New release from IR conspirators Dubdem & Dr Das

IR conspirator Dr Das is about to release a cassette from his new electronic project  Dhangsa.The cassette will be entitled “Sixth Extinction”Dhangsa was referenced in the recent IR mural painted in Bogota ,Colombia by Chite Yarumo.

Dhangsa means “destruction” in Bengali.Dr Das describes Dhangsa as a contemporary twist on rhythm and noise.Dhangsha, aka Dr Das, bassist and co-founder of Asian Dub Foundation, creates minimalist electronica where sparse but heavy, syncopated beats interact with looped noise. His mission is to explore the beauty of repetition, minimalism and fragmentation in sound. It is a return to his roots in experimental rhythm and noise, going back nearly 35 years, which pre-dates his involvement with dub. He uses little more than an Elektron Digitakt sampler/sequencer which is fed through a RAT distortion pedal to emulate the sound of damaged speakers/reverberating windows at a warehouse party/broken transmissions from outer space.
‘Dhangsha’ is Bengali for ‘destruction.’ This music is designed for aliens, outsiders and unconventional thinkers and dancers.

You can listen to Dr Das being interviewed on SOAS radio  by DJ Isuru Perera – discussing the aesthetics of Noise within electronic and dance music culture and making experimental music for people of colour.You can listen to the interview  on Mixcloud

Here

IR Brazilian  conspirators Dubdem have launched their new music and art label. The music label started in 2018 but Dubdem has produced cultural music, visual arts, exhibitions, events and books over the last 20 years. Since 1997  has collaborated with  the global collective Indigenous Resistance and their Free Dub project,hich provides  free download of books, music and posters with the focus on indigenous culture from Jamaica, the Americas  and Africa .

In 2006  Dubdem Sound System started operating , playing gigs in Brazil until 2012. They organised several gigs in memory of the murdered Pataxo warrior Galdino including some events with  Deeder  Zaman the original lead rapper  with Asian Dub Foundation.After a six year pause ,the sound system is back in action, now with a new concept: Dubdem Reggae Live Broadcast.

Linked since 2012 with Powers Records ; the Jamaican label of Negril´s veteran singjay Karubel, Dubdem Music will work to reveal independent artists from different places of the world, mixing styles and voices, an experimental music journey guided by reggae vibes. Conscious music; rub a dub riddims; resistance messages; positive vibrations; history; indigenous  peoples` cultures  and roots from Jamaica, Brazil, Africa; ancient  philosophy mixed inna contemporary groove; thats the motion, to mix them all inna dubdem style. Check the Dubdem website  http://www.dubdem.com.br for more information about Dubdem projects and downloads.

The artist Karubel

The Artist Karubel was born in Trelawney, Jamaica, 1965 and started to sing  from a young age  at school. When he was  18 years old he  decided to be a professional singer and started with the professional name  “Sugar Dee.” “Who gave me dis name was a postman”, says Karubel. In 1988 recorded his first singles with the mighty King Tubby. He also recorded  some songs under the name ” Buzzrock Warrior.”

With three album  on his own label Powers Records (”Memba Dat”, “Put Some Love Inna Your Heart” and “Problems”) Sugar Dee also produced singles in Jamaica and Europe with many singers and musicians like Super Cat, Alley C, Robert Livingstone, Mickey Scoɉ, Sly & Robbie, Bobby Murphy, Ragga Yves, Jah Webb and Luciano. Since 2008 Karubel has been on  tour into Europe and United States and has been working on new productions with independent european reggae labels.

In 2012 he changed artistic name to Karubel begining a new step. At this time started a connection with Brazilian label Dubdem Music, as part of an effort to further spread reggae culture in different places of   the world.  Karabel`s long journey as an independent artist is marked by  perseverance in the face of hardship.His music speaks on the   reality of jamaican ghettosand other struggles in the world, Karubel knows the significance of music for the people, the social impact and responsibility he feels as an artist.His musical creations are guided by positive and critical messages. “I am guided by discipline and loyalty. What makes a great artist, is a clean mind, dedication and conscious lyrics”.

The connection with Dubdem Music is getting stronger. To celebrate this link up in irie style, Powers and Dubdem are providing a new album, a collection of tunes produced over the last 20 years. A special Dubdem crew selection of songs from his three album and some EPs. All  were remastered in 2018, in Brazil by Turbo Mastering. New album and tunes are coming in this new  year!

Dubdem has also been responsible for numerous IR t shirt designs and an important aspect of the new Dubdem label will be they will making some of their dub art designs available as t shirts.Below you can see one of Dubdem designs that were used for The Dub Dub Indigenous Festival held recently in Uganda.