Jamaica’s Andrae ’Popcaan’ Sutherland made his breakthrough with a bit of cultural cross-pollination. Back in 2010, he shared the single Clarks with the more established dancehall musician Vybz Cartel, a lively song of praise for Britain’s perennial high street shoe store. “Everybody haffi ask weh mi get mi Clarks/Di leather hard, di suede soft/Toothbrush get out di dust fast,” they sang, neglecting to add that the back to school range is an ideal blend of hard-wearing and affordable.
Today he’s a huge star in his own country, where he runs his own festival, Unruly, in his home parish of St Thomas and carries the flame for the energetic dancehall sound, but also acts as a bridge to all manner of other musical styles. He’s been on UK rap tracks with Giggs and Kano, made dramatic electronic pop with Gorillaz, soul with Jorja Smith, dance music with Jamie xx and melodic afrobeats with the Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.
Most profitably, he keeps getting together with the Canadian giant Drake, who’s long been a hoover for international sounds and has found that his meandering singing is a sweet counterpoint to Popcaan’s layered Auto-Tuned voice. Drake signed him to his OVO Sound record label, took him on a European tour and sings with him again on this fourth album on We Caa Done. Popcaan’s urgent vocals scrape appealingly against Drake’s more relaxed tones while warm piano chords and cut-up female voices provide the melody.
He’s more old fashioned on another Burna Boy duet, with a sprightly saxophone sample keeping the mood upbeat. Popcaan’s voice is lighter and less gruff that many of his dancehall peers, and he’s happy to embrace his cornier side, especially on Next to Me, a highly tuneful love song that finds him duetting with his rumoured girlfriend, Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh, and suggesting: “We could go anywhere/Anywhere you choose/Take you on a cruise/Girl you are so beautiful.”
Skeleton Cartier is equally sunny and hummable, and it’s not until over halfway through a long collection that he attempts something a bit tougher. Set It is minimal and pacey, dominated by rugged stabs of electronic bass.
Generally it all flows along almost too smoothly, touching on his upbringing on St Thomas Native and praising God on the slower title track. There aren’t enough songs that leap out to grab an even bigger crossover audience, but he’ll definitely be able to afford as many new pairs of shoes as he needs.
