Afropop Worldwide

Xyclone has made a serious statement with the release of his brand new Almost There mixtape. The dancehall up-and-comer busts out 37 tracks over the course of this hour-long, highlight-packed mix. Relatively new to the dancehall scene, Xyclone is a protege of the legendary DJ Spragga Benz, who signed him to his Red Square Productions label in 2011. Federation Sound, the Brooklyn-based sound system that is presenting the mix, has a history of putting out early mixes from some of dancehall’s biggest stars--they recently re-released their Vybz Kartel mix from back in 2003, the year that the megastar's career first took off. And judging from this tape, Xyclone seems poised for a serious ascent. Almost There makes it clear that Xyclone has an abundance of talent, and he also has the business savvy--holding a BSc in finance--to reach the heights of the industry. He had the biggest hit of his career thus far with last summer’s “Back Pocket Rag.” The song, which features a chipmunk-voiced chorus and lightning-fast spitting from Xyclone, appears on Almost There in both dubplate and re-remix forms--the latter featuring a verse from dancehall legend Beenie Man. The mix shows off Xyclone’s versatility, as one three-song cycle takes listeners from a twerk anthem (“Do Di One Drop (Bend Yuh Back)”) to a reflection on the passing of his cousin (“More Life”) to an obligatory ganja chune (“Smoking”). The mix’s final song, “Summer Time,” features a pleasing combination of warm synths, a pure pop chorus from Shiye Jones, and hyped vocals from Xyclone. Overall, Almost There is a good sign of things to come from Xyclone and a great mix for almost-summertime enjoyment. Dig in below: