & AKS

Skinny Brown Says: "Thornato has been one of my favorite producers for years. He's also a fixture in the global base scene, with a stack of wicked tunes. For the past couple years, I've always dropped this tune in my set. It's a lovely Southern Indian ballad dropped over a bass tune with real clean production. I honestly really respect when people can sample an entire vocal and still keep its original quality. This is a wicked tune, with strong Indian flavor, and great production. Big Up Thornato. While so many global bass producers are turning to heavier / trappier stuff, this dude continually drops tunes with subtlety and poise. Respect." *** Popasude six-years is . No entry fee. Starts 10pm.