From their inception in the mid-1990s in Bristol, UK, Digistep and DJ Stryda—the architects behind Dubkasm—are a testament to dub music's enduring legacy and perpetual reinvention.
Now, some 30 years later, the duo joins grime auteur Footsie for a very special performance at the 11th instalment of the Black Rhino Residency series at Control Club on April 12th.
Eminently Bristolian, the city's unique blend of cultural influences—reggae, punk, hip-hop, and electronic music—has imbued Dubkasm's sound with a distinctive edge, allowing them to navigate the global scene with authenticity and authority. Their work reflects the sounds of their local environment and the global currents of dub music, from its roots in Jamaican reggae to its manifestations in sound systems worldwide, including Aba Shanti-I and Iration Steppas on stages from Glastonbury and Boomtown Fair, to Outlook Festival, Brazil, Japan, the USA, and even Siberia.
Bristol’s Bass Ambassadors
From the outset, Dubkasm has navigated the delicate balance between reverence for dub's origins and pursuing its future possibilities. Their early works, beginning with their first official release in 1996, Chemical Reactions Dub on Dub Out West - Volume 2 (Nubian Records), signaled a dawn when respect for dub music's pioneers melded with the late-century spirit of innovation. This early work would be characterized by analog warmth and foundational reggae rhythms, laying the groundwork for what would become a prolific career.
The technical precision of Dubkasm's production is grounded by a commitment to the tactile essence of dub. Their early forays, characterized by a reliance on vintage equipment—echo chambers, tape machines, and custom-built pre-amps—serves as proof to their dedication to dub's analog heart. Yet, this fidelity to tradition also belies a nuanced embrace of the digital landscape—its digital pulse. The result, Dubkasm becoming major players in the era’s digital dub revolution.
The Quintessential Dubkasm: Reggae, Samba & Sound Systems
The duo's seminal album, Transform I (Dubquake, 2009) marked a significant moment in Dubkasm's journey. It combines contemporary reggae, Brazilian instrumentation, and dub, recorded across various locations, including Bajan Steppa Studio in Norway, Conscious Sounds Studio in London, Dubkasm Studio, and with nine vocalists, including Dub Judah, Levi Roots, and Afrikan Simba. Transform I encapsulates their dedication to the traditional dub production techniques. It is a masterpiece that resonates with purists and futurists alike, embodying the transcendental nature of dub music as both a historical artifact and a living, breathing organism. The expansive nature of Transform I is further explored in Transformed in Dub (2010) and Transform I - Remixed (2010), albums that delve into the depths of dub's possibilities with reworkings done by the likes of Pinch, Gemmy, Appleblim, RSD, Headhunter and Peverelist.
Following Transform I, Dubkasm expanded their sonic palette with Brixton Rec (Sufferah's Choice, 2013). This album honors the iconic Brixton Rec studio, a crucible of reggae and dub in the UK. Its meticulous production, featuring a confluence of guest artists—Tena Stelin, Lidj Xylon, Ras Addi— underscored Dubkasm's role as custodians of dub music's communal spirit, weaving together threads of community, cultural heritage, and the diasporic journey of the genre.
Recorded over seven years between São Paulo and Brixton, and deeply rooted in the legacy of Digistep's father's 1970s Bristol vinyl collection, Rastrumentals (Unearthed Recordings, 2018) artfully combined traditional samba instruments with the UK's finest reggae musicianship. The album and accompanying remix series, explores a rich tapestry of sounds, from the African-influenced cuica to the reggae rhythms of Blood Shanti and even jazz ventures with tracks like Delta Blues and Cachoeira da Fumaça.
The release of Shady Grove (Peng! Sound, 2019) would signify a pivotal evolution in Dubkasm's discography. Recorded in their studio under the same name, the album is a homage to the heavily gentrifying St Paul's area of Bristol as much as it is to the sound systems of Jamaica. Here, Dubkasm articulates a vision of dub deeply rooted in place—be it the physical landscape or the cultural terrain of Bristol's sound system culture. It shows a more reflective and organic approach to dub music, integrating live instrumentation and field recordings to capture the essence of their lived-in environment.
These landmark albums interweave numerous singles, EPs, and collaborations that highlight Dubkasm's versatility and commitment to the dub community. Each collaboration—be it with vocalists, instrumentalists, or fellow producers—serves as a conduit for cross-cultural and intergenerational dialogue. Across their discography, collaborators have included Solo Banton, Gorgon Sound, Iration Stepas, and their latest with Footsie, Soundman Ting—a rough and rugged manifestation of dub and grime.
Further releases of note would be the best-selling vinyl roots release of recent decades, Victory (Sufferah's Choice, 2013), as well as Mighty Designer (ZamZam Sound, 2020), and the Rudey Lee/Solo Banton featuring Emotion/ Are You Ready (Sufferah's Choice Recordings). Strictly Ital (Dubquake, 2010), City Walls / Hail Jah (Sufferah's Choice, 2009), and Every Lion / Jah Elements (Sufferah's Choice, 2012) have also been best-selling staples of the genre and bonafide mega tunes of the Dubkasm discography.
Custodians of Culture
Though Dubkasm enjoyed an established and lengthy relationship with Bristol's Peng! Sound Recordings, it would be the establishment of their label, Sufferah's Choice Recordings, in 2003 that marked another significant moment in their career, providing a platform for their own music and other artists within the dub and reggae scenes. Across its numerous releases, this venture has reflected Dubkasm's broader commitment to nurturing the genre's growth and sustainability, further solidifying their role as cultural custodians of dub music.
Beyond their musical output, Dubkasm has made significant contributions to the dub community through their relentless participation in sound system culture. Their live performances, characterized by the use of custom-built sound systems and a deep selection of dubplates, are vibrant celebrations of dub music's communal roots and the spirit of unity and resistance inherent in the culture.
In their journey across the contours of dub music, Dubkasm has emerged as prolific artists, historians, and futurists. Their work transcends the musical domain, delving into themes of identity, community, and spirituality, etching into the grooves of their records the narratives of a genre that is at once timeless and timely. Their discography, rich in its diversity and depth, invites listeners into a space where the echoes of the past meet the possibilities of the future.
