Red Star Martyrs ft. Zion Irie - Rootsman

The UK producer Stanley Woodfield, better known under the project-name Red Star Martyrs, has been one of the most active artists since the start of our label.  After having released two EPs, I & I (2013) and Time for Tea (2014), contributing in the compilation United as One (2014) and releasing his album Red Star Martyrs (2016) there was a silence!

 

He is one of those producers who needs to have this constructive silence to gather energy and new inspirations … and today we are happy to announce his new single. 

 

His new track is entitled Rootsman and it is presented in three cuts: Two vocal versions in a roots and jungle style, and the obligatory dub version. 

 

The vocals are presented by the lyrical Zion Irie, another old acquaintance of the label, who has been active with us since the creation of Dubophonic. 

 

Sax N Dub meets Zion Irie - New Generation

Multi instrumentalist and producer Sax N Dub from Montevideo Uruguay has been playing on the sound system scene with his own productions and international collaborations since 2014, with participation in may international festivals such as Dub Camp (France), Dub Stone (Italy) Manuel dub (Sicily), Ecologikal Reggae and Reggae Live Festival (Mexico) among others.

 

Having more than 20 publications on cd, digital and vinyl and numerous collaborations with labels such as Black Redemption (USA) Bass Revelation, Invasion records and Green Beats (Mexico) and Stepping Stone (Argentina), he appears for the first appearance on Dubophonic Records with his new album New Generation, teaming up with Zion Irie on the vocals, a long-time label family artist.

 

Zion Irie, born and grew up in UK/South London (Brixton) in an African Ghana household, has already a rich musical history: collaborations with many artists (Ackboo, Kanka, Weeding Dub, Dubsynaticx, Komadub, Negritage, Red Star Martyrs, Ashley), sharing the stage with names like Horace Andy, Brother Culture and a having a few releases and appearances on our label.

 

Focusing now on the New Generation album, it consists of nine tracks written and produced in a dub-steppa militant way and presented in a showcase style: three vocal tunes featuring Zion Irie demonstrating one more time his conscious lyrical flow, three versions with the sax talking over the mix, a trademark of Sax N Dub and three heavyweight dubs!  

 

01 Revolution / 02 Why / 03 Ital Woman / 04 Sax Revolution / 05 Sax Why / 06 Ital Sax / 07 Revolution Dub / 08 Dub Why / 09 Ital Dub

Negritage - Greetings From Planet Dub

Four years ago, back in 2013, the Argentinian dubbers Negritage made their first appearance on the label with Guetto Roots of Dub Vol. 1, an album recorded in “Cuca Roots” and in “El Fuerte Dub Foundation” studios, exploring the Jamaican roots and culture dub tradition. Their analogue style and their authentic sound was greatly appreciated by the listeners and the album remains until today the most downloaded release ever made by Dubophonic, with more than 25.000 downloads and still rising.

Fast forward today and the long awaited Vol. 2 is finally out. “Greetings from Planet Dub” stays true to the same roots and culture background with 6 vocal tracks and 11 dubs. Nevertheless new elements are incorporated in their style, in which eastern melodies blend into the Jamaican vibes and the melodica meets the mandolin and the lyre like in a musical playground, were the singers and players of instruments playfully communicate through their music.

Big up all the artists from all four corners of the world, who collaborated with Negritage and made this release possible: the original roots defender dub activist Jam York (USA), the mighty Sammy Gold (UK), the wise Ibel Campbell (JAM) delivering solid and conscious messages, tthe studio wizard and dub creator Med Dred (CY), sister Yuuri Bamboo (JPN) blazing those melodica vibes, Christina Polycarpou (CY) doing her magic on the lyre, the humble Mandlion (ITA), flute master Eter Dub (ARG) and the lyrical messenger Zion Irie (FR). All tracks mixed by Negritage in Argentina and mastered by Med Dred in Cyprus. Cover artwork by Negritage. Distributed by Dubophonic for free download.

01 Rainbow Dubbers / 02 Negritage ft. Eter Dub - Montana Brillante / 03 Negritage ft. Sammy Gold - Kingston Town / 04 Negritage ft. Yuuri Bamboo - Soul Stepper / 05 Soulful Version / 06 Negritage ft. Zion Irie - Lie Lie Lie (gueto discomix) / 07 Negritage ft. Med Dred - Kyrenia Dreams / 08 Negritage ft. Christina Polycarpou - From Kyrenia with Dub / 09 Negritage ft. Jam York - Stuck ina Babylon / 10 Melodica Knowledge / 11 Negritage ft. Eter Dub - Diente de Leon / 12 Negritage ft. Ibel Campbell - The Lazy and the Greedy / 13 Anti-greedy Version / 14 Negritage ft. Mandlion - Early Days / 15 Negritage ft. Jam York - You Do Your Thang and I Do My Thing / 16 Dub thang 

Dubophonic meets Dubkey - United As One

The idea of collaborating with other netlabels has been long into the minds of Dub Thomas from Dubophonic and Manwel Tabone from Dubkey Records. Like a netlabel is a family of artists under a common roof, the two originators wanted to expand this family idea on the next level, creating an expanded family between the netlabels themselves. This is the first step for more collaboration between like-minded artists

The result of this collaboration is more than just a mere compilation of tracks. All the tunes have been written and produced from scratch, exclusive for this release and the riddims were written by the artists of both labels. The “raw” material was exchanged between the two netlabels, the vocal messages were added and then once again the tracks travelled back to the other side for the dubs and remixes. So basically every single track has been made with the contribution of artists from both sides in an organic and productive way.

The release consists of 4 riddims by Red Star Martyrs, Ashley, Med Dred and Negritage, all presented in 4 different cuts each. Vocalised by Zion Irie & Singer Tempa and dubbed/mixed accordingly ina roots and culture style. Special mixes were included by Jah Rootikal Steppers and Manwel Tabone himself. Nuff respect FDub Caravan for the live bass and guitars on the Roots-o-pohonic riddim (tracks 9 & 10). Last but definitely not least, the irie melodica of Mind’s Eye Dub on the Negritage riddim, blows away the badness and sends positive vibrations of I-nity and One-ness.

TRACKS: 01 Zion Irie - Run Come / 02 Red Star Martyrs - Roots Rock Rebel / 03 Red Star Martyrs - Roots Rock Rebel (Jah Rootikal Steppers Mix) / 04 Zion Irie - Dem Don't Know Righteousness / 05 Ashley - Dem Don't Know Dub / 06 Ashley - His Majesty Dub / 07 Ashley - His Majesty Dub (Manwel T Mix) / 08 Singer Tempa - So Hungry / 09 Med Dred - So Hungry 4 Dub / 10 Med Dred - Roots-o-phonic / 11 Med Dred - Roots-o-phonic (Manwel T Mix) / 12 Zion Irie - Lie, Lie, Lie / 13 Negritage - Stay Away From Badness / 14 Negritage - Stay Away From Badness (Ashley Mix) / 15 Negritage feat. Mind's Eye Dub - Blow Away The Badness

Zion Irie - Dem don't know Righteousness

Only 24 hours remain for the "United as one" collaboration release with Dubkey Records. To prepare you for the vibrations to come, Manwel T has already done a video on the Ashley riddim "His Majesty". The track "Dem don't know Righteousness" features Zion Irie and will be included on this release in four different cuts, alongside with many other tracks. Enjoy!

Komadub ft. Zion Irie - Do Good

It all started back in 2010 in Istanbul/Turkey, where Hybrid K. and the baglama/cura player Zaffah decided to join their musical knowledge and create Komadub. One year later in 2011 Selekta Firuzaga (Dread Culture Soundsystem) joined them, and together they produced their first album called “Derinbaz”. Unfortunately the group did not last long and after the depart of Zaffah, the rest of the members decided to continue producing music under the same name, dropping beats ina digital style. The "Do Good (EP)" is one of the duo's fruits of this new era.

Zion Irie (full name David Orleans), was born and grew up in UK/South London (Brixton) in an African Ghana household. After a separation from his family, he left home at the age of 14 and lived for a few years in an authentic rasta house community. Armed with hi spirituality and having a background in original soundsystem things, he taught himself to sing and write lyrics, as well as to compose tracks for the house of Zion UK. Living now in France, he has collaborated with many artists like Ackboo, Kanka, Weeding Dub and Dubsynaticx, while he shared the stage with names like Horace Andy, Brother Culture and many more.

The conscious lyrics of Zion Irie meet the oriental meditation riddims of Komadub, spreading Jah blessings to the souls of all of us. Originally the tune was planned to be included in the coming album of Komadub, which will be out later this Summer, but the sweet voice of Zion Irie and his conscious lyrics, gave the tune a dynamic of its own, which was enough reason to do a separate release and share his deep spirituality with all the family.

“Do Good” is the first work from both artists on Dubophonic and it is released as an EP with four different cuts of the title track. One vocal track, two different dub cuts by Komadub and last but definitely not least, a fourth uplifting reconstruction of the track by Alphadub (selector, operator and co-producer of Dread Culture Sound System) ina heavy steppa style, doing good for our soul, sending more and more positive vibrations with each play of the tune.

TRACKS: 01 Do Good // 02 Do Dub // 03 Dub Good //
04 TNT in my brain (Komadub meets Alphadub)