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The Casio employee behind the “Sleng Teng” riddim that revolutionized reggae

575 points by robinhouston 5y ago

th3a6as22l0rd 5y ago
omar_alt 5y ago
Most late 20th century western musical movements and the cultural changes that came with them was down to manufacturers of instruments. It was usually a box, synthesizer or effects unit. Surely the R&D for new sounds is what music depends on?
- throwhauser 5y ago
  I don't think it's necessarily the sounds, but what the article describes, "bringing the pleasure of playing a musical instrument to everyone". New ways of creating music end up in the hands of people that otherwise may not have gotten started, and new styles emerge.
- felix318 5y ago
  I think it was always the case that the development of instruments is a major influence on musical styles. Sacred music and the church organ, Baroque music and the harpsichord, Romantics and the piano, Jazz and sax, the list goes on and on. Today however, synthesizers can create any sound imaginable so we probably reached the end of the cycle. Who knows what will guide the future of music.
  - xxpor 5y ago
    For the actual pure sounds that's right, but I believe there's still more to be done in the effects area (autotune etc) and instrument interfaces.
  - munificent 5y ago
    We'll never reach the end of the cycle. Utility != usability. Synthesizers can create any sound, but which sounds they make easy to create has an enormous influence on what music is actually created using them.
- jrm4 5y ago
  This implies that the manufacturers had a decent grasp of "where things would go," and I think that couldn't be further from the truth? All the good (or at least interesting) stuff came from "hackers," aka the scratching DJs, the guys who had to scrape for beat machines, etc. etc. Limitations being the inspiration and all that.
  - joezydeco 5y ago
    Or, in the case of New York hiphop, a blackout: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/10/16/roman_mars_99_percent_invisible_was_the_1977_nyc_wide_blackout_a_catalyst.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/10/16/roman_mars_99_...
  - lariati 5y ago
    I don't see why it matters. I think the Roland TB-303 is the best example of what is being talked about here. It was made by Roland to simulate bass guitars but spawned entire genres of dance music because of its unique sound.
- TheOtherHobbes 5y ago
  You could create all kinds of new sounds and technologies and they would have no impact if audiences didn't connect with them. Some people have a certain fluency with sound and music. It's not about training, although training will bring it out if someone has it. But it seems pretty innate. And it cuts through in a way that the work of people without the fluency doesn't. Roland used to be masters of this. Their rhythm and bass boxes seemed like stupid failed toys, but they had a magic that wasn't obvious until they were handed to people who didn't try to use them in the "proper" way. That's fluency from two sources - something the original designers somehow had (until Roland stopped being that kind of company) mixed with the feel the pioneering users had. This story is another example of that. Compare with - say - Yamaha's attempts to sell physical modelling synthesis. There was much money spent, a good selection of instruments produced, but it failed to cut through. Possibly because it ended up being a system of presets and directed constraints that limited imagination instead of opening it up. (Or possibly not. It's a mysterious process.)
  - tweetle_beetle 5y ago
    For those who don't know, the TB-303 is probably the most entertaining story of this kind. > ... the box was largely written off as a failure after just 18 months of production. It was released alongside the TR-606 drum machine as an accompaniment for guitarists, but with unrealistic sounds and a difficult interface the box got little traction upon release. [1] It became the source of a signature sound in dance music, which remains extensively used today and can be heard in tracks with mainstream chart success. It's terrible interface is somehow part of its charm and it has been cloned in many formats. This is probably the best way to experience it in a browser [2] [1] https://djtechtools.com/2015/12/02/history-tb-303-rolands-accidental-legend/ https://djtechtools.com/2015/12/02/history-tb-303-rolands-ac... [2] https://808303.studio/ https://808303.studio/
  - nyanpasu64 5y ago
    From what I've heard, sample libraries of acoustic instruments are a system of presets and directed constraints (inability to replicate complex dynamics, articulation, and pitch bends). I haven't tried physical modeling, and don't know if it manages to escape this issue, or ends up too complex to learn/perform or stuck in an uncanny valley. (This is from the perspective of orchestral-inspired sound design rather than more synthetic compositions.)
teachrdan 5y ago
For those who don't know, "Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word 'rhythm'. In the context of reggae and dancehall it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section... A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances." The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears. But the novelty and catchiness obviously connected to millions of people at the time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8
- lelandfe 5y ago
  > The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears Dub and reggae are a part of the so-called soundsystem culture. That booming bass line is meant to be heard over an enormous PA system (often home built) designed to rattle your bones!
  - gunfighthacksaw 5y ago
    I remember not getting dubstep (also derived from dub before it’s export to the US and commercialization) because I was listening to it on my PC speakers. When I finally played it through my hifi it was like a whole sonic landscape suddenly appeared and only then did I finally get it.
    - chrisjc 5y ago
      Quick note to those that were potentially triggered when they read "dubstep"... Early dubstep was based on two-step and garage music, while at the same time heavily based on dub and reggae. Digital Mystikz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 Spaceape - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I Goth Trad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw Listen to some of the early dubstep and you'll start to understand that parent probably didn't mean Skrillex, etc... BBC Radio 1's original Dubstep Warz session is a great introduction to the original dubstep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g Kode9's recently released Dubstep Warz behind the scenes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ
bravura 5y ago
The Sleng Teng riddim is one of my favorite reggae riddims. Americans might best know it as the bassline from Sublime's Caress Me Down (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_LP4IU6XD4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_LP4IU6XD4). But you might really love the lyrics of Tenor Saw's Pumpkin Belly, which a song of the "old time proverbs": "Whatsover you want / You have to work very hard to gain." https://genius.com/Tenor-saw-pumpkin-belly-lyrics https://genius.com/Tenor-saw-pumpkin-belly-lyrics
- matmann2001 5y ago
  Also reminds me of the intro to Creature Comfort by Arcade Fire.
  - aaronbrethorst 5y ago
    https://www.reddit.com/r/arcadefire/comments/6oylf7/creature_comfort_the_slang_teng_riddim/ https://www.reddit.com/r/arcadefire/comments/6oylf7/creature...
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- narag 5y ago
  Another ressemblance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dR1tKo1n5I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dR1tKo1n5I
- rmetzler 5y ago
  I've been involved with the German Dancehall scene from around the late 90s early 2000s and danced so many nights to this riddim. I knew the story and how this riddim ended up in Jamaica at King Jammy's (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mop89McbxAE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mop89McbxAE ), but could not remember to have seen an image of the actual keyboard before. Here is a video where Wayne Smith tells how he found the preset on the keyboard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM2qMdop890 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM2qMdop890
- dzhiurgis 5y ago
Simon_O_Rourke 5y ago
There's no decent reggae after the early 1980s, apart from UB40 knock off bands. Give me the Pioneers, Dave and Ansel Collins or Justin Hinds any day.
- nicoco 5y ago
  Wouln't you call groundation at least decent?
- TacticalCoder 5y ago
  > There's no decent reggae after the early 1980s ... Big reggae fan here (old reggae) but Mike Love, "Permanent Holiday" is quite something: https://youtu.be/fU7hZ3smj0g https://youtu.be/fU7hZ3smj0g
  - jawilson2 5y ago
    Holy crap. Thanks for this.
- dashwehacct 5y ago
- twism 5y ago
  Beres Hammond, Jah Cure, Gyptian, Bitty mcLean ... ? I could go on. Relatively newer artists but on dub (old school) style riddims
  - okl 5y ago
    The Frightnrs!
- throw_m239339 5y ago
  This is nonsense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3epH_KNnwYE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3epH_KNnwYE
- kingsloi 5y ago
  I'm sure there's a million other reggae artists that I've yet to discover, but nothing personally hits more than roots reggae, I wish there were more of 1970s-1990s Lacksley Castell, Hugh Mundell, Johnny Osbourne, Barrington Levy, Sammie Dread, Johnnie Clark, etc, etc,
taurusnoises 5y ago
As someone who dj'd almost exclusively early (and late) dancehall and dub back in the early 00s, I can attest that this riddim has absolute magical properties. It is just one of those things where the tone, the key, the hisses, the bass frequency, the everything just clicks. The room will never not pop off when Sleng Teng drops. That, and it's sister riddim, Stalag. Like best buds, those two.
tpmx 5y ago
This is the rare kind of advertorial that's well worth reading. From the same author (the editor of the site): Tough and Timeless: Ibe Kikuo and the Development of the [Casio] G-Shock https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g01192/tough-and-timeless-ibe-kikuo-and-the-development-of-the-g-shock.html https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g01192/tough-and-time... .... Background on nippon.com: The site has its background in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Echo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Echo which was funded by Japan's Foreign Affairs Ministry. Later on it was funded by the Nippon Foundation, and renamed into the Nippon Communications Foundation: https://foundation.nippon.com/en/about/outline.html https://foundation.nippon.com/en/about/outline.html Funded by a generous grant from the Nippon Foundation ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Foundation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Foundation (eh, read for yourself; it turns weird and dark.)
- kingcharles 5y ago
  And just in case it is lost on some people, Nippon is one of the possible pronunciations for Japan (日本) in Japanese. The other is Nihon. No, the Japanese have no consensus on the name of their own country.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
tibbydudeza 5y ago
What an awesome article - from Japan to the shores of Jamaica.
- okl 5y ago
  And back to Japan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7YtFEUzac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7YtFEUzac There's lots of Reggae and Raggamuffin music made in Japan and some of it is really well-made and authentic. (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8aZI0aqR4c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8aZI0aqR4c)
pfarrell 5y ago
And now she's working on a prototype "Holophonor".
reassembled 5y ago
Maybe this is more common in Japan but I find it great that she still works for Casio after all this time.
zuminator 5y ago
This is a beautiful example of why people shouldn't be too quick to tag cultural borrowings as "appropriation." They often result in a back-and-forth cross-pollination that bears novel hybrid fruit we can all enjoy.
- vmception 5y ago
  cultural participation most of the segregationists just need inspiration and aren’t as exclusionary as they’ve been led to
  - mise_en_place 5y ago
    It's a bit unfair to categorize Japan as segregationist. While it's true they have gaijin housing and restaurants, that's meant to make the visitor comfortable, especially if they can't speak Japanese conversationally.
- Simplicitas 5y ago
  Yup. I'll never forget Darryl Hall saying that music is a continuum, which is why most of the times he allows his Hall & Oates sounds to be sampled by Rap artists ..
  - redwall_hp 5y ago
    If you look into folk music traditions, one recurring theme you'll find is it's generally not clear who wrote a tune or lyrics, and multiple songs often use the same tune. That's the natural state of music, and the current system of so-called intellectual property is an aberration. We don't know who wrote "Rolling Down to Old Maui" or "Drunken Sailor," other than that they were popular in the 19th century. They both share tunes with other songs that predate them, just like how there are multiple songs that use the same tune as "The Wearing of the Green." Countless people have performed and rearranged them, and the world only benefits from it. Everything in art is inherently memetic, building upon the work of others and evolving.
    - 5y ago
dave_sid 5y ago
Absolutely love this.
dieselerator 5y ago
It is an interesting read. I find inspiration in this story of composer Hiroko Okuda. When you work at doing your part to get the product to market you can't predict all the ways customers might use the product.
- qbasic_forever 5y ago
  Also very cool that she and Casio effectively have licensed the beat under a permissive MIT-like license... just credit using the keyboard and have fun!
grawprog 5y ago
I really love the world of reggae and dancehall. The way riddims are covered and updated and repurposed and remade over and over in different styles by different artists. It feels natural and organic. Human creativity building on and growing what came before.
- npteljes 5y ago
  The entirety of the remix culture is just something else. People turning something existing into something else, sometimes completely changing it up. For one I loved Burial's Archangel, for its haunting vocals, only to learn later that it's sampled from a (to me) unremarkable r&b song.
  - skydhash 5y ago
    A great example is : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NVUZNsh2E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NVUZNsh2E The remix is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGflUbPQfW8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGflUbPQfW8 The original is good, but the remix is something else.
    - npteljes 5y ago
      I agree, the update is very well done.
sequoia 5y ago
For people wondering "what's the sleng teng riddim?" here's some examples: Original "under mi sleng teng" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 One of my favorites, "The Don" by peter metro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZuTOH2zoc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZuTOH2zoc 90 minute sleng teng mix (here's a bunch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwLKc61dVWQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwLKc61dVWQ related: Under mi sensi (doesn't actually use sleng teng riddim but it's a riff on the sleng teng chorus): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_dwpUrWkE4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_dwpUrWkE4 A different riddim (bookshelf), but great example of seeing the DJ at work on a riddim mix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyGhjR7CE3k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyGhjR7CE3k If you want to explore other popular riddims, the punanny riddim is a good next stop! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UkJRGIpzYM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UkJRGIpzYM
- 2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
  One of the YouTube comments makes an interesting observation that this is an entirely digital rhythm.
  - dashwehacct 5y ago
    I like to tell people that reggae artists (more specifically dub artists) created electronic music. I don’t know if it’s entirely true, but there is some evidence to suggest this.
    - rvense 5y ago
      Well, electronic music in the broad sense is at least thirty-five years older than Sleng Teng. I doubt, say, Schaeffer and Xennakis were very clued in to what was happening in Jamaica. But it's absolute true that you reggae and dub had a profound impact on dance music music in all its forms from the 90's onwards, both culturally and in the production methods and sound. I'm not sure I've ever heard any of the original Detroit artists reference Jamaican music as an influence, but the entire European side (which then moved back North America) is steeped in Jamaican influence, both directly and via the UK.
winternett 5y ago
As a musician that also does IT work, the part where copyright/law suit was mentioned troubled me a bit... Artists aren't profiting massively from sampling. Even from making music in general. Actually, most artists don't get paid at all when uncleared samples are involved, and especially because of the predatory system of music publication. The ideal like they are the ones who should be sued worries me about a wrong take on the art overall. Perhaps Casio should have given her a bonus, because back then because of Sleng Teng, they sold a lot more units. If we buy a piece of music equipment with presets on it, the license for usage should be 100% included in the purchase, or not included on the device at all. Copyright is one of the biggest things that threatens music innovation moving forward. The Sleng Teng riddim was indeed influential to reggae for many years, but it was not a game changer because Reggae had existed long before it and even well before Casio. To say that Casio or Okuda Hiroko made the riddim and influenced reggae was a bit of a stretch... The vocals, use, performance, distribution and choice to use a Casio keyboard on the song were all by Noel Davey. To say a preset on a keyboard he used was responsible for a cultural era totally ignores what inspired Hiroko to make the preset. To try to credit a preset as a cultural influence on reggae discredits all of the other aspects of riddim culture and tools that existed at that point too, Linn Drums, the DR550, The Effectron II, etc... So many things influenced reggae. As someone who was there during the era, Sleng Teng was a great track, but to say the preset revolutionized reggae is like saying modems influenced Internet culture. Reggae is specifically a Caribbean music art form that has grown from the 1940s and spread across the world against great resistance, and the heritage and innovation behind it is specifically due to the artists that made each song... Otherwise, we should probably credit Ableton and a bunch of synth plug-ins for pretty much every preset used on almost every dance track made now... This article kind of highlights a major part of the discussion surrounding cultural appropriation, it's the ideal that something needs to be linked to "more favorable or esteemed" cultures to be more noteworthy or humanized. Reggae is uniquely Caribbean in origins, artists faced great struggles to make the music and most did not get paid anything notable at all. Others are free to integrate the ideals however they want, but the origins, credits, authenticity, and history should not be re-written just to make a new story. Authentic history of the Sleng Teng Riddim and Riddim Culture- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6geaZFHZC2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6geaZFHZC2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It08Mt3q38k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It08Mt3q38k
usrusr 5y ago
Related: I believe that the main reason why I could never really connect with the post-flash version of Ishkur's Guide is the omission of Casiocore. Just push 'samba' on that thing and away you go. (or perhaps I just haven't found it yet?)
prvc 5y ago
I'm surprised that anyone would even think of suing users who use your instrument over the copyrights of its built in sounds! There must be some kind of implicit right of a performer to use the sounds produced by an instrument, although "sample" or pattern based instruments do tend to blur the line a little. Certainly, one must draw the line somewhere, cf.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbaland_plagiarism_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbaland_plagiarism_controver... However the case in TFA seems pretty cut and dry to me, or am I mistaken?
voldacar 5y ago
This is super cool. I instantly recognize the riff and vocals from countless 90s jungle & hardcore tracks even though I'm not a reggae fan. Still have no idea what a sleng teng is though.
- kingsloi 5y ago
  Yeah! I'll always remember the "Murrrrrderrrrrrrrrr" in random jungle, hardcore, breakcore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPjiJ-4jMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPjiJ-4jMA), etc, years before I knew it was one of Barrington's
- dave_sid 5y ago
  I’m sure the prodigy sampled it
  - dave_sid 5y ago
    Actually I’m wrong it was SL2! Same era. https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk
    - voldacar 5y ago
      Yeah that's the track I was thinking of. great stuff a little better sound quality here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtoCjkZYxJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtoCjkZYxJ8
      - dave_sid 5y ago
        Don’t forget this gem https://youtu.be/gXCN1DhHTZA https://youtu.be/gXCN1DhHTZA
nvr219 5y ago
Choooooon! brap brap brap
fedebehrens 5y ago
There's a smaller YouTube channel I've been following - 'Traxploitation', that did a great video offering some good insights into the history behind the riddim, and it's inspiration from a certain pop star, worth checking out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo
jongala 5y ago
Engadget did a story around this a while back, apparently. It has less from Okuda, but some different details and other links and examples: https://www.engadget.com/2015-12-04-casio-and-the-sleng-teng-riddim.html https://www.engadget.com/2015-12-04-casio-and-the-sleng-teng... This is a very interesting story, and it's great to see Okuda acknowledged for her work and hear more details about that. Casio is a great example of a company that I just took completely for granted growing up and seemed completely opaque and impersonal to me. It's so cool to see the individuals that are behind all of those things. My brothers and I had an MT-40 when we were kids, I loved playing with it, and had no idea it had an impact like this.
dave_sid 5y ago
SL2 sampled it in this classic dance track from the 90’s https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk I had no idea until now where the sample came from.
- crtasm 5y ago
  I never realised there was some Kool & the Gang in there too: https://www.whosampled.com/SL2/Way-in-My-Brain/ https://www.whosampled.com/SL2/Way-in-My-Brain/
okl 5y ago
Can't forget to name Manudigital in that context, who did a lot of live sessions visiting singers and deejays with his MT-40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULmYesM3F5s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULmYesM3F5s
crotho 5y ago
egberts1 5y ago
One of her latest work: visual abstraction of spectrum analyzer tied to a Casio keyboard. https://youtu.be/y0Oj2ZnlYBQ https://youtu.be/y0Oj2ZnlYBQ
supernihil 5y ago
Great post, i like this video connecting sleng teng, casio and david bowie. Heavy basis for suspecting the duke was basis for the preset. https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo
topranks 5y ago
Sleng teng finish already https://youtu.be/_IyYXqH_HEI https://youtu.be/_IyYXqH_HEI
gedy 5y ago
Always sounded to me like Devo's "It's Not Right". https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mIteXTgqvIA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mIteXTgqvIA
Grazester 5y ago
Never thought I would see the day the sleng teng riddim would be discussed on here.
aasasd 5y ago
By the way, Casio not only made calculators and synthesizers, but made both things in one: Casio VL-Tone VL-1 is a calculator and a synth/sequencer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_VL-1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_VL-1
- pantulis 5y ago
  The demo song from the VL-1 is a cultural reference for a lot of 80s kids. And it has its own history: https://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/11993-vl-1german-folk-song-mystery-fake-unterlanders-heimweh/ https://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/11993-vl-1...
swamp_cypress 5y ago
Reminds me of the stock beat from the Roland TR-909 as used in Siouxsie and the Banshee's Kiss them for me (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcNaqkrPm8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcNaqkrPm8)
bambax 5y ago
From TFA: > Among music fans, there is a widespread belief that the Sleng Teng bassline was derived from Eddie Cochran’s “Something Else” or a song by the Sex Pistols, but Okuda denies having had any particular recording in mind. “I did use to listen to a lot of British rock, so I’m sure there must have been songs that influenced me. But really, the bassline was something I came up with myself. It wasn’t based on any other tune.” But this video about Sleng Teng Riddim says otherwise > She did give another clue. 'It was a 70s British rockstar, and if you heard the song it would be instantly recognizable, she said.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo&t=400s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo&t=400s The song is "Hang on to yourself" by David Bowie, released in 1972. When it came out many commentators said it was heavily reminiscent of Eddie Cochran. So there's a clear line from Cochran to Bowie to Reggae. Stories about cultural references and echoes, etc. are really fascinating. (Also, completely OT, but the voice on the Traxploitation video really sounds like the guy doing FabFilter's demos & tutorials. Does anyone know if it's the same guy??)
deric4 5y ago
This YouTube video makes a compelling case that Bowie’s “hang on to yourself” was a strong influence on the riddim https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo
wigster 5y ago
my first keyboard was an MT40. happy days. i've never heard the term 'sleng teng' but i could guess and remembered exactly what tune it would play from 40 years ago. iconic.

575 points by robinhouston 5y ago

Most late 20th century western musical movements and the cultural changes that came with them was down to manufacturers of instruments. It was usually a box, synthesizer or effects unit. Surely the R&D for new sounds is what music depends on?

throwhauser 5y ago
I don't think it's necessarily the sounds, but what the article describes, "bringing the pleasure of playing a musical instrument to everyone". New ways of creating music end up in the hands of people that otherwise may not have gotten started, and new styles emerge.
felix318 5y ago
I think it was always the case that the development of instruments is a major influence on musical styles. Sacred music and the church organ, Baroque music and the harpsichord, Romantics and the piano, Jazz and sax, the list goes on and on. Today however, synthesizers can create any sound imaginable so we probably reached the end of the cycle. Who knows what will guide the future of music.
- xxpor 5y ago
  For the actual pure sounds that's right, but I believe there's still more to be done in the effects area (autotune etc) and instrument interfaces.
- munificent 5y ago
  We'll never reach the end of the cycle. Utility != usability. Synthesizers can create any sound, but which sounds they make easy to create has an enormous influence on what music is actually created using them.
jrm4 5y ago
This implies that the manufacturers had a decent grasp of "where things would go," and I think that couldn't be further from the truth? All the good (or at least interesting) stuff came from "hackers," aka the scratching DJs, the guys who had to scrape for beat machines, etc. etc. Limitations being the inspiration and all that.
- joezydeco 5y ago
  Or, in the case of New York hiphop, a blackout: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/10/16/roman_mars_99_percent_invisible_was_the_1977_nyc_wide_blackout_a_catalyst.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/10/16/roman_mars_99_...
- lariati 5y ago
  I don't see why it matters. I think the Roland TB-303 is the best example of what is being talked about here. It was made by Roland to simulate bass guitars but spawned entire genres of dance music because of its unique sound.
TheOtherHobbes 5y ago
You could create all kinds of new sounds and technologies and they would have no impact if audiences didn't connect with them. Some people have a certain fluency with sound and music. It's not about training, although training will bring it out if someone has it. But it seems pretty innate. And it cuts through in a way that the work of people without the fluency doesn't. Roland used to be masters of this. Their rhythm and bass boxes seemed like stupid failed toys, but they had a magic that wasn't obvious until they were handed to people who didn't try to use them in the "proper" way. That's fluency from two sources - something the original designers somehow had (until Roland stopped being that kind of company) mixed with the feel the pioneering users had. This story is another example of that. Compare with - say - Yamaha's attempts to sell physical modelling synthesis. There was much money spent, a good selection of instruments produced, but it failed to cut through. Possibly because it ended up being a system of presets and directed constraints that limited imagination instead of opening it up. (Or possibly not. It's a mysterious process.)
- tweetle_beetle 5y ago
  For those who don't know, the TB-303 is probably the most entertaining story of this kind. > ... the box was largely written off as a failure after just 18 months of production. It was released alongside the TR-606 drum machine as an accompaniment for guitarists, but with unrealistic sounds and a difficult interface the box got little traction upon release. [1] It became the source of a signature sound in dance music, which remains extensively used today and can be heard in tracks with mainstream chart success. It's terrible interface is somehow part of its charm and it has been cloned in many formats. This is probably the best way to experience it in a browser [2] [1] https://djtechtools.com/2015/12/02/history-tb-303-rolands-accidental-legend/ https://djtechtools.com/2015/12/02/history-tb-303-rolands-ac... [2] https://808303.studio/ https://808303.studio/
- nyanpasu64 5y ago
  From what I've heard, sample libraries of acoustic instruments are a system of presets and directed constraints (inability to replicate complex dynamics, articulation, and pitch bends). I haven't tried physical modeling, and don't know if it manages to escape this issue, or ends up too complex to learn/perform or stuck in an uncanny valley. (This is from the perspective of orchestral-inspired sound design rather than more synthetic compositions.)

teachrdan 5y ago

For those who don't know, "Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word 'rhythm'. In the context of reggae and dancehall it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section... A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances." The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears. But the novelty and catchiness obviously connected to millions of people at the time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8

lelandfe 5y ago
> The actual riddim sounds completely uninteresting to my American ears Dub and reggae are a part of the so-called soundsystem culture. That booming bass line is meant to be heard over an enormous PA system (often home built) designed to rattle your bones!
- gunfighthacksaw 5y ago
  I remember not getting dubstep (also derived from dub before it’s export to the US and commercialization) because I was listening to it on my PC speakers. When I finally played it through my hifi it was like a whole sonic landscape suddenly appeared and only then did I finally get it.
  - chrisjc 5y ago
    Quick note to those that were potentially triggered when they read "dubstep"... Early dubstep was based on two-step and garage music, while at the same time heavily based on dub and reggae. Digital Mystikz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9H3i0T1iN4 Spaceape - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfyRjyKj05I Goth Trad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d12dJbE_xxw Listen to some of the early dubstep and you'll start to understand that parent probably didn't mean Skrillex, etc... BBC Radio 1's original Dubstep Warz session is a great introduction to the original dubstep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyOlkDgy2g Kode9's recently released Dubstep Warz behind the scenes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wmgpQO6iQ

bravura 5y ago

The Sleng Teng riddim is one of my favorite reggae riddims. Americans might best know it as the bassline from Sublime's Caress Me Down (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_LP4IU6XD4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_LP4IU6XD4). But you might really love the lyrics of Tenor Saw's Pumpkin Belly, which a song of the "old time proverbs": "Whatsover you want / You have to work very hard to gain." https://genius.com/Tenor-saw-pumpkin-belly-lyrics https://genius.com/Tenor-saw-pumpkin-belly-lyrics

matmann2001 5y ago
Also reminds me of the intro to Creature Comfort by Arcade Fire.
- aaronbrethorst 5y ago
  https://www.reddit.com/r/arcadefire/comments/6oylf7/creature_comfort_the_slang_teng_riddim/ https://www.reddit.com/r/arcadefire/comments/6oylf7/creature...
deleted 5y ago
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narag 5y ago
Another ressemblance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dR1tKo1n5I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dR1tKo1n5I
rmetzler 5y ago
I've been involved with the German Dancehall scene from around the late 90s early 2000s and danced so many nights to this riddim. I knew the story and how this riddim ended up in Jamaica at King Jammy's (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mop89McbxAE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mop89McbxAE ), but could not remember to have seen an image of the actual keyboard before. Here is a video where Wayne Smith tells how he found the preset on the keyboard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM2qMdop890 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM2qMdop890
dzhiurgis 5y ago

Simon_O_Rourke 5y ago

There's no decent reggae after the early 1980s, apart from UB40 knock off bands. Give me the Pioneers, Dave and Ansel Collins or Justin Hinds any day.

nicoco 5y ago
Wouln't you call groundation at least decent?
TacticalCoder 5y ago
> There's no decent reggae after the early 1980s ... Big reggae fan here (old reggae) but Mike Love, "Permanent Holiday" is quite something: https://youtu.be/fU7hZ3smj0g https://youtu.be/fU7hZ3smj0g
- jawilson2 5y ago
  Holy crap. Thanks for this.
dashwehacct 5y ago
twism 5y ago
Beres Hammond, Jah Cure, Gyptian, Bitty mcLean ... ? I could go on. Relatively newer artists but on dub (old school) style riddims
- okl 5y ago
  The Frightnrs!
throw_m239339 5y ago
This is nonsense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3epH_KNnwYE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3epH_KNnwYE
kingsloi 5y ago
I'm sure there's a million other reggae artists that I've yet to discover, but nothing personally hits more than roots reggae, I wish there were more of 1970s-1990s Lacksley Castell, Hugh Mundell, Johnny Osbourne, Barrington Levy, Sammie Dread, Johnnie Clark, etc, etc,

taurusnoises 5y ago

As someone who dj'd almost exclusively early (and late) dancehall and dub back in the early 00s, I can attest that this riddim has absolute magical properties. It is just one of those things where the tone, the key, the hisses, the bass frequency, the everything just clicks. The room will never not pop off when Sleng Teng drops. That, and it's sister riddim, Stalag. Like best buds, those two.

tpmx 5y ago

This is the rare kind of advertorial that's well worth reading. From the same author (the editor of the site): Tough and Timeless: Ibe Kikuo and the Development of the [Casio] G-Shock https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g01192/tough-and-timeless-ibe-kikuo-and-the-development-of-the-g-shock.html https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g01192/tough-and-time... .... Background on nippon.com: The site has its background in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Echo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Echo which was funded by Japan's Foreign Affairs Ministry. Later on it was funded by the Nippon Foundation, and renamed into the Nippon Communications Foundation: https://foundation.nippon.com/en/about/outline.html https://foundation.nippon.com/en/about/outline.html Funded by a generous grant from the Nippon Foundation ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Foundation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Foundation (eh, read for yourself; it turns weird and dark.)

kingcharles 5y ago
And just in case it is lost on some people, Nippon is one of the possible pronunciations for Japan (日本) in Japanese. The other is Nihon. No, the Japanese have no consensus on the name of their own country.

deleted 5y ago

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tibbydudeza 5y ago

What an awesome article - from Japan to the shores of Jamaica.

okl 5y ago
And back to Japan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7YtFEUzac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7YtFEUzac There's lots of Reggae and Raggamuffin music made in Japan and some of it is really well-made and authentic. (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8aZI0aqR4c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8aZI0aqR4c)

pfarrell 5y ago

And now she's working on a prototype "Holophonor".

reassembled 5y ago

Maybe this is more common in Japan but I find it great that she still works for Casio after all this time.

zuminator 5y ago

This is a beautiful example of why people shouldn't be too quick to tag cultural borrowings as "appropriation." They often result in a back-and-forth cross-pollination that bears novel hybrid fruit we can all enjoy.

vmception 5y ago
cultural participation most of the segregationists just need inspiration and aren’t as exclusionary as they’ve been led to
- mise_en_place 5y ago
  It's a bit unfair to categorize Japan as segregationist. While it's true they have gaijin housing and restaurants, that's meant to make the visitor comfortable, especially if they can't speak Japanese conversationally.
Simplicitas 5y ago
Yup. I'll never forget Darryl Hall saying that music is a continuum, which is why most of the times he allows his Hall & Oates sounds to be sampled by Rap artists ..
- redwall_hp 5y ago
  If you look into folk music traditions, one recurring theme you'll find is it's generally not clear who wrote a tune or lyrics, and multiple songs often use the same tune. That's the natural state of music, and the current system of so-called intellectual property is an aberration. We don't know who wrote "Rolling Down to Old Maui" or "Drunken Sailor," other than that they were popular in the 19th century. They both share tunes with other songs that predate them, just like how there are multiple songs that use the same tune as "The Wearing of the Green." Countless people have performed and rearranged them, and the world only benefits from it. Everything in art is inherently memetic, building upon the work of others and evolving.
  - 5y ago

dave_sid 5y ago

Absolutely love this.

dieselerator 5y ago

It is an interesting read. I find inspiration in this story of composer Hiroko Okuda. When you work at doing your part to get the product to market you can't predict all the ways customers might use the product.

qbasic_forever 5y ago
Also very cool that she and Casio effectively have licensed the beat under a permissive MIT-like license... just credit using the keyboard and have fun!

grawprog 5y ago

I really love the world of reggae and dancehall. The way riddims are covered and updated and repurposed and remade over and over in different styles by different artists. It feels natural and organic. Human creativity building on and growing what came before.

npteljes 5y ago
The entirety of the remix culture is just something else. People turning something existing into something else, sometimes completely changing it up. For one I loved Burial's Archangel, for its haunting vocals, only to learn later that it's sampled from a (to me) unremarkable r&b song.
- skydhash 5y ago
  A great example is : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NVUZNsh2E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NVUZNsh2E The remix is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGflUbPQfW8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGflUbPQfW8 The original is good, but the remix is something else.
  - npteljes 5y ago
    I agree, the update is very well done.

sequoia 5y ago

For people wondering "what's the sleng teng riddim?" here's some examples: Original "under mi sleng teng" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw7m-BKmQ8 One of my favorites, "The Don" by peter metro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZuTOH2zoc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZuTOH2zoc 90 minute sleng teng mix (here's a bunch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwLKc61dVWQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwLKc61dVWQ related: Under mi sensi (doesn't actually use sleng teng riddim but it's a riff on the sleng teng chorus): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_dwpUrWkE4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_dwpUrWkE4 A different riddim (bookshelf), but great example of seeing the DJ at work on a riddim mix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyGhjR7CE3k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyGhjR7CE3k If you want to explore other popular riddims, the punanny riddim is a good next stop! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UkJRGIpzYM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UkJRGIpzYM

2muchcoffeeman 5y ago
One of the YouTube comments makes an interesting observation that this is an entirely digital rhythm.
- dashwehacct 5y ago
  I like to tell people that reggae artists (more specifically dub artists) created electronic music. I don’t know if it’s entirely true, but there is some evidence to suggest this.
  - rvense 5y ago
    Well, electronic music in the broad sense is at least thirty-five years older than Sleng Teng. I doubt, say, Schaeffer and Xennakis were very clued in to what was happening in Jamaica. But it's absolute true that you reggae and dub had a profound impact on dance music music in all its forms from the 90's onwards, both culturally and in the production methods and sound. I'm not sure I've ever heard any of the original Detroit artists reference Jamaican music as an influence, but the entire European side (which then moved back North America) is steeped in Jamaican influence, both directly and via the UK.

winternett 5y ago

As a musician that also does IT work, the part where copyright/law suit was mentioned troubled me a bit... Artists aren't profiting massively from sampling. Even from making music in general. Actually, most artists don't get paid at all when uncleared samples are involved, and especially because of the predatory system of music publication. The ideal like they are the ones who should be sued worries me about a wrong take on the art overall. Perhaps Casio should have given her a bonus, because back then because of Sleng Teng, they sold a lot more units. If we buy a piece of music equipment with presets on it, the license for usage should be 100% included in the purchase, or not included on the device at all. Copyright is one of the biggest things that threatens music innovation moving forward. The Sleng Teng riddim was indeed influential to reggae for many years, but it was not a game changer because Reggae had existed long before it and even well before Casio. To say that Casio or Okuda Hiroko made the riddim and influenced reggae was a bit of a stretch... The vocals, use, performance, distribution and choice to use a Casio keyboard on the song were all by Noel Davey. To say a preset on a keyboard he used was responsible for a cultural era totally ignores what inspired Hiroko to make the preset. To try to credit a preset as a cultural influence on reggae discredits all of the other aspects of riddim culture and tools that existed at that point too, Linn Drums, the DR550, The Effectron II, etc... So many things influenced reggae. As someone who was there during the era, Sleng Teng was a great track, but to say the preset revolutionized reggae is like saying modems influenced Internet culture. Reggae is specifically a Caribbean music art form that has grown from the 1940s and spread across the world against great resistance, and the heritage and innovation behind it is specifically due to the artists that made each song... Otherwise, we should probably credit Ableton and a bunch of synth plug-ins for pretty much every preset used on almost every dance track made now... This article kind of highlights a major part of the discussion surrounding cultural appropriation, it's the ideal that something needs to be linked to "more favorable or esteemed" cultures to be more noteworthy or humanized. Reggae is uniquely Caribbean in origins, artists faced great struggles to make the music and most did not get paid anything notable at all. Others are free to integrate the ideals however they want, but the origins, credits, authenticity, and history should not be re-written just to make a new story. Authentic history of the Sleng Teng Riddim and Riddim Culture- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6geaZFHZC2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6geaZFHZC2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It08Mt3q38k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It08Mt3q38k

usrusr 5y ago

Related: I believe that the main reason why I could never really connect with the post-flash version of Ishkur's Guide is the omission of Casiocore. Just push 'samba' on that thing and away you go. (or perhaps I just haven't found it yet?)

prvc 5y ago

I'm surprised that anyone would even think of suing users who use your instrument over the copyrights of its built in sounds! There must be some kind of implicit right of a performer to use the sounds produced by an instrument, although "sample" or pattern based instruments do tend to blur the line a little. Certainly, one must draw the line somewhere, cf.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbaland_plagiarism_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbaland_plagiarism_controver... However the case in TFA seems pretty cut and dry to me, or am I mistaken?

voldacar 5y ago

This is super cool. I instantly recognize the riff and vocals from countless 90s jungle & hardcore tracks even though I'm not a reggae fan. Still have no idea what a sleng teng is though.

kingsloi 5y ago
Yeah! I'll always remember the "Murrrrrderrrrrrrrrr" in random jungle, hardcore, breakcore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPjiJ-4jMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPjiJ-4jMA), etc, years before I knew it was one of Barrington's
dave_sid 5y ago
I’m sure the prodigy sampled it
- dave_sid 5y ago
  Actually I’m wrong it was SL2! Same era. https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk
  - voldacar 5y ago
    Yeah that's the track I was thinking of. great stuff a little better sound quality here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtoCjkZYxJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtoCjkZYxJ8
    - dave_sid 5y ago
      Don’t forget this gem https://youtu.be/gXCN1DhHTZA https://youtu.be/gXCN1DhHTZA

nvr219 5y ago

Choooooon! brap brap brap

fedebehrens 5y ago

There's a smaller YouTube channel I've been following - 'Traxploitation', that did a great video offering some good insights into the history behind the riddim, and it's inspiration from a certain pop star, worth checking out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo

jongala 5y ago

Engadget did a story around this a while back, apparently. It has less from Okuda, but some different details and other links and examples: https://www.engadget.com/2015-12-04-casio-and-the-sleng-teng-riddim.html https://www.engadget.com/2015-12-04-casio-and-the-sleng-teng... This is a very interesting story, and it's great to see Okuda acknowledged for her work and hear more details about that. Casio is a great example of a company that I just took completely for granted growing up and seemed completely opaque and impersonal to me. It's so cool to see the individuals that are behind all of those things. My brothers and I had an MT-40 when we were kids, I loved playing with it, and had no idea it had an impact like this.

dave_sid 5y ago

SL2 sampled it in this classic dance track from the 90’s https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk https://youtu.be/xI8S1Nn6NRk I had no idea until now where the sample came from.

crtasm 5y ago
I never realised there was some Kool & the Gang in there too: https://www.whosampled.com/SL2/Way-in-My-Brain/ https://www.whosampled.com/SL2/Way-in-My-Brain/

okl 5y ago

Can't forget to name Manudigital in that context, who did a lot of live sessions visiting singers and deejays with his MT-40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULmYesM3F5s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULmYesM3F5s

crotho 5y ago

egberts1 5y ago

One of her latest work: visual abstraction of spectrum analyzer tied to a Casio keyboard. https://youtu.be/y0Oj2ZnlYBQ https://youtu.be/y0Oj2ZnlYBQ

supernihil 5y ago

Great post, i like this video connecting sleng teng, casio and david bowie. Heavy basis for suspecting the duke was basis for the preset. https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo

topranks 5y ago

Sleng teng finish already https://youtu.be/_IyYXqH_HEI https://youtu.be/_IyYXqH_HEI

gedy 5y ago

Always sounded to me like Devo's "It's Not Right". https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mIteXTgqvIA https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mIteXTgqvIA

Grazester 5y ago

Never thought I would see the day the sleng teng riddim would be discussed on here.

aasasd 5y ago

By the way, Casio not only made calculators and synthesizers, but made both things in one: Casio VL-Tone VL-1 is a calculator and a synth/sequencer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_VL-1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_VL-1

pantulis 5y ago
The demo song from the VL-1 is a cultural reference for a lot of 80s kids. And it has its own history: https://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/11993-vl-1german-folk-song-mystery-fake-unterlanders-heimweh/ https://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/11993-vl-1...

swamp_cypress 5y ago

Reminds me of the stock beat from the Roland TR-909 as used in Siouxsie and the Banshee's Kiss them for me (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcNaqkrPm8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcNaqkrPm8)

bambax 5y ago

From TFA: > Among music fans, there is a widespread belief that the Sleng Teng bassline was derived from Eddie Cochran’s “Something Else” or a song by the Sex Pistols, but Okuda denies having had any particular recording in mind. “I did use to listen to a lot of British rock, so I’m sure there must have been songs that influenced me. But really, the bassline was something I came up with myself. It wasn’t based on any other tune.” But this video about Sleng Teng Riddim says otherwise > She did give another clue. 'It was a 70s British rockstar, and if you heard the song it would be instantly recognizable, she said.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo&t=400s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo&t=400s The song is "Hang on to yourself" by David Bowie, released in 1972. When it came out many commentators said it was heavily reminiscent of Eddie Cochran. So there's a clear line from Cochran to Bowie to Reggae. Stories about cultural references and echoes, etc. are really fascinating. (Also, completely OT, but the voice on the Traxploitation video really sounds like the guy doing FabFilter's demos & tutorials. Does anyone know if it's the same guy??)

deric4 5y ago

This YouTube video makes a compelling case that Bowie’s “hang on to yourself” was a strong influence on the riddim https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo https://youtu.be/R_Hko8LRdyo

wigster 5y ago

my first keyboard was an MT40. happy days. i've never heard the term 'sleng teng' but i could guess and remembered exactly what tune it would play from 40 years ago. iconic.