Almost a year after hitting the jackpot with the inescapable
Big Bunx rhythm, the creative forces behind Zimi Records return with another hit-laden project.

The Walk Een rhythm, which features established as well as up-and-coming acts, is scheduled for release today, May 31.

It features 19 tracks.

According to Zimi Records producer Franc White aka Zimi Franc, the aim of this project is to attract an expanded listening audience.

“Our plan is to further grow and solidify dancehall music in the region even wider, and our aim to is to get a more diverse listening audience; that’s why we have included various acts on this juggling such as soca artiste Yung Breda, M24 from the United Kingdom, and Spanish hop artiste Haquil from Costa Rica,” Zimi Franc told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

He said it was strategic on the team’s part to release a project almost a year later.

“Yes, it was. We gave the previously released Big Bunx time for listeners to really enjoy the songs and see the impact it would have on the space both locally and internationally, and it was tremendous. We’re aiming to have the same impact and greater with this new juggling.”

Walk Een features Gone Bad by RajahWild, Patience by Valiant, Bad Bounce by Iwaata, Sinderella by Kraff, Zimi Seh by Najeeriii, Arch by Yung Bredda,
Ready by Tarrus Riley, Money by Ding Dong, Tea Cup by Chi Ching Ching,
Active by Jahvillani, Tipsy by Laa Lee, Left and Right by Monifa, Tempted by Glorii, Soldering by Charly Black, and Act Up by Marcy Chin.

“It was more of the chemistry between all of the artistes on the project and all of us wanting to put out the best possible songs for the summer and beyond,” Zimi Franc added.

Asked if it was challenging to maintain the pace or to live up to the expectations that were set by the previous project, the producer said: “Not really, because songs were evenly spaced and dropped over a long period of time on the Big Bunx rhythm, so there was the longevity of the rhythm in the space. We will use a similar approach now with this new juggling, a mixture of both young, up-and-coming acts and more established ones and stagger how we release the songs.”

Walk Een, according to Zimi Franc, is a more upbeat and up-tempo when compared to Big Bunx.

Big Bunx, released last July, helped to propel the return of juggling rhythms to the dancehall space. Among the major hits that the project spawned were
Wild Out by RajahWild, Mad Out by Valiant, Paddle Boat by Najeeriii,
Bakshat by Roze Don, Sha La La by Skeng, Rum Behaviour by Kraff, and
Wonderland by Sgee Vehnom.

Zimi Franc, whose real name is Nevardo Newton, is originally from the community of Grant’s Pen. He said his interest in music started while attending Ardenne High.

“I picked up a real interest in music during high school. A friend of mine lived near a recording studio, and with Internet access and access to his computer, him normally would send dubs and burn CDs. That’s how I got first-hand knowledge of the studio and artistes. Then I started to work around Pro Tools,” said Zimi Franc.

Some of his earlier projects under the Zimi Records imprint include
Fireworks by Munga, Antisocial by Intence, and Dues by Iwaata.

“I started as a recording engineer in 2014, just recording tracks, then took some time to learn how to make beats and, over time, learning to mix the songs as well and this helped to forge many relationships with a lot of entertainers in the space,” Zimi Franc disclosed.

He also added that he is not concerned about ‘running’ the place or being part of the hype.

“I am only focused on growing with the genre and trying to get more visibility on a wider and worldwide platform by using different and creative ways and not getting lost in the crowd and the hype.”