High Focus Records was established in 2010 to offer a platform for a new generation of rappers and producers in the UK. 

Twelve years on and nearly 200 releases later, our mission statement remains the same; to champion the most forward-thinking artists, with a key focus on strengthening the pillars that continue to unify the scene to this day (and beyond).


~HFR

Known internationally as for the depth of their dubplate box, their innovative way to approach reggae soundclashes and dancehall shows, the italian dubplate masters better known as Heavy Hammer Sound consist of a team of deejays and mcs that travels the globe playing reggae, dancehall, dubstep and hip hop music.

Esthablished in 1999 in a small city near Lecce in Salento, an hot area of south Italy called by many “the italian Jamaica”, the formula born as four friends united by the love for reggae dancehall music and jamaican culture, a sound system, and some crazy dancehall parties in front of the sea until sunlight.

Starting from first dances in Salento area the crew is soon booked in all main italian cities including Rome, Milan, Turin, Catanzaro, Florence, Bologne, playing in every italian region often in historical yards for italian reggae scene, as well as outside of Italy, touring the whole Europe and UK with also gigs in USA, Jamaica and Japan, including performances in international festivals like Rototom Sunsplash (Spain), Bielawa Festival (Poland), Maremoto Festival, Salento Summer Festival and Gusto Dopa Al Sole (Italy) just to name a few.

The sound had the chance to plays alongside the main names in the reggae business like Sentinel, Heartical, Rodigan, Soundquake, Black Chiney, Tony Matterhorn, Killamanjaro, King Addies, Coppershot, Ricky Trooper, Black Cat and with almost all italian sounds such as Gramigna, Ishence, Ital Sound, Dancehall Soldiers, Yaga Yaga, Bass Fi Mass, One Love, opening concerts of artist like Buju Banton, Cocoa Tea, Michael Rose, Alborosie, Shaggy, Romain Virgo, Ward 21 and many more.

Heavy Hammer is also the resident sound in the biggest italian summer yard, Mamanera Beach in S.Foca near Lecce, where the parties on the beach during summer season are usually attended by 4000-5000 people, sharing the turntables the best names in the reggae business like Tony Matterhorn, Black Chiney, Ricky Trooper, Coppershot, Pow Pow, Sentinel, Supersonic, Ward21, Romain Virgo, TOK, Baby Cham, Morgan Heritage, Perfect, Cecile, just to name a few, playing reggae music until the morning lights.

SOUNDCLASHES ||

In 2007 the crew win his first official dubplate clash, killing in Rome the Rome-based Love Massive in front of 1200 people; the audio of the clash become right away a classic for clash fanatics and get an istant fame even outside of italians borderlines, even if the clash is all italian-talked, declaring Heavy Hammer one of the more dangerous italian soundkillers.
Few years later in 2010, the crew touch down in Stuttgart, Germany to win the trophy of World War 3 Soundclash, a stricly dubplate war against Deebuzz from Germany, Captain C (ex Mighty Crown selector) from Japan, and Ruffpack from Switzerland.
Just a matter of days is booked to represent Italy in the Riddim Clash 2010 the european n.1 international soundclash – that take place in Dusseldorf, Germany alongside sounds like Citylock from Germany, Guiding Star from France, Rootsman from Canada, Poison Dart from Antigua and Blunt Posse from New York; after winning all rounds Heavy Hammer brings for the first time the RiddimClash throphy to Italy killing Blunt Posse in the dub fi dub segment, giving to Heavy Hammer the world fame.
During 2011 and 2012 the crew has travelled the world to represent Italy and Europe in sound wars: they started joing in the world temple known as Amazura in New York, the world clash called Sound Fi Dead alongside sounds like Bass Odissey, Black Cat, Synemax and Tek 9: after a strong performance the crew wins the second round point and then end up at the dub fi dub with Bass Odissey placing at the 2nd place in their first clash in New York.
Just a week later they come back in europe in a one-to-one clash in Wuppertal, Germany, against the Florida’ notorious Poison Dart, moving to Jamaica few months later in april to join the Irish&chin’ Worldclash R.E.S.E.T., facing off sounds like Killamanjaro, Bass Odissey, Black Blunt, Black Cat, Rootsman and Code Red; Even if that’s the first time the Hammers touch down in the island they reach the third place, giving up only after a well discussed 4th round with Bass Odissey and Jaro.
It’s not over yet, during summertime Heavy Hammer fly to Japan for the Japan Soundclash Tour – the 1st one ever by a european sound – for 10 days of soundclashes and dubplate showcases winning every show, from Osaka to Fukuoka, Yokohama, Okayaman, Hyogo and more places.
The 2012 closes with the performance at Global Clash 2012 in Brooklyn, New York, where the sound face off King Addies, Soul Supreme, Risky Dice from Japan, King Klepto from Canada and Madd Squadd from Jamaica.

Heavy Hammer crew now is made of eight members: Raffa, Gecky, Gigi, Kwasta, Jangio, Lep, Boris and Charly.
More than a decade inna di business, collaborations with the most important reggae artists and worldwide selectors, hundreds of dancehalls and stages, as well as the unique dubplate box are the elements that give to the Heavy Hammer shows something exclusive that cant be easily repeated.  The dubplate masters from Italy are ready anytime to mash up your party!

OTHER PROJECTS ||

While handling the sound, Heavy Hammer crew has created or contributed to some of most important projects to develope sound system and reggae culture in Italy.
In 2001 they created www.heavyhammer.it, where togheter with the sound information and agenda there has been for years a huge collection of projects for speaker boxes, from scoop bins to nowadays stuff to build a sound system, togheter with technical infos, suggestions and tips; the website is named as the start point of many sound systems now active in italy.
From 2003 to 2008 the crew worked for www.bashment.it, that for some years has been the leading web portal for dancehall and soundclash culture in the italian area, with reports from soundclashes, articles, dubplate sessions and all concerning the dancehall and soundclashes culture.
In 2003 Heavy Hammer Dubplate Studio see the lights in the north of italy, followed soon by twin studio in the south. With over 40’000 tracks recorded and over 500 artists passed on the mics, Heavy Hammer Dubplate Studios are an established international dubplate link that built solid links and collaborations worldwide, working with top sounds from all over the world as with upcoming crews, recording upcoming and world famous artists, in some cases as exclusive dubplate agent for Europe.

FREE UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT MUSIC
Dj/Productor.

I told you, you don't want me
I showed you what I am
I told you I'd consume you
Still you're crawling around my pain

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