Dubwize Soundsystem interview, 2003

DJ Messenjah (left) and MC David Snypa Levi of Dubwize Soundsystem. Photo by Jacqui Calcott, 2009.

Dubwize Soundsystem

by Anna Saunders, NZ Musician, Vol. 10, No. 6, December 2002/January 2003

While it seems that everyone from No Doubt to ABS is jumping on the dub and reggae bandwagon these days, the New Zealand dub sound is becoming recognisably unique.

While Wellington lays claim to many of these acts, including Trinity Roots, Rhombus and The Black Seeds, Christchurch-based Dubwize Soundsystem have helped to even out the score with the release of their debut album, 'To the Control Tower'.

A collaboration between Dubwize Soundsystem and well-known Christchurch DJ and producer Confucius, 'To the Control Tower' was released through FMR in mid November.

Unlike many other groups mixing drum 'n' bass tracks with jungle and dub, Dubwize Soundsystem is strictly roots.

"There's a lack in roots reggae in NZ – the real original Jamaican stuff," says Dubwize's Messenjah aka Gabriel Calcott. "We don't want to mix and mash our styles. We don't play jungle. We just play roots through to dub and dancehall."
Originally known as Roots n Riddim Soundsystem, Dubwize had its beginnings through Calcott's RDU reggae show.

A live selector gig at the Dux de Lux in 1999 saw the incorporation of vocalist Justin Rahui (aka Littlejah), who has been involved in Kiwi reggae, including Ebony Beats Soundsystem and Dancehall Dons since the early '90s. In 2001 Californian MC (and former member of The Twelve Tribes Of Israel in Auckland), David Papa Levi, who had returned to NZ from supporting international greats Jimmy Cliff and the Wailing Souls, also joined the Soundsystem. Dubwize began to be known for its roots reggae.

The crew has often fronted for Salmonella Dub on their South Island tours, their performance guaranteed to add to the vibe. In fact, if you had to use one word to describe the Dubwize sound, it would be 'positive'. It's the kind of music likely to played on sunny decks, beaches and bachs throughout summer and Calcott says the laid-back, affirmative element is strongly connected to the group's Rasta philosophy.

"There's a one-love, spread-the-love message. It's a rasta influenced soundsystem and it's definitely an important thing. You can listen to the lyrics and hear the message in it," he explains.

He's right – with lyrics like "Man was not made to suffer and hate because he was made out of love..." the Rasta connection is pretty hard to miss.
In fact, Papa Levi says he was initially quite surprised that a number of mainstream record labels were interested in the group. Dubwize signed a distribution deal with Festival Mushroom Records because the label were able to release it quickly.

"Major labels have tended to stay away from that sort of thing. This is the first time really staunch lyrics have been distributed here. [The rise of reggae] is a phenomenon that's been going on in the northern hemisphere for decades, but down here it's just catching on."

Papa Levi says that while the songs on the album stay true to the original roots message, the lyrics themselves have had to become more involved.
"The lyrics are staunch and the issues are deeper now. You can't just be 'jah love' and 'can't fight Babylon' because everyone's heard that a million times."
Instead, 'To the Control Tower' touches on issues as diverse as GM, faith and, in Every Youthman Stand Strong (which picked up an award at the Bay of Plenty music awards in 2001), young people struggling to stay true to themselves.

Dubwize started recording in March 2001, but geographical issues (Confucius and Messenjah live in Christchurch while Papa Levi is based in Bay of Plenty and Little Jah lives in Nelson), complicated the process. "It was a bit of mission," admits Calcott. Papa Levi agrees, adding that even performing together required a lot of legwork.

"I probably came down to Christchurch 10 times this year. It was a three-hour drive to Auckland and then I'd fly down. We'd have booked a Monday night in the studio and every time we came together it was crazy."

Fresh from a MAINZ course, Messenjah, together with Confucius (who is due to release his second solo jungle dub album), co-produced the album at Confucius' Christchurch base, Footnote Studios.

The pair had been talking about working together for several years, before teaming up for the Dubwize debut and Calcott says the collaboration has been so successful that Confucious will merge with Dubwize for the next album.
"He's a bit of a genius I reckon," says Calcott of Confucius. "He can pick up any instrument and play anything. He's really multi-talented and an awesome songwriter."

Papa Levi agrees that working together has been very successful.
"The others are really easy guys. They listen to your ideas and vice versa. We've got a good thing going."

Dubwize Soundsystem are already working on their next album, but Calcott says a instrumental-only dub version of 'To The Control Tower' could be out as early as the beginning of next year, although details haven't been set in stone yet.