REVIEW: MEDITATIVE SOUNDS meets JAH MASSIVE - Unity dance at Sofielunds Festvåning in Uppsala Sweden 27/5-06
This dance must be the first actual roots and dub dance in Sweden featuring two full sound systems together in one venue. The few owners of roots and dub sound systems in Sweden generally know each other but to my memory have never played together in a dance. So it was with great curiousity that I headed to see these two sounds on the night of the 27:th of May this year of 2006.
Jah Massive sound system is a rather new and young sound in the circuit. I think they've got all their boxes and gear ready not long before this session was due. I know they bought boxes of Sweden's loudest sound system Lightning Strike who is no longer running although one half of Lightning Strike has now re-emerged as Lionyouths Sound System and relocated to Lund in the south of Sweden. Nevertheless I vision a progressive future for the youths in Jah Massive sound system.
Meditative Sounds sound system on the other hand is one of Sweden's leading roots and dub sound system who've been active since early 1998. Through the years Meditative Sounds have brought in different acts such as Aba Shanti I, The Discples, Bush Chemists etc to feature on their sound. Last year they also brought life to their own label, simple named Meditative Sounds, by releasing their first 10:inch featuring UK singer Gideon Zinger (aka Errol Bellot) and Stockholm based deejay Lion.
Together with friends I came early to experience the session from start. As we entered Jah Massive was playing a warm up selection containing of mainly oldies. Each sound had two stacks of speakers on either wall of the venue. All together six 18" bass bins of bass pressure with 3-4 15" mids and loads of piazos each. It was a mighty sight to see and fun to actually experience it in Sweden knowing that some people present reguarly go to the UK to witness sessions like this.
soundclip - Jah Massive Sound System - Rumours Version
Each sound got to play four tunes before the other took over to play their four selections. Jah Massive was the first to begin and did so by playing loud and hard from the start although it wasn't until they dropped the dub version of Gregory Isaacs eighties classic "Rumours" that they actually got some response. Meditative Sounds selection included a wicked steppers version of Leroy Brown's "Help Us Jah" which I haven't heard before. Unfortunatly the crowd wasn't too lively yet so it passed rather unnoticed. The second round for Jah Massive began real strong as they played Donovan's "Me Nah Business" followed by Twinkle Brother's "Don't Let Us Suffer" which got a huge forward. Meditative Sounds responded by playing a set of digital roots which got the people jumping as their deejay ECU kept hyping it. Jah Massive started their third round with Andrew Bees rough "Militant" and later run into the first dubplates of the dance which featured local producer Dub Tribulation and a dubplate cut of Aswad's mighty "Warrior Charge". So it was only right of Meditative Sounds to lick off some dubplates of their own. First one being a well heavy dubplate by Echo Ranks over Vibronics "Anointed One" rhythm followed by a rough rough dub version. They followed that one up with a dubplate production of their own featuring African Simba chanting "money is the root of all evil".
soundclip - Meditative Sounds - Never Run Away Version (vocals by Ras Peter)
From this point the vibes had built up and the session was more intense. Although this was a unity dance it was clear that none of the sounds wanted to come short with their choice of selection and therefor wasn't slow on trying to dig up a better tune than the other just had played.
soundclip - Meditative Sounds - Tenna Star dubplate
Later Jah Massive dropped what to my ears appeared to the foundation dubplate "Walls Of Jericho". In the end Meditative Sounds played their best set consisting of all big tunes. First a updated steppers version of Twinkle Brothers "Jahoviah" which singers Jah Zebi and Ras Peter each sang beautifully on. Then a top of that they played Don Carlos "Never Run Away" which most have been the tune of the night as people just bawled out when they realized which tune it was. Suprisingly it wasn't pulled up. Ras Peter added to the vibes even more by singnig "Hog & Goat" over the version. Like this wasn't enough they dropped the needle on, what I expect to be their next release on the Meditative Sounds label, a huge tune by Tenna Star going "its real, life in the ghetto is real". Last set of tunes was played by Jah Massive who let loose two very mystical and original Ras Kuntus dubplates followed by its dub counterparts.
soundclip - Jah Massive Sound System - Ras Kuntus dubplate
The dance itself was very nice and I hope we have the chance to attend more sessions like these in Sweden in time to come. It was also great to see so many singers and deejays ready to showcase their skills in the dance. Though I must point out that at times it became more of a sound business vibe to me than the musical meditation that these events are more likely linked with. This is only my humble point of view. I guess it was something that the two of them got into in the heat of the moment because of the reasons stated above. Nevertheless big respect to Jesper and the Meditative Sounds crew, Ras Kango and the Jah Massive crew, all singers, deejays and people present for a most memorable night.
/Rootsy Collins - 16/7-06
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