Various Artists - Reggae Sunjam

The Reggae Sunjam Festival is being held every summer in August in Cyprus. It has been running since 2016 and it's aiming to be the biggest reggae gathering on the island of Cyprus. Organized by Dubophonic, the independent production team Easy Going Productions and Suzie Selecta the festival strongly supports the local reggae-dub scene, while it is dynamically reinforced every year with special international guests.

Artists like Professor Skank (GR), Dub Riots (GR), King Of Eye (UK), Haji Mike (CY), Dub Thomas (CY), Sensijam (CY), Med Dred (CY)  are just a few of the artists who attended the festival in the first 2 years of its life. The release is enriched with the music of Negritage (ARG), Bagjuice (NL), SKG's Dub Alliance (GR), Mr Zebre (FR), Red Star Martyrs (UK) and Rebel-I (PER).

This is a sweet memory of the great vibrations we had in these 2 years and we would like to thank all artists for the warm support and the massive crowd who was there to dance and celebrate with us. We love you all and we look forward to continue spreading the positive vibes, making this event the leading reggae festival in Cyprus!

01 Sensijam - Uhuru  / 02 Bagjuice - Don't Give / 03 Negritage ft. Christina Polycarpou - From Kyrenia with Dub / 04 Red Star Martyrs ft. Haji Mike - Dead Politiks / 05 Med Dred - Bal Ed Dred / 06 Dub Riots - Morning Lights / 07 King Of Eye - Spiral Dreams / 08 SKG's Dub Alliance - Get Up In Dub / 09 Mr Zebre ft. Rebel-I - Legal (Professor Skank remix)

Reggae Sunjam Cyprus - What you need to know

The second Reggae Sunjam Music Festival is being held this weekend, on the 12^th and 13th at Paradise Place Music Bar, in Pomos, Paphos. It is organized byl Dubophonic, the independent production team Easy Going Productions and Suzie Selecta. A few days before we give you the Festival guide:

The location
The Festival takes place in the village of Pomos, east of Polis in Paphos. The music bar Paradise Place is located just before the village entrance, on a hill overlooking the sea. Here you can enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets in Cyprus and swim in a hidden beach at the foot of the Paphos forest! The bar offers a relaxed and beautiful atmosphere while the wider area is full of magical beaches and beautiful mountain paths!
 

The music program
23 hours of Roots, Reggae, Dub, Steppers and Dancehall music by renowned artists and DJs!

The Top Acts
At the Festival this year, you will see Professor Skank, by far the most well-known Greek dub producer. He will be performing an exclusive live set with live dub mix and great selection on stage. Born and raised in Greece in 1977, he experimented with the genre at a really young age of 14 on a 4-track recorder in the early 90’s. Meeting Mad Professor was a turning point for him. He discovered his talent and initiated him into the secrets of dub music. In the following years this collaboration allowed him to use the legendary Ariwa Studios and work with great artists like Max Romeo, Zion Train, Brinsley Ford Aswad, Love Grocer, Earl16, Vibronics, Afrikan Simba, Dreadzone and many other. Based in his studio, he keeps on producing music, releasing vinyls and remixing tunes international labels (among them our own Dubophonic) presenting his music all around the world.

You will also have the chance to enjoy the vibes of musician, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and singer Jammaroots for the first time in Cyprus. She will be performing a live acoustic session on the guitar singing her own songs and cover versions plus a special session with Mrs HCN on the decks! With her very particular voice, Jammaroots mixes her musical influences creating a peculiar musical blend, based on reggae with a scent of soul, dub and lots of improvisations. She has performed in various live stages and festivals as opening act for The Wailers, Horace Andy, Matic Horns, Earl ''china'' Smith and many more. She has also many studio collaborations, amongst others with Blend Mishkin and Vlastur, performs with her band The Oscillators as well as with Full Circle, collaborated with dj's and mc's ina roots and culture style, sings with Steffanaty and of course writes her own music, some of which we will have the pleasure to listen during the festival.

 
The Producers and DJs
This year you will have the opportunity to listen to two Cypriot artists who live and work abroad.

King of Eye who resides in the UK:  a dub artist with a passion for old & new technology, remixing sounds, visuals and filling the space with music and positive vibes. Moved to the UK from Cyprus in 1996 to study Animation and Film and got involved with event-organising under the name "Visual Vinyl" alongside people like Sattaman (Real Roots ) and performing under the name Kingofeye and Dub Theatre alongside I-Jay and Izzi Philo. The ongoing love affair with dub/music and visuals have seen the King of eye perform all over europe and the UK (Boomtown, One Love, Big Green Gathering, Island Of Dub, ARS Austria, United Nations of Dub) with a fresh approach and a mix of old and trusted sound system styles. The performances incorporate vinyl and live dub techniques alongside visuals where permitted. Conscious Lyrics, Rasta Livity and a conscious message through heavy bass lines are the characteristics of the live shows.

Syrina Sound from the Netherlands: She plays exclusively vinyl records and brings you sounds of old and new roots, reggae and dub music such as Abyssinians, King Tubby, Aba Shanti, Jah Shaka, Empress Shema, King Alpha, Jah Militant and Maasai Warrior. In addition to the love of music, Syrina Sound was created to promote the contribution of women to the stage of reggae and dub music.

The program of the Festival is dynamically reinforced by some of the most important DJs and producers from Cyprus: Dub Thomas with a special dubplate session, Haji Mike & Kemal with a live-acoustic program, Mrs HCN being active in the Greek reggae scene for many years, DJ Monday, Suzie Selecta, Pan Khaos, and Chillum Brothers.

Also some last minute additions to our lineup with some special guests: Crusty Locks from Bagjuice (NL) will be joining Syrina Sound on the decks and Roots Titus representing Jah Lion Movement (UK) will be opening the Sunday sessions with some rootikal vibrations.

The line-up in detail
Saturday

18:00 – 20:00 Mrs HCN

20:00 – 22:00 Syrina Sound meets Crusty Locks (NL)

22:00 – 00:00 DJ Monday (Jah Star Sound)

00:00 – 03:00 Professor Skank (GR)

Sunday

12:00 – 13:00 Roots Titus (UK - Jah Lion Movement)

13:00 – 15:00 Chillum Brothers (Easy Going Productions)

15:00 – 16:30 Suzie Selecta

16:30 – 18:30 Pan Khaos (Morphogenetic Fields)

18:30 – 20:00 Haji Mike meets Kemal (Dubophonic)

20:00 – 22:00 Jammaroots (GR)

22:00 – 00:00 Dub Thomas (Dubophonic)

00:00 – 02:00 King of Eye (UK)

What will be offered
During the Festival, various alcoholic beverages and drinks will be offered at reasonable prices, as well as food. From breakfast to dinner the options will vary, including vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Where to stay
In the area there is the possibility of camping with facilities and services such as outdoor showers. The experience of staying in the place is very pleasant, as you can enjoy the Festival without any interruption and without missing anything! Note however, that the space for camping is inevitably limited. So make sure you get there early or contact the organizers to let you know if space is still available. If you prefer to stay out of the venue area, then your options in the wider area are either to stay at the camping site of Polis being only 20 minutes away, or rent a room in the area.

What you will find at the Merchandise Store of the Festival
Reggae Sunjam Cyprus has prepared a CD with tracks by musicians and producers who have participated or are participating this year at the Festival. The CD will be available for sale along side with other releases from the artists, as well as the t-shirt of the festival with the impressive Sunjam logo. More artists will also be hosted with their handcrafted creations and products.

By supporting the Festival you support a good cause
Part of the Festival’s revenues will be donated to the HOPE Foundation (Helping Orphans Prodigal to Eternity) - Nepal, which hosts orphaned children in Kathmandu, offering opportunities for a better life through care and education. Also, there will be a donation box during the Festival where you can further support this initiative with your contribution.

Entrance is 7 euros for one day and 10 euros for two days. Tickets will be available at the door.

Media Sponsor: Rock FM Cyprus // Supported by: Onetropic online shop, Cactus Arts & Crafts, Health Basket organic shop, Magos Record Shop // Info: 70007102, 26342016
Facebook: Reggae Sunjam Cyprus, Twitter: @Reggaesunjam

Various Artists - Reggae Sunjam Vol. 2

The Reggae Sunjam Festival is being held every summer in August in Cyprus. It has been running since 2016 and it is the biggest reggae gathering on the island of Cyprus, strongly supporting the local reggae-dub scene, while it is dynamically reinforced every year with special international guests.

In the second compilation we have included artists mainly from the local scene plus a few international guests like Dark Angel and Sister Ruby on riddims/remixes by Blend Mishkin (GR) and Daddy Vertigo (GR), as well as tunes by Utopian Sound (UK), Hermit Dubz (UK), Med Dred (CY), Christina Polycarpou (CY), Kyri Roots (CY), Supernova (CY), Bunfyah (CY), Sunjaman (GR), Manwel T (Malta) and Dub Riots & Indamouse (GR).

Give thanks to all the artists, musicians and producers, who have been supporting us from the day one of the festival. All tracks were mastered in Cyprus by Med Dred.

► Bandcamp   ► CD (digipack)

01 Utopian Sound - Reign Dub / 02 Hermit Dubz - Last Chance Riddim (ft. Chr. Polycarpou & Med Dred) / 03 Med Dred - Zoogie Bun (ft. Kyri Roots) / 04 Sista Ruby - Think and Wanda (Daddy Vertigo Edit) / 05 Supernova - Tell Me Something / 06 Blend Mishkin ft. Dark Angel - Herbsman (Red Eye Riddim) / 07 Bunfyah - Wake Up / 08 Sunjaman - Outta Here (Manwel T Mix) / 09 Dub Riots & Indamouse - Dino

Reggae Sunjam Cyprus - 2 days of love & unity

It is with great pleasure that Dubophonic is co-organising alongside Easy Going Productions and Suzie Selecta a unique experience for all the Reggae lovers on the island of Cyprus and establishing an annual event in the heart of summer! In collaboration with Paradise Place we bring you the first edition of ★ Reggae Sunjam Cyprus ★, a two day festival taking place on the 13th and 14th of August, hosting international artists from our label and a number of local acts and DJs.

Reggae, Roots, Dub, and Dancehall will get you dancing through the two days, at one of the most beautiful locations in Cyprus, next to the sea, with the most amazing sunset and nature all around! Free camping place, ital food, drinks and good vibrations.

=> Check out the details of the festival and the lineup <=

★ Dub Riots (GR): Dub-Steppa duo formed in 2008 in Athens,Greece, coming to Cyprus ready to smash the dubfloors with their live dub manipulations.

★ Djiman (CH): Singer, dubmaker, dub activist & soundsystem builder, coming from his European tour with Mexican Stepper and with appearances in many countries he meets Dub Thomas in a powerful dub meeting!

★ Sensijam (CY): Reggae dub band outta Cyprus formed in 2012 and just returned from their tour in Uk and Holland. Their first single "Uhuru" was mixed at Tuff Gong studios, Jamaica. Big Up brothers!

★ Unity Crew (CY): Live Act outta Cyprus founded in 2015 by djs, singers & players of instruments, unifying the island through the power of Reggae music! Dub Thomas, Med Dred, brother Andreas and sister Christina meed puppa Haji Mike ina unity style!

Dub Cmd & Soul Fire - Blessed

Lee “Scratch” Perry’s 70‘s classic “Soul Fire” was the ignition for the songwriter and singer Vassilis Savopoulos a.k.a “Jah Smiley” from Thessaloniki to form in the beginning of 90’s “Soul Fire”, the first reggae band in Greece. It has been almost thirty years since then and probably no one could have ever imagined, that this reggae band would record their first album with the internationally renowned dub producer Mad Professor from Ariwa Records and play as the opening act for the legendary band of Bob Marley, "The Wailers”. Well-known artists participated in that first album: drummer “Sinclair”, member of Lee Scratch Perry’s band “Roboticks”, Aisha on the backing vocals, Cofi and Mafia from “Mafia & Fluxy” plus MC Fredi Kruga.

Fast forward in year 2019, Soul Fire visit Cyprus for a performance at the Reggae Sunjam Festival and thanks to the organisers of the festival, local and international artists who were also participating had the chance to meet each other and build a bond. Artists became friends, new connections were established and good things fired up some new collaborations. The friendhip worked as a boiler, cooking some brand new vibrations!

“Yuh affi know, dat life ah raw, Aal dat glitters ah nah gold
Mi affi seh, only wid pray, Cah living inna babylon ah rough
Guh wid de flow de spirit grows, One day will shine lacka rainbow,
It has been told de days of ole(old), Written inna fi wi hearts Jah Jah law”

God, love, inner self, consciousness and justice could be the keywords for someone searching behind Soul Fire’s songs. «Marley was the light and Burning Spear was the mystic spirit of reggae for me»  says Jah Smiley. Nuff respect Aki Mittoo for the spiritual melodica cut, adding the missing link to this conscious journey and to Versioncos  for the amazing artwork!

CREDITS: Production & Riddims - Dub Cmd (UK) / Vocals & Lyrics – Soul Fire (GR) / Melodica – Aki Mittoo  (JP) / Artwork: Versioncos (CY)

01 Blessed / 02 Blessed Version / 03 Melodica Cut (ft. Aki Mittoo)

 

Dub Riots / Indamouse / Bluez - Creation

Dub Riots were formed in 2008 in Athens, Greece. They have been featured on a few compilations on Dubophonic (Explorations in Dub 2013, Legal Rmx 2016 and Reggae Sunjam Vol.I 2017 and Vol II 2018) and also on the Greek label Reggaewise with their first EP State Of Life in 2013. 

Having performed live as a dub duo all over Greece, but also in Cyprus, Belgium and Switzerland, it was about time to release their second EP and their first one on the label, doing their own dub-manipulations of some of the greatest reggae anthems. 

On this release they meet Indamouse aka 3voice, another member of the Reggaewise crew based as well in Athens; a selector and producer influenced by the Jamaican soundsystem culture and the UK stepper style. Alongside the mystical sound of Bluez on the melodica, they offer a fresh conception of well established tunes like Creation, Rat A Cut Bottle and A Still Tongue, tribute to the foundation artists of reggae music. We hope you enjoy them! 

 

01 Dub Riots & Indamouse - Creation / 02 Dub Riots - Rat a Cut / 03 Dub Riots - Silience is Gold / 04 Dub Riots & Indamouse ft. Bluez - Creation (Melodica Cut)

Chebeen Teriya meets Sub Conscious Dub - Ajabro

Chebeen Teriya is a unique 5 piece band lead by singer/multi-instrumentalist Dramane Bakwan, who brings original music from his homeland of Burkina Faso. From a young age, Dramane participated in the sacred musical traditions of the Gourounsi people of Burkina Faso (West Africa). His insatiable appetite for music drove him to study the myriad of rhythms and melodies of ethnic groups throughout the region. A love of country and continent has inspired him to write over one hundred original songs with lyrics in five languages. His work explores social, environmental, and political themes with the aim of inspiring people to take care of one another and the planet they share.

Sub Conscious Dub is the project of Antreas Kassos, representing the new breed of dub producers coming from Cyprus. His talent was already recognised very early, participating in various local festivals and online events (Unity Vibes, Reggae Sunjam, Lockdowndub Weekender) and being featured in the Explorations In Dub Vol. II compilation. His dub mix of Dubmatix tune Jump And Twist has received some crazy airplay and the artist was endorsed by Dubmatix himself, including him in his Bassment Sessions radio show.

Blending West African sounds with roots reggae, “Ajabro” (which means in the African tradition “Sorcerer”, “Witch Doctor” or “The one that evil can’t hide from”) is the result of the collaborative work of those exiting new artists. The EP is the first collaboration between Cyprus and Burkina Faso. It contains “Jeune Africain” & “Terrorist”, two vocal tracks with a big social message, composed by Dramane Bakwan and written in French and in Dioula languages, as well as two heavy dubs/versions by Sub Conscious Dub. The tracks were originally recorded in Vietnam, where the artists met each other, and dubbed in Cyprus.

CREDITS: All tracks writen by Chebeen Teriya / Lyrics/Vocals: Dramane Bakwan / Mixing & Mastering by Antreas Kassos at Tumbana Studio / Label: Dubophonic Records   

 01 Jeune Africain / 02 Jeune Africain Dub / 03 Terrorist / 04 Terorrist Dub