Notting Hill Carnival is just around the corner! Every year, hundreds of thousands of people descend upon the streets of the West London district for two days of music and vibes. All in the name of celebrating the contributions of Caribbean culture on the UK and the world at large.
Amid the festivities, including steel bands, live stages and dancing troupes, there will be 25 sound systems beaming out a variety of musical flavors. Rampage Sound is one of them. A staple of Notting Hill Carnival for several years, the award-winning sound system never fails to bring energy and excitement. The product of both Caribbean music like Reggae and Soca and genres born in the UK like Jungle and UKG, Rampage blends all for maximum, well, rampage!
To celebrate Carnival, Rampage co-founder Michael Anthony takes us on a trip down memory lane to share their most essential mixes for the season from years past.
Carnival 2024 Mix
Kicking off with a fresh new mix, Rampage compiled a weighty offering to get you in the mood. Packed with Dancehall, R&B and Soca sounds, the mix is a nod to the music that will likely be spun throughout the weekend. “These are all the tracks we think will be big for us this year plus some Rampage classics,” Mike tells us. “Expect Dancehall bangers, Soca anthems and some special one-away dubplates.”
Classic Jungle Mix
One for the Junglist massive! The Rampage boys are diehard Jungle fans and pay homage to the sound with this selection of classic tracks. This is a sign of things to expect when you make your way to the soundsystem. Especially at the beginning of their programming during Carnival weekend. “All three of us are big Jungle fans and used to rave hard to these records back in the day,” Mike explains. “You can always catch us playing some Jungle quite early in the day to get the crowd’s energy levels up.”
Classic House & Garage Mix
As Jungle spread its wings in the mid 1990s, so did UKG. On the streets of South London, this rework of House music was bubbling. Way before it became a commercially successful sound. Rampage’s nod to the genre traces its early days and the sweet rhythms to come from that era. “Similarly to Jungle we’ve always been big UKG fans and have always worked closely with a lot of the big DJs from that scene like Spoony, Sticky, Norris The Boss and Masterstepz,” Mike says. “This mix showcases a lot of the really early anthems, like 94/95 style. When it was all about clubs like Twice As Nice, The Arches and Grays Inn Road among many.”
Carnival 2019 Mix
Rampage’s 2019 Carnival warm up holds a lot of weight. The last Carnival before the COVID-19 pandemic may feel like an age ago. Yet that period of time has much sentimental value for the sound system. It brings back memories of how they brought their community together during those unfortunate times. “These are pre-COVID party anthems,” Mike describes. “During lockdown we did a lot of live sessions online and were touched by the amount of people who got in touch and thanked us for keeping their spirits up. The spirit of Carnival and the songs on this mix remind us of that time, and to keep pushing through when times get tough.
90s Dancehall Mix
Taking it back to the sounds that form the backbone of Carnival, Rampage explores the golden age of Dancehall. They blend a selection of tunes that are bound to put a smile on your face. If you’re at Carnival this weekend, these vibes will likely not be far away. Be ready to move your feet once you hit play! “Who doesn’t love some 90s Dancehall!” Mike says. “This mix is some of the less played tracks that back in the day used to really mash up the place. Expect Ninjaman, Tenor Saw, Shabba Ranks and way more!”
Check out Rampage’s Mixcloud profile for live streams of their programming throughout Notting Hill Carnival.