Sound Mag

13/05/2024

REGGAE, DUB AND SOUND SYSTEM FESTIVALS OF 2024
Have a look at the many festivals across Europe this summer where sound systems will string up 🔊 and reggae music will play

Gather round with your friends from across the continent. Some of these festivals are actually really easy to get to. Like Dub Camp is only a £45 flight away from Liverpool, UK.

If you’re thinking of doing a holiday this year why not see if one of these festivals is a good shout as sometimes it’s easier than it may seem.

Which is your favourite festival?

14/09/2023

Magazines are being sent out now 🔥 🔥 🔥

Check the link in bio to buy now 🔊

Shops and stalls, get in touch to stock up

31/08/2023

PRE-ORDER NOW 🔥

The magazine is at the prints, be the first to get a copy.

In this 104 page issue of Sound Mag, I have documented some of the sounds and crews who right now I believe will be important in preserving and thriving the sound system culture. I have since noticed two distinct themes emerge within this edition.

Cover design by

26/08/2023

26/08/2023

CARNIVAL WEEKEND PEOPLE

So I come with great news and more great news.
jpeg has provided us with a killer 2 and half hours mix of tunes to get us started for the weekend of carnival 🔥

https://m.soundcloud.com/howiebanton/carnival-mix-soundmag-issue-07

And swipe right to see ISSUE 7 COMING OUT VERY SOON 🔥 🔥 🔥

This issues content is top ranking. The best work we have done so far, and it is is FAT with text, imagery and more

Whether you’re in Leeds, Notting Hill or anywhere at all this weekend, have a great skank enjoy the mix be joyful that more sound system reading is coming your way soon BOOOM 🔊 🔊 🔊

08/08/2023

Additional name to next Fridays event 🔥

from Taiwan will come bless at the x x .club night

and .oe also be shelling times on the night 🔥

06/07/2023

🔥 🔥 🔥
Save the date
oe

31/05/2023

Upcoming events we will be attending/playing at 🔥

Starting with on Saturday in Leeds

29/05/2023

04/05/2023

New Tees, New Bags. Available on our store. Grab one of each with a mag and enjoy them all in a dance 🔊

12/04/2023

Praying the news we hear this morning is not true

12/04/2023

❤️

22/03/2023

Another sound system story - the Baptism of Dub this time 💧

We’re any of you there to witness the event? We’re any of you ever at the Brixton Rec?

If you got any Dub Stories, make sure you let us know about them 🔥

14/03/2023

After a lovely weekend in Belgium, we will be seeing this in Leeds, Yorkshire.

3 big sounds from the region. Tickets available on our website 🔥

08/03/2023

Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire

Land of the Year 3000 style, High Rise vibrations. Iration Steppas are the vanguard, Subdub is the service, and West Indian centre is the temple in Leeds. A stones throw away is Huddersfield with the historic Venn Street which was once, one of the biggest hosts of Jamaican reggae artists outside Jamaica.

Yorkshire has hotspots and then more sounds sprinkled across the region. The big one of course is Iration Steppas 🔥 not much needs to be said other than they innovated the scene in the 90s and are still sitting firmly in the top sounds 🔊

Rebel Spirit are the Leeds apprentices and have brought their own style and have heap of crew in Leeds and spread across the UK. They have the event Run the Dub which we hosts another two sounds from Yorkshire next weekend. Swipe to see more

Sinai are the Sheffield apprentices. After doing events with DMZ, Sinai quickly gained popularity, and hasn’t stopped trying to push the barriers since, boasting the paraflex designs

Cornerstone is a popular sound amongst the students in Leeds and will partake in their first 3-way sound meeting at next weekends Run the Dub with Rebel Spirit and Sinai

Axis Valv-a-tron from Huddersfield is a beautiful and warm sounding hi fi which uses valve amps. If you don’t know about a sound system on valve amps, I’d highly recommend going to check it out

Irie Vibes are York’s one love sound, promoting reggae in the regions capital since 2009 at The Crescent and more recently other venues in the centre of York

These are most of the active sounds around Yorkshire, whilst the list of sounds that have been active in Yorkshire since the 60s runs very very long

23/02/2023

Southern Germany, where you’re not far from natural beauty, like the Black Forest, or the Alps.

Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are the two regions we look at for sound systems.

The Blackwood Soundsystem started spinning their turntables in 1989 and has become the longest running roots and culture German Soundsystem.

Dandelion are a long standing veteran sound and with some peculiar looking boxes.

Elemental Wave from Dachau are one of the heaviest sounds and behind the label Stepwise Records.

In 2007, Jah Chalice was founded in the nearby town of Freising.

G***a Riddim have been representing Karlsruhe since 1998 boasting strictly uplifting vibes

Joyful Noise Soundsystem stands for Roots Reggae & Dub Music in and around Freiburg in the very southwest of Germany.

I&I Dubwise is the original Munich sound and have been flying the flag since 2004.

Thanks to the people who helped me fill in the gaps on this region.

Don’t forget we have now restocked issue 6 of Sound Mag available on our site ( https://www.soundmag.club/product-page/sound-mag-issue-six )

13/02/2023

You’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road and I’ll be listening to sound system in Scotland before you.

If you’ve ever been to Scotland, you’ll recognise it’s got an ancient beauty to it which aligns just nicely with spiritualness of dub.

are Scotlands original roots and culture sound system pushing the message since 1987 in Edinburgh.

have curated their own style in Glasgow, transforming rub-a-dub into scrub-a-dub, the title of their label, which has given an insight of sound system and reggae to many young people.

are keeping the Glasgow rub-a-dub vibes alive, and providing a party atmosphere which they take up and down the UK. They also have their own record store .records

Then there’s from the Scottish Borders promoting roots reggae on their sound system and record label 🔥

Take a visit up to Scotland to see the highlands and catch a few sound systems whilst up there

If there’s any sounds we have missed, let us know.

Also, Issue Six is now available again on the website. Fresh stock in so grab yourself a magazine 🔥

01/02/2023

It’s the Wild Wild South West. A place with absence of law and order which is probably why sound system culture has managed to thrive so much.

Bristol is probably my favourite city after my hometown Leeds. Their community spirit is unmatched. Everyone knows everyone in this city. Teachings in Dub, Bristol Dub Club and most recently High Rise have provided for this scene over the years.

The surrounding area of the South West littered with sound system activity, particularly free party rigs, and earthy raves.

Jah Lokko in the first picture taken by is a veteran on the Bristol scene. As is Roots Injection run by Ras Muffet in the third picture.

I’m the second picture is Concrete Lion run by Sunil Dubtronics and Kai Dub who was half of Maasai Warrior until his departure. I believe Concrete Lion is based in both Bristol and Birmingham.

We tend to promote Reggae and Dub sound systems mainly but it wouldn’t be possible to talk about sound systems in the South West without mentioning RC1 because they’ve grown such a big reputation over the years.

In the last photo you have King Simeon sound system with MC Stamina. King Simeon has been a sound mercenary for years helping Iration many years ago and now in Jah Tubbys sound.

DISCLAIMER: I’m not suggesting this is every sound system in the South West. Just a selection of sound systems I had access of information to. If you can provide information on other sounds or correct me on any information, please do as the goal is to spread knowledge on sound system culture and not hold back promotion at fear of disappointing people.

21/01/2023

There’s a lot of myths and legends in sound system culture. To me, it’s one of the best things about this community. It’s what gives the feeling that sound system is in its own world and everything you ever need is in that world. I believe it’s why so many of us get hooked into it.

Over the years I have heard some great stories. Stories are often passed down from the elders to the young sound boys. It’s why it’s important to go speak to the elders in sound system culture because the knowledge in which they can pass on is important. Sadly it seems some of these stories are being lost. Every now and then we will share some stories we have heard over the years but also please reach out to us with your own stories or legends that you have heard about.

12/01/2023

Showing the East of England region some sound system love ❤️

There’s always been pockets of love for sound system in the East of England.

My first away trip was in a huge banking hall in Norwich with Iration Steppas, Congo Natty and David Rodigan. This session was heavy.

I also heard a lot about the Southend scene. Home of Charlie P and many sound systems, Southend has produced over its fair share of sound system practitioners. I had the luck of going to a session in Southend last year, and I can only say they are different lol.

built circa 2019 have a beautiful dub sound built by QSS in Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire

is a tough sound system since 2015 by .bythalilotus who we will be working with this year to promote her new audio product

have gone through various names since they started in 2000. A big crew from Cambridge running Sage Pre-amp and speakers built by Calum.

Over in Norwich there is running since 2007 which is a roots reggae sound and also a label.

DISCLAIMER: I haven’t tried to showcase every sound system but a hand select which have made their information available. Using Soundsystem.world, map (which you should all check and fill out), and social media platforms, I have collated the information, some of which may be wrong so please send me a message if so. My goal is to promote sound systems, not leave out any sound system.

Drop a message what region you would like to see next 🔥

12/01/2023

Big combo deal available until the end of the week. We are shifting issue both 4+5 for just £9 🔥 A huge 50% off will end this weekend though so don’t miss out 🔥

Read the best magazine on sound system culture 🔊

08/01/2023

Sound systems of North West England 🔥 there’s rich history in this area of sound system. On the second slide you will see a map of sounds keeping the culture alive in this region. If you know about NW England sound system culture, you should know about Big Western. A quality venue in Moss Side, Manchester where there was many a dance that happened. Unfortunately activity has died down a bit in Manchester but are still pushing the events strong.

Which is your favourite NW England sound system?

Which region of the world should we showcase next? 🔊

03/01/2023

New year, new event, from the minds of Sound Mag and Tracks.

Sound system music in a pub, with carefully chosen baddest DJs 🔥

Hand Pulled Dub, Real Dubstep and Locally Sourced Beats. A good night is brewing, so book your reservations by getting tickets at SoundMag.club 🔥 🍺

30/12/2022

The freshest sound systems to look out for in 2023 🔥 🔥 🔥

Keep your 👀 peeled for these in the new year