Subatomic Sound System: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:02, 16 January 2025

Revision as of 08:51, 22 January 2025

Line 26:

==Performance History==

In the fall of 2001, Subatomic Sound System won the [[Red Bull]] Vinyl Lab competition in [[New York City]] using an early incarnation of [[Native Instruments]] [[Traktor]] DJ software on a laptop at a time when laptops were not commonly used in musical performances. When judges discovered software had been used to create the mix [[CD-ROM|CD]], it sparked controversy amongst the judges. In the end, judges conceded that there were no valid grounds for disqualifying Subatomic Sound System for using DJ software rather than traditional vinyl and [[turntables]], so they upheld their victory in the competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=subatomic_us|title=Native Instruments article on Red Bull Vinyl Lab competition|website=Native-instruments.com|accessdate=29 January 2021}}</ref>

In 2007, Subatomic Sound System increased touring throughout North America and Europe. The group performed in a variety of configurations from a live band of ten, to an electronic trio, to DJs as styles like [[dubstep]] increased in popularity and the interest in new [[dub music|dub]] oriented music emanating from New York City increased (largely the result of successful releases from NYC artists such as Dr. Israel, [[Victor Axelrod|Ticklah]], [[Easy Star All-Stars]], Dub Gabriel, [[Bill Laswell]], [[Matisyahu]], and others).

Line 32:

On July 19, 2009, Subatomic Sound System performed at [[Summerstage]] in [[Central Park]], [[New York City]], along with Lee "Scratch" Perry & Dubblestandart (with a cameo from [[Ari Up]]) and [[Alpha Blondy]]. The lineup for this event drew the largest Summerstage crowd of the season, confirming organizers' expectations. Given the multicultural and cross generational audiences who turn out in Central Park, organizers had hoped this billing would draw on the connection between modern incarnations of [[dub music|dub]] based music such as dubstep and the [[Dub music|dub]] and [[roots reggae]] styles from over 30 years prior, originated by Perry in Jamaica that influenced artists like Blondy to extend that sound in [[Africa]]. Those styles then influenced groups like Dubblestandart and Subatomic Sound System in Europe and the US to meld that sound with other contemporary electronic based genres.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/|title=City Parks Foundation - SummerStage|website=Cityparksfoundation.org|accessdate=29 January 2021}}</ref>

In 2012, [[Lee Scratch Perry|Perry]], with Subatomic Sound System as his band and opening act, went on tour across the US from May 16 through May 26. In September, they performed together again at Dub Champions Festival in New York City, Music Hall of Williamsburg.

In 2013, [[Lee Scratch Perry|Perry]] and Subatomic Sound System tour the west coast and southwest USA including two shows at the Coachella Arts & Music Festival, April 12 & 19, performing music ranging from the roots reggae off Perry's [[Super Ape]] album to dubstep and bass music riddims by Subatomic Sound System.

Line 41:

==Release History==

=== "Black Ark Vampires" Lee "Scratch" Perry & Subatomic Sound System ===

The song "Black Ark Vampires" premiered on October 31, 2014, via the Brooklyn-based Jamaican culture website Large Up,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.largeup.com/2014/10/30/lee-scratch-perry-subatomic-black-ark-vampires/|title=LargeUp Premiere: Lee "Scratch" Perry's "Black Ark Vampires"|date=30 October 2014|website=Largeup.com|accessdate=29 January 2021}}</ref> with an explanation of Perry's lyrics about killing [[vampires]] and why Perry burned down his [[Black Ark Studios]] in Jamaica decades before. In the song, Perry describes killing vampires with fire, electric wire, roast corn, and his own hair in locations around the globe including America, England, and Kingston, Jamaica. Live concerts by Perry and Subatomic Sound System from 2001 to 2014 combined digital electronics and live instrumentalists and singers and this recorded song can also be heard to use a similar blend of elements specifically instrumentation like electric guitar, bass, percussion, and harmonized background vocal produced with space echo and spring reverb effects in a fashion typical of [[reggae]] recordings from Perry's Black Ark Studios during the 1970s, as well as using electronic synthesized [[sub-bass]] and digital drums common to 21st century electronic music genres like [[dubstep]] and [[Trap music (EDM)|trap music]]. The song was released on vinyl 45rpm exclusively on November 4, 2014 and appeared at No. 1 on [[Juno Records]] charts in both dub and reggae. [[Dancehall|Reggae dancehall]] vocalist Jahdan Blakkamoore appeared as a supporting vocalist on the track, a collaborator on several other Perry & Subatomic Sound releases as well as vocalist and primary writer on [[Snoop Lion]] and [[Major Lazer]] albums. Blakkamoore is mostly known for his numerous releases both solo and with his band [[Noble Society]] whose release "Living the Life" came out on the Subatomic Sound label.

=== Iron Devil: Lee "Scratch" Perry's first dubstep track===

Line 54:

===Electronic Cumbia Dub===

In late 2011, the Subatomic Sound label released a project called Sancocho e Tigres, a collective of young producers and musicians from across South and Central America. The project was organized by Caballo (Rebel Records) from Colombia. Subatomic Sound put out two releases, one of a single, "Lujo De Pobre", that included a song as well as the self-produced samples by the collective members used to create the song. A second release followed with various versions of the song that each member put together from those same samples. Later that year Subatomic Sound System had Colombian producer Bleepolar (of Sanchocho e Tigres) remix "Dem Can't Stop We From Talk" with Anthony B, one of the first instances of a Jamaican dancehall artist appearing on an official cumbia remix.

===On All Frequencies===

The first official full-length album by Subatomic Sound System, ''On All Frequencies,'' covered a broad range of genres, tempos and timbres. ''On All Frequencies'' entered the CMJ radio Top 40 charts in both "electronic" and "world" categories simultaneously during spring 2007.<ref>CMJ radio charts {{cite web |url=http://www.cmj.com/ |title=CMJ Online |access-date=2011-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980220011510/http://www.cmj.com/ |archive-date=1998-02-20 }}</ref> The album received positive reactions across a broad spectrum of the electronic, hip hop and reggae press. It was described by ''[[BPM (magazine)|BPM]]'' magazine in its vital releases column as "connecting the dots between dub, dancehall, hip hop, drum & bass, downtempo and broken beat".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bpmmagazine.net/|title=My Blog – My WordPress Blog|website=Bpmmagazine.net|accessdate=29 January 2021}}</ref> It received a four afro rating from the popular website [[Okayplayer]], (their ratings system based on site founder and [[The Roots]] drummer [[Questlove]]'s hairstyle), who opined, "These beats could become the blueprint for future producers...Genius producing", a "certified gunsmoke!" review from OJ Lima, former ''[[VIBE]]'' magazine editor and founder of DJ culture site, Limachips,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.limachips.com/|title=Orlando Lima - The Official|website=Limachips.com|accessdate=29 January 2021}}</ref> and the reggae-centric ''Beat'' magazine wrote that the song "'Rize Up' is a virtual revolutionary anthem". The album was highlighted in ''[[Beyond Race magazine|Beyond Race]]'' magazine's 2007 Music Issue and Subatomic Sound System performed at the magazine release party in Brooklyn, New York. The Subatomic Sound System System song "Breakin' Down the Barriers" inspired the magazine's editor to use the title as the name of the subsequent issue and it became a theme song for the magazine's mission.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/04/29/2008-04-29_beyond_race_magazine_breaks_down_barrier.html/ |title='Beyond Race' magazine breaks down barriers |website=[[New York Daily News]] |access-date=2009-05-06 |archive-date=2008-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526030628/http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/04/29/2008-04-29_beyond_race_magazine_breaks_down_barrier.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Discography==

Line 63:

*''Revolution 2 Freedom'' Subatomic Sound System & Junior Dread (2020, Subatomic Sound | SS037 | digital )

*''Champion Sound'' Subatomic Sound System & Screechy Dan (2020, Subatomic Sound | SS037 | digital )

*''Shaolin Dub'' Subatomic Sound System (2019, Subatomic Sound | SS036 | digital )

*''Super Ape Returns To Conquer'' [[Lee "Scratch" Perry]] & Subatomic Sound System (featuring Screechy Dan, Jahdan Blakkamoore, & Ari Up) (2017, Subatomic Sound | SS033 | digital, CD, vinyl via Echo Beach )

*''NYC-2-Africa-2-Brasil'' (featuring [[Anthony B]],Jahdan Blakkamoore, Bajah, & Nomadic Wax) remixes by [[Victor Rice]], Maga Bo, Buguinha Dub (2016, Subatomic Sound | SS030A | digital)

*''NYC-2-Africa'' (featuring [[Anthony B]],Jahdan Blakkamoore, Bajah, & Nomadic Wax) (2010, Subatomic Sound | SS016 | digital)

*''Blackboard Jungle Vol.2 Respect My Shit'' (featuring Dubblestandart, [[Lee Scratch Perry]], Jahdan Blakkamoore) (2009, Subatomic Sound | SS011 | digital)

*''Blackboard Jungle Vol.1 Respect the Foundation'' (featuring Dubblestandart, Lee Scratch Perry, Jahdan Blakkamoore) (2009, Subatomic Sound / | SS010 | digital)

*''Heat Brings Heat'' (featuring [[Pete Miser]]) (2008, Subatomic Sound / Modus Vivendi | SS007 | digital)

*''Crucial Times'' (2008, Subatomic Sound/ Modus Vivendi | SS006 | digital)

*''On All Frequencies (Instrumentals & Mixtape)'' (2008, Subatomic Sound / Modus Vivendi | SS00 | digital)

*''On All Frequencies (Instrumentals)'' (2008, Subatomic Sound / Modus Vivendi | SS005 | digital)

*''On All Frequencies'' (featuring [[King Django]])(2007, Subatomic Sound / Modus Vivendi / Nomadic Wax | MVM009 | CD, digital)

*''Lost Hits Vol. 1: Dancehall versus Hip Hop'' (featuring [[Pete Miser]] and [[King Django]]) (2005, Subatomic Sound / | SS004 | digital)

Line 78:

===Vinyl===

*''Black Ark Vampires''/''Dub'' Lee "Scratch" Perry & Subatomic Sound System 7" 45rpm (2014, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS020)

*''Dem Can't Stop We From Talk (Dubiterian remix)''/''NYC-2-Africa riddim (Dubiterian remix)'' Anthony B, Subatomic Sound System & Nomadic Wax 7" 45rpm (2014, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS028)

*''Jah is Coming''/''Dubbing on the Moon'' Subatomic Sound System & Thomas Blondet 7" 45rpm (2014, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS027)

*''Dem Can't Stop We From Talk''/''NYC-2-Africa riddim'' Anthony B meets Subatomic Sound System & Nomadic Wax 7" 45rpm (2011, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS024)

*''Dem Can't Stop We From Talk''/''Kingston Riot riddim'' Anthony B meets Dubblestandart 7" 45rpm (2011, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS023)

*''Vampires & Informers'' Elephant Man 12" 33rpm (2010, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS018)

*''Hello, Hello, Hell is Very Low'' b/w ''Bed Athletes'' featuring Lee "Scratch" Perry and [[Ari Up]] of [[The Slits]] 7" 45rpm (2010, Subatomic Sound | cat#SS014) [#1 on Ernie B reggae vinyl chart]

Line 98:

*''Chrome Optimism'' Dubblestandart meets Lee "Scratch" Perry and David Lynch (2010, Subatomic Sound | cat# SS012 | 12" vinyl, 33rpm) included remixes ''Chrome Optimism (Subatomic Sound System remix)'' & ''Deadly Funny (Subatomic Sound System dub)''

*''Luv 'n Liv'' [[Dub Gabriel]] w/[[U-Roy]] (2010, Destroy All Concepts | cat# DAC009 | digital) included remixes ''Luv 'n Liv (Ming vs. Subatomic Sound System remix)''

*''Dubstep EP'' Dubblestandart (2009, Collision/Select Cuts/ Echo Beach| | digital) ''included remixes: "Iron Devil (Subatomic Sound System remix)" "Blackboard Jungle (Subatomic Sound System remix)"''

*''Return From Planet Dub'' Dubblestandart, Lee "Scratch" Perry and [[Ari Up]] (2009, Collision/Select Cuts/ Echo Beach| CCT3019-2 | Double CD, digital) ''included remixes: "Blackboard Jungle (Subatomic Sound System remix)"'' Extensive liner notes by writer [[David Katz (author)|David Katz]]

*''Remixed'' Eyesight Project (2008, Modus Vivendi Music | MVM007 | digital) ''included remixes: "On Chrome (Subatomic Sound System remix)"''

===Compilations===

Line 111:

===Mixes===

*''Code Orange Relaxation Techniques'' Subatomic Sound System (2002, Subatomic Sound | CD)

===Unreleased and forthcoming works===