WHAT makes a hit? Is it the lyrics, the artiste, the hype at the time? Is it “something special” about the voice or rhythm? The TEENage Hitlist pinpoints the hits and the misses as soon as we hear both local and international releases.

Hit Of The Week

Love Bug riddim by Washroom Entertainment

Fresh off the heels of their career-defining year of 2011, which led them to being chosen as ‘Producer of The Year’ by TEENage Observer, Washroom Entertainment has released their first riddim of 2012 entitled the Love Bug.

As the title suggests, the Love Bug riddim encapsulates all that’s good, bad, and ugly regarding love.

Production-wise, Love Bug riddim is sonically different from Washroom Entertainment’s last release Bubble Gum riddim.

Whilst the Bubble Gum was more of a modern adaption on early digitised dancehall, the Love Bug is more of a contemporary take on dancehall sounds that contains some elements of electro-pop synths for commercial appeal purposes.

But the riddim does so without sacrificing the authenticity of its dancehall sound, and this also shows in the heavy Jamaican vernacular song titles.

Alaine’s Touch (On and On) is another example of her ability to fuse sultry vocals over dancehall production without difficulty. The same can be said for Guyanese up and comer Timeka Marshall in her boastful Si How Mi Hot. Also, Digicel Rising Stars’ past contestant Natel showed his versatility as a singjay with his just as boastful Si Mi Yah.

A fiery-tongued Spice defends her turf in My Man by lyrically thrashing an admirer of her partner, whilst in Ex-Man Tifa attempts to teach her new boyfriend attributes of her ex- boyfriend.

Liquid delivers a dancehall ode to his significant other in Nah Let Yuh Go, and similar sentiments are shown by the young dancehall act Masicka in his commendable effort My Girl. Chico also showers the lady he admires with compliments in Gyal Yuh Bless.

Wayne Marshall continues his master class of the singjay craft with Rookie Love, where he croons a lengthy list of what a woman doesn’t want and what they look out for in a relationship.

The two truly head-turning moments in the Love Bug riddim are by Fambo and Eva Hype respectively.

Fambo tears down his walls to deliver an emotional piece about love lost due to unfaithfulness entitled Heart Attack (Cheating Game), while Eva Hype is sure to stir controversy with his blatant belief in infidelity announced in Only One.

The collaboration found on the Love Bug Riddim did not disappoint as Voicemail and Raine Seville’s Watch Me Wine Now is a steamy dancefloor-ready track, and Trevor Off-Key and Stylish’s Downtown Girl provides comic relief with their comparison of girls from “downtown” and “uptown”.

Vital’s Party Time and Demarco’s Still Ah Hole Ah Vibez are both about jovial activities, with Vital providing the details of his ultimate party experience, while Demarco speaks on the importance of enjoying life due to its unpredicated nature and fragility.

TEENage Hitlist believes that the meticulous nature of Washroom Entertainment’s production values and quantity of releases has resulted in their continued streak of good music and the Love Bug riddim is no exception.