Asaf Smilan mixes magic at the Power of Dub Festival

I had relaxed to reggae before, and dabbled in dub, but sound system was as foreign to me as metalcore. So, when I caught word of the first-ever sound system festival happening in the depths of the Arava desert the weekend following Yom Ha'atzmaut, curiosity washed over me like a rolling Mediterranean wave. It turns out that vibing just around the corner in the heart of Florentine is a tight-knit community of reggae, dub, and sound system musicians and enthusiasts, many of whom will migrate south to the Power of Dub Festival on April 20th. In anticipation of the exciting event, Time Out caught up with Asaf Smilan, founder of Med Tones Records – a local independent label dedicated to roots reggae and dub music – and one of the festival's major attractions.

 

 

It was around 2006. Reggae had become quite popular in Israel and around the world. Damian Marley had just come out with “Welcome To Jamrock,” and there was huge hype surrounding the style. At the time, we were putting on wild street parties in Florentine (in South Tel Aviv) in collaboration with the Hoodna Bar. As I got more involved with the scene, I joined a group called Zvuloon Dub System [featuring Gili Yalo], where I played the drums, and took care of the production – mixing, mastering, recording – with my brother, Ilan. We would play live shows together and bring in DJs and sound systems. The people came to dance all day; it was always a great time.

 

 

In 2012, Zvuloon Dub System’s first record was ready for release, and we decided that the best way to release it was under our own label. From there, Med Tone Records was born.

 

At the beginning it was meant only for us. Then, my brother and I began to produce for other artists – mainly Jamaican – while releasing our music under the same label. It was this perfect platform for distribution and marketing, and forming connections around the world with record shops, radio DJs, and other producers. In other words, we started to establish a network, which is growing and growing every day.

 

It actually recently came back to the underground after a short period in the mainstream, which is good and bad at the same time; being underground allows us the freedom to do whatever we want, without thinking about how the public will react to the music. On the flip side, it’s harder to sell our music and to make back the money that we invest in it.

 

 

If you look at the origins of reggae, they actually date back to the sound system, which popped up in the 60s and the 70s in Kingston [Jamaica]. Most people couldn’t afford to buy a hi-fi system and play music in their homes, so the way that people consumed the music was by going out to the dances to listen from the sound system. This is the reason why Med Tones Records produces vinyl – because many of the DJs in the reggae scene prefer vinyl. We are in touch with many sound systems around the world; we send them our new releases [in an attempt] to spread the word and teach the world about sound system.

 

Definitely, which is why we are going to play a live dub show at the Power of Dub Festival on the 20th. We’ve already recorded each instrument on separate channels in the studio. Our plan is to take those separate parts and mix them live for a one-time version in front of the audience. I'm hoping that the combination between making music alone or with friends in the studio and bringing it to the people will bring these two settings closer together.

 

 

No. It’s a one-time thing. While you can't make the same precise decisions in a live show that you can inside a studio, there's this different energy: you can feel the people, the people are feeling you. It’s looser, more heart-felt. Really something special.

© Delwyn Varamse

 

There are many reggae festivals, especially in the summer, but Power of Dub is the first roots & culture sound system festival in Israel. Until now, festivals were always filled with live bands, and sound systems were just there for support. This festival finally puts the sound system front and center, a great idea by Ohad [Cosmos, artistic director].

 

 

Dor Velan and Matan Bracha, who was working with me on production and marketing. We’re one big family, though, so a lot of other Israeli musicians from the community like 12Tribes and OneAway [HIFI] will be there. We're inviting any of these guys to take a verse or two on the mic or in I-Jah Salomon's case, the saxophone – it's really a big jam session.

 

 

Of course! Most of the time, things happen that way. If you’re playing a good set and you’re bringing the right vibe, someone is bound to come up and take the mic.

 

 

When you leave the city and enter nature, you can really feel those vibes of inspiration and relax while trying to connect to what you see and feel in the desert. Fresh air to breath, no pollution, no busy roads, no stress of the city environment…it affects everybody – the people who come to dance and enjoy the music, the artists playing it, it brings everybody to a more peaceful place.

 

We don’t really hear enough root music in these times; it’s a music that speaks about peace and love and unity and how to make this place a better place to live in. I think that this is a very important message, especially in Israel. So, this is what we’re trying to do. To promote this message and this music and this vibe throughout Israel.

 

 

Yes! If you look at music in terms of left wing or right wing, it loses its overall goal. What I learned from many people in the reggae community is that it doesn’t really matter whether you’re left or right, it all boils down to the same point eventually since everyone works for the same system and the same ideas. And what we are trying to do as individuals is to do the best that we can to make our lives better and influence all of the people that are close to us. If more people would try to look on themselves and how they’re living as opposed to getting stuck on the things that they can’t really change, the world would look much brighter.