Once a ceremonial weapon of Word, Sound, and Power, reggae is too often reduced to mood music. The prophet becomes performer; prophecy becomes therapy. Frantz Fanon foresaw this: revolutionary culture repackaged as folklore for tourism and global markets. In “The Wretched of the Earth” he warned that national culture cannot be preserved as mere folklore, the traditions, costumes and clichés of an imagined past, but must emerge dynamically from present struggles for liberation, lest it be emptied of revolutionary substance. The rhythm is alive, but the message barely remains, a faint remnant of its true power. Reggae soothes instead of disturbs. It plays in cafés, yoga studios, and resorts as background leisure. The sacrament of ganja becomes a lifestyle brand; the Rasta image is sold as relaxation instead of resistance. This blunts the revolutionary edge. Reggae, once weapon of the poor, is wielded as pacifier. Ceremony becomes stage show, testimony becomes branding, judgment becomes “good vibes.”
Yet beneath the gloss, the roots remain. Reggae can still be reclaimed as weapon of awakening, a sound to unsettle Babylon rather than soothe it.
One and only mighty Haris Pilton never failing delivery of sabbatical dubbical excursion non stop, issuing 4 different flavored full albums of roots rock reggae inna dubwise motion inna last 3 months!
Suplicating legendary gold era of dub Haris saves the Earth from Robo-Dub in Evil Zombie Robot from Outer Space where heavy effects chase the zombies away:
Retrieving sacred dub scrolls in Wicked Ninjas from Hollow Earth with styles for miles:
Reinventing seaside vibes alongside enigmatic Chantelle Morgan in The Cursed Stripper Mermaids of Dread Lagoon where horns and seagulls lead the way:
Heading straight from hyperspace nebula parallel universe dubs in Speed of Light:
Alongside these be sure different musical profiles like gypsy brass Balkan Voodoo Orchestra and post apocalyptic electro punk Kali Fat Dub! NAH MISS!
“Ska Al Shami” is an innovative musical fusion composed by Palestinian – British producer Felix Aburdene (aka Dub Caravan) that blends the upbeat rhythms and energetic foundation of Ska & Reggae with the rich melodic maqams of classical Arabic music specifically from the Levant region. This collaboration features the talents of three remarkable Syrian musicians, who bring their cultural heritage and musical expertise to this vibrant soundscape that celebrates the cultural diversity of both genres.
Come one come all rally around dubwise creations throne: Brand new Haris Pilton in old school stylee!
PRESS: Dubwise Creation is a exploration of old school dub, crafted by Haris Pilton. This album invites listeners into a rich soundscape that echoes the golden era of reggae, capturing the essence of classic dub techniques while infusing them with Pilton’s unique flair.
From the very first track, the deep, rolling basslines set a hypnotic foundation, creating an immersive atmosphere that pulls you in. Each song is a journey, characterized by lush reverb, intricate echo effects, and skillful layering of instruments that transport you to the heart of a vibrant sound system. The production showcases Pilton’s meticulous attention to detail, as he artfully weaves together elements of rhythm and melody to create a tapestry of sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Deep and echoing tradition of dub providing a modern twist that resonates with contemporary audiences. Listeners will find themselves lost in the fluid transitions between tracks, where each piece flows seamlessly into the next, evoking the feeling of a live dub session. The old school vibe is palpable, with influences from iconic producers and sound engineers woven throughout, yet Pilton brings his own signature sound to the forefront.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan of dub or just discovering its magic, Haris Pilton invites you to immerse yourself in this dub journey, where the echoes of the past meet the vibrant energy of the present. With Dubwise Creation, Haris Pilton firmly establishes a bridge between tradition and innovation that resonates deeply with audiences around the world. This album is a testament to the enduring power of dub music and its ability to inspire and uplift.
#harispilton Number one SloveniaJAH producer Haris Pilton coming in with Dunza EP featuring legendary Johny Clarke and Hornsman Coyote. Vocal and brass versions followed by 3 different dub cuts. NAH MISS!
“Dunza EP”
In a groundbreaking musical venture, Haris Pilton, the visionary artist and producer, is set to unveil his latest masterpiece, the ” Dunza EP.” This highly anticipated release sees the convergence of talents from various corners of the globe, creating a musical tapestry that transcends boundaries and genres. The EP, featuring the legendary Jamaican reggae singer Johnny Clarke and Serbia’s acclaimed trombone player Hornsman Coyote, is a testament to the universality of music and its power to connect diverse cultures.
Haris Pilton, known for his innovative approach to music production, has curated a collection of five tracks from the legendary Blood Dunza riddim. “Blood Dunza EP” is not just an EP album; it’s a sonic journey that invites listeners to immerse themselves in a world where tradition and modernity coalesce in perfect harmony.
The collaboration with Johnny Clarke, an icon in the Jamaican reggae scene, brings an authentic and timeless feel to the EP. Clarke’s soulful vocals and profound lyrics resonate throughout first song on EP, elevating the listening experience to new heights. His contribution adds a rich layer of authenticity to the project, making it a genuine celebration of reggae’s roots and golden era of reggae..
Hornsman Coyote, a maestro of the trombone hailing from Serbia, injects the EP with a distinct and vibrant energy. His skillful play weaves through the melodies, creating a bridge between the Caribbean rhythms and the soulful echoes of Eastern Europe. The result is a fusion that transcends borders, demonstrating the universal language of music.
As the mastermind behind the “Dunza EP,” Haris Pilton showcases not only his prowess as a producer but also his ability to bring together artists from different corners of the world. The EP is a testament to the power of collaboration and the magic that unfolds when diverse talents unite under a common creative vision.
With each track carefully crafted and produced by Haris Pilton, the “Dunza EP” promises a listening experience that is both captivating and thought-provoking. One vocal, one brass and three different dub versions from the roots-inspired beats to the contemporary twists, the EP encapsulates the essence of reggae while pushing the boundaries of the genre.
Prepare to embark on a musical odyssey as “Dunza EP” drops, inviting you to immerse yourself in the soulful & dubby sounds of reggae, enhanced by the collaborative brilliance of Haris Pilton, Johnny Clarke, and Hornsman Coyote. It’s more than an EP album; it’s a cultural convergence, a celebration of unity through music, and a testament to the enduring power of collaboration in the ever-evolving landscape of global soundscapes.
Although Seaga‘s Jamaica, Thatcher‘s England, and Reagan‘s America gave ragga the kind of painful birth necessary for their mythic function, they really were always there. They were overshadowed by the spectacle of Rasta and its pious moralisms, but they were there nonetheless, stalking Jamaica’s neocolonial streets and consuming American cowboy and gangster films as well as the Old Testament and Pentecostalism. They existed within Rasta from the moment it defined itself as an urban phenomenon and as a place for those suppressed by the hierarchical and color-stratified social structure of Jamaica.
Design Legacy: A Social History Of Jamaican Album Covers
During the sixties, before the hegemony of Rasta in the consciousness of ghetto sound, the earliest manifestation of the ragga can be located in the rude-boy phenomenon which swept the tiny island. The rudies, like today’s “gangbangers” in America, were young males who had little access to education and were victims of the incredible unemployment endemic to Third World urban centers. Their political consciousness was as developed as the Rastafari, but where the Rasta solution was one which often refused to engage directly with the harsh realities of ghetto and Third World life and frequently got lost in cloudy moments of rhetoric and myth (“roots and culture“), the rudies clung fiercely to “reality“-that trope central to today’s ragga/dancehall culture. They terrorized the island, modeling themselves after their heroes from American films and glorying in their outlaw status. They killed, robbed, and looted, celebrating their very stylish nihilism. And ska and reggae – especially DJ-reggae, the beginning of rap/hip hop – were their musics.
Today the dreadlocks vision has been superseded-at least in the realm of sound and culture-by the rudie vision. The crucial differences between them can be seen quite vividly in their relationship to Babylon. Where in Rasta and other forms of popular Negritude there has always been some degree of nostalgia for a precolonial/preindustrial/precapitalist Africa, raggamuffin culture is very forward looking and capitalist oriented-as are most black people, despite the fantasies of many self-appointed nationalist leaders. These rudies focus their gaze, instead, on America, absorbing commodity culture from the fringes of the global marketplace, responding to it positively.
This means that in the context of a Third World ghetto where there are more guns per capita than anywhere else in the world, where legitimate employment is often a fantasy, where the drug trade and music provide the only available options for success, these young men find affirmation in the various messages that radiate out from America, an America that is not the “center” but rather an imagined source of transmission. Messages like The Godfather get picked up and translated into island style.
For example, one of the titles of utmost dancehall respect is “don.”
Shabba Ranks “Shine & Criss”
The raggamuffin pantheon is full of DJs with names like Clint Eastwood, Johnny Ringo, Al Capone, Josey Wales, and Dillinger; and today’s dons boast names like Bounty Killer, Shabba Ranks (named after a famous Jamaican gunman), and John Wayne. Also, the Jamaican underworld has always been full of characters who inscribed themselves into ghetto myth by renaming themselves in much the same way.
Male identity in this context is a necessary pastiche, and the allegorical representations of America’s dreams of itself become rewritten with a pen soaked in the blood of colonialism, slavery, and black ghet-to style. The gunfighter/outlaw image has always been there in reggae; it is now, however, without overt references to the Western world as the “Sheriff,” as in Bob Marley andthe Wailers‘ classic “I Shot the Sheriff.”
For the ragga, this metaphor is no longer apt, for now they shoot each other in a lawless postcolonial terrain. Indeed, Ninjaman has described Jamaica as a “Cowboy Town.”
Sting 2012, Jamaica Gleaner
These names-and the notion of crime as political/cultural resistance that they signify – were there during Rasta‘s moment, but where the more Afrocentric embraced the Marley vision, the ghetto youth, the “bad-bwoys,” were smuggling in specialized weaponry like M16s, Glocks, and Bush-masters, killing each other and following their favorite sound systems around the island.
And, of course, the cocaine and marijuana trade was booming. In fact, it was booming in such a way that in the 1980s a few of the more enterprising Yardies invested some of this money which came to the ghetto in -believe it or not- state-of-the-artdigital computer technology. Thus began what Jah Fish (Murray Elias), an avid follower of Jamaican music, has called the “the modem era” of Afro-Caribbean sound and culture.
Found in:
Post-Nationalist Geographies: Rasta, Ragga, and Reinventing Africa Author: Louis Chude-Sokei Source: African Arts, Vol. 27, No. 4 (Autumn, 1994), Published by: UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3337324
OUT OF MANY COME DUB AND OUT OF DUB COME ONE 