I’m happy to announce that after year of break from running my label Superfly Studio, I’m getting back to this business with many forthcoming releases. Label’s schedule for next few month looks quite impressive with almost 50 new tunes.
Dreadsquad & VA – Rolling Thunder Riddim (June)
Dreadsquad & VA – Indian Gyal Riddim (July)
Dreadsquad & VA – Get Lovely Riddim (August)
Dreadsquad & VA – Riddim Machine vol 2 (reggae & dub selection) (October)
Dreadsquad & VA – Riddim Machine vol 3 (dancehall and beyond) (October)
First release called Rolling Thunder Riddim is already out exclusively on my Bandcamp. In few weeks it will appear in other digital outlets (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, Junodownload and more).
EP contains 4 new tunes from artists like Kojo Neatness (JA) & Gardna (UK), Kasia Malenda (PL) & Jman (UK), I-mitri Counteraction (GR/UK) and Christophe Rigaud (FR) from The High Reeds and Instrumental version by Dreadsquad.
Artwork was designed by Luis Montero Velasco who won my graphic competition on Facebook. Congratulations!
It’s been a while since my last entry on this page but today we have some important news for all of you.
As some of you might know from my facebook page, recently I organised a vocal competition for reggae singers and MC’s. There were a download link to a zip file with 3 Dreadsquad riddims: Get Lovely (early Reggae), Last Tune (UK Dub) and So Nice (Dem Bow).
The pack was downloaded over 800 times and I received about 40 tunes back, which I call a great result. We got tunes from Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Jamaica, Russia and many European countries. Wow!
At this point I would like to thank all the people who participated in the contest. It means a lot for me. In my eyes you are all winners but unfortunately the prize is one. Well, in fact not one. Because the level was so high I couldn’t pick just one song for my forthcoming album Dreadsquad – Riddim Machine vol. 2 & 3 so I decided to give the prize to two very talented singers. Congratulations goes to Takeyce – Ti (Montreal / Canada) and Monkey Jhayam (Sao Paulo / Brazil).
That’s not all. I got so many great songs that I decided to pick some of those recorded on Get Lovely Riddim and release it as One Riddim Compilation that will follow The Riddim Machine album. Singers chosen for the compilation: Daphne Bluebird, Gadamgadamgadam, Dawid Albaaj, M-Syla, Nico Royale, Quido, Neekoshy, Puppa Djul, Ocm, Mista Wicked. Great job! Congratulations. Also Lucky from France did really good job with two songs that have not been chosen.
This doesn’t mean that I didn’t like the rest of the songs. Some of them sounds great. Hopefully this will not be the last contest. All the songs that were not chosen might be uploaded to Soundcloud and Youtube.
Now I need to mix the acapellas and make a mastering so the results will be heard in few weeks.
Artist: Dreadsquad & Blackout JA Title: World Destruction Format: Digital Download Genre: Reggae, Dub, Raggamuffin, Rub a Dub, Bass, EDM, World Music Label: Superfly Studio Cat.No: SF032 Release date: 18.03.16 Artwork: Marek Bogdański, Anna Jędrzejak
A wonderful thing when 2 people come together from different corners of the world and unite through music, sharing their experiences and building blocks to support shared ideas. This is exactly what happened with Dreadsquad and Blackout JA when, at Uprising Festival, Slovakia, the pair met, bonded and decided to spend a week writing and recording to produce what is now the main body of ‘World Destruction’.
The result, as Dreadsquad feels, ‘is at the same time very diverse and cohesive’ and this is down to a number of things; namely the production techniques used, the style of Blackouts vocals and the natural way that all of the songs came together to reflect the current atmosphere of the world.
Subject matters of the songs move through corruption, poverty, mind control, war on drugs, police brutality and the destruction of the world we are living in but they also highlight positivity and solutions spreading love and giving people hope.
The 2 singles being lifted from the album, ‘Last Tune’ and ‘A Girl Like You’, will be put to good use on both the radio and dance floor, then the album as a whole takes in many different genres; Roots Reggae, Digital / Raggamuffin, UK Steppas, Rub a Dub with influences of World Music and EDM.
“Last Tune” is the first single from the forthcoming Dreadsquad album with Blackout JA – ‘World Destruction’. The track started life in San Francisco as a collaboration with Kush Arora then later Bristolian brass section Smerins Anti-Social Club added the next layer and finally Blackout came with the finishing move. Last Tune was ready to finish the dance.
This is Heavy UK Steppers style – designed for take the remaining crowd in the dance all the way through to when the lights go up. This is raw energy through and through and as Blackout shouts to the people to get even more energy it perfectly illustrates the relationship between the party and the selector.
Second single taken from the album is “A girl Like You”. The original track written and performed by Edwin Collins is a classic piece of music that throughout his childhood had influenced Dreadsquad without him even realising it and then when in his later years he heard it played in a taxi he knew right away that he had to make a Reggae version of it. It’s this relationship with the song that makes this cover authentic.
The lyrics are strong and unique whilst the melody is infectious, and the way that Blackout delivers the song with his rough, raspy tone gives a whole new angle for everyone who hears it to enjoy. It’s the first time that Blackout has recorded a cover and it’s one of two love songs that feature on their album ‘World Destruction’.
Dreadsquad and Blackout JA will be performing their album ‘World Destruction’ across Europe throughout 2016
Last Tune is the first single from the forthcoming Dreadsquad album with Blackout JA – ‘World Destruction’. The track started life in San Francisco as a collaboration with Kush Arora then later Bristolian brass section Smerins Anti-Social Club added the next layer and finally Blackout came with the finishing move. Last Tune was ready to finish the dance.
This is Heavy UK Steppers style – designed for take the remaining crowd in the dance all the way through to when the lights go up. This is raw energy through and through and as Blackout shouts to the people to get even more energy it perfectly illustrates the relationship between the party and the selector.
Video edited and directed by Marek Bogdański
Camera: Marek Bogdański, Anna Jędrzejak, Jakub Romanowicz, Michał Kowalski
Animations: Kasia Wilk (https://www.behance.net/kasiawilk)
VJ Loops: Beeple (https://vimeo.com/channels/beeple)
3 freshly baked releases from Superfly Studio available exclusively in our STORE. New lower shipping costs. Back catalogue available. Exclusive collectors editions in very limited runs. All tribes welcome.
SF026S1 – 7″ / Raggamuffin / 90′ style / Digital
A: Million Stylez & Mr Williamz – Can’t Stop The Youths
AA: Charlie P – That Is Life (rmx)
Produced by Dreadsquad (Modern Time Riddim), artwork by Kasia Wilk.
Modern Time Riddim is a mid tempo dancehall/ raggamuffin riddim reminding the best dancehall era – the 90s. It’s a tribute to one of the most influential producers Gussie Clarke, whose style had a big impact on music taste of Marek Bogdanski – the man behind Dreadsquad. Minor chords, heavy Yamaha CS-01 bass line, drum machines, orchestral hits – you name it – we have it!
buy the single HERE and check the whole selection on our BANDCAMP
SF027 – 12″ / Early Reggae / Skinheads Reggae / Ska
xRob Black – Grand Shelf Reggay (LP)
Long awaited album of Polish producer xRob Black. 10 early reggae scorchers you’ve never heard before. Limited run of 200 copies with hand made screen printed artwork designed and made by Marek Bogdanski / Dreadsquad, mastered by Adam Faz @ Naumetic Studio. Strictly collectors item.
Buy limited edition with screen printed cover from picture below HERE or with plain cardboard cover HERE
SF028 – 7″ / Raggamuffin / Digital / Dub
A: Subactive feat. Jah Screechy – Nah Vote Fi Dem
B: Subactive – Nah dub fi dem
New release from French producers Subactive featuring legendary Jah Screechy. Strictly limited run (200 copies) of 7″ with hand made, screen printed artwork. Designed by Subactive, printed by Marek Bogdanski / Dreadsquad
Strictly collectors item.
Buy limited, collector edition, with hand made screen printed cover HERE or few bucks cheaper 7″ in plain paper sleeve HERE
If you ever wondered what Kasia Malenda is doing, she is doing great. At the moment she is participating in Voice of Poland talent show and she is really killing it. Good luck Kasia, I really hope you will win it!
Kasia will be performing on 18th December 2015 in Lodz / Poland at Dreadsquad 14th B-day party. Don’t miss that show.
We also have a little treat for you. Free download of Drum&Bass remix produced by Dubtime (Spain) of Strong & Free taken from Soulfly EP
Here are some vids from her performance at Voice of Poland:
Do you remember that classic, late 80s dancehall killer tune “Pirates Anthem” recorded by Home T, Cocoa Tea and Shabba Ranks? That was a big hit back in a days and we still love it. Good news guys. Mandinka recorded his updated interpretation of that anthem on new riddim from Dreadsquad called Modern Time.
Few months ago I got a request from Boomtown Fair to make an anthem that will be used in their official after video. I was very excited as this is a big thing for Polish producer to make something official in UK especially if we are talking about such a great event as Boomtown. I played there at Lions Den two years ago with Dr Ring Ding, El Fata and Kasia Malenda and the vibe was wicked.
The guide lines for the tune were as follows:
Needs a chilled reggae intro
Big drop right at the start straight into jungle / dnb / bassline
Needs to be cool :-)
Needs to keep up tempo all the way through with a brake down into a folk / gypsy style sound around 3 quarters of the way through then a big build up and drop back into rolling dnb for the end
Needs to have a reggae / ragga influence with vocals etc
Needs to be fresh and original
So basically what this means? That it has to be 3 or even 4 songs smoothly progressing from one to another, changing mood, tempo and general feeling!
“No problem” I said ;)
During 3 sessions at Superfly Studio and Overtime Studio, together with my music partner Przemysław Sokalczuk, we came up with something like that:
We’ve started with remixing my tune with Kojo Neatness – Boomtown (you can find it in our store on 12″ vinyl), later adding more live instruments for that gypsy break down. Hand claps, drums, guitars, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and some lyrics from forthcoming release with Blackout JA.
