subatomic sound system

Reggae’s classic ganja tune & incendiary protest song re-licked for 2021 with two of the Jamaican “reggae revival“ 
movement’s stars, Yaadcore & Jah9, updating the vibes on the mic alongside Lee “Scratch” Perry’s NYC band 
Subatomic Sound System producing the heavyweight riddim in the future dubwise style of their acclaimed “Super 
Ape Returns to Conquer” album. Originally recorded in 1982 by John Holt & The Roots Radics at Channel One 
Studio, this song captured the hearts of a generation opposed to the CIA-funded, $9 million campaign by Jamaican 
police to eradicate marijuana from the island. With the goal of bringing this musical history to a new generation, 
Yard Birdz Records approached Emch of Subatomic Sound System to recreate the riddim with 21st century sub bass 
and drums, helicopters swirling overhead, and plenty of dubwise smoke & fire. Jah9 brings new vibes to John Holt’s
original lyrics with her signature vocal style that evokes the deep, powerful tone of US jazz giant Nina Simone or 
Lauryn Hill. Known for her own poetic protest music as well as recent boomshot collaborations with Chronixx, Jah9’s 
performance demonstrates why her unique sound has paved the way for a new generation of women in reggae. 
Meanwhile, Yaadcore turns up the heat with all new verses addressing today’s cannabis industry ina style that
connects the roots of classic DJs like Yellowman & U-Roy to the dancehall era of Vybz Kartel. Yaadcore surprised the 
world in 2020, reintroducing himself as a vocalist after being the longtime DJ for Protoje. Yaadcore is credited with 
launching the mixtape series that introduced Chronixx & Protoje to the world. Subatomic percussionist and 
Jamaican legend Larry McDonald, 84 years young, is on the congas, nyabinghi drums, & percussion, adding new 
African rhythms absent from the original tune. Larry brings a lifetime of heritage as a reggae originator having 
worked with everyone from Count Ossie, The Skatalites, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, & Lee Perry in Jamaica to Gil Scot 
Heron, Taj Mahal, and even Bad Brains in the USA. Subatomic’s Troy Shaka Simms adds saxophone lines that take
it back to Africa with melodies inspired by the timeless Ethiopian jazz of Mulatu Astatke. The guitar lines on the 
original tune are redone with heavily effected horns reminiscent of Lee Perry’s Black Ark recordings. On the 
dubstrumental mix, Emch plays and dubs the melodica in the fragmented style of Augustus Pablo’s “King Tubby
Meets Rockers Uptown”.

'Police In Helicopter'  Yaadcore, Jah9, & Subatomic Sound System

'Police In Helicopter' (dubstrumental) Yaadcore, Jah9, & Subatomic Sound System

UTOPIA

GOD'S COUNTRY

My Sound Is Heavy

My Sound Is Heavy (Dubstrumental)

Ancient Wisdom (Melodica Dub)

21-06-2025 // Kray Atief // Live recording from the Radio Hinter studio at Der Hintergarten, Amsterdam.

mastering: Victor Marbus

Kray Atief // De Ring (After)Party // 21-06-2025

Nothing More to Say

Gonna Make Time

Champion Sound

Champion Sound (Dubplate Roots 10" Mix)

NYC dub & bass specialists: performers, label, events since Y2K spearheaded by Emch. DJ or live, worldwide. Check http://www.subatomicsound.com Founded Dub Champions Festival (USA/ Europe). Stacks of music w/ Lee Scratch Perry, Anthony B, Elephant Man, Jahdan, and more.  Spearheaded by Emch Subatomic Sound is the label and Subatomic Sound System is the crew, DJ, live band, production team and radio show on www.BrooklynRadio.com

Select list of Subatomic Sound System shows...
Dub Champions Festival USA & Europe tours 2011-2019 w/ Lee Perry
USA May 2019 tour w/Julian Marley 
Coachella 2013 w/ Lee Scratch Perry
Red Bull Music Academy  2014 NYC  w/ Lee Scratch Perry & Adrian Sherwood

Check www.SubatomicSound.com for good stuff.
www.DubChampions.com for the festival.

Latest releases: 
SS039 Subatomic Sound & Screechy Dan "Babylon Soon Fall"
SS038 Subatomic Sound & Junior Dread "Revolution 2 Freedom"
SS037 Subatomic Sound & Screechy Dan "Champion Sound"
SS036 Subatomic Sound System "Shaolin Dub"
SS035 Sting & Shaggy "Morning is Coming" Subatomic Sound System remix
SS034 Lee Scratch Perry & Subatomic Sound "A Me"
SS033 Lee Scratch Perry & Subatomic Sound "Super Ape Returns To Conquer"
SS032 Word Sound Power "Discipline"
SS031 NYC-2-Africa-2-Brasil
SS030
SS029 Lee Scratch Perry & Subatomic Sound "Black Ark Vampires"
SS028
SS027
SS026
SS025 Noble Society "Living the Life"
SS022 Anthony B "Dem Can't Stop We From Talk - Remixed" LP (digital) March 2012
SS024 Anthony B meets Subatomic Sound "Dem Can't Stop We From Talk" vinyl Oct 2011
SS023 Anthony B meets Dubblestandart "Dem Can't Stop We From Talk rmx" vinyl Oct 2011
SS021 Sancocho e' Tigres "Lujo de Pobre" LP (digital)
SS020 Sancocho e' Tigres "Lujo de Pobre: Single & Samples" EP (digital) 
SS019 Elephant Man "Vampires & Informers" LP (digital) April 2011
SS018 Elephant Man "Vampires & Informers"  (vinyl) 
SS016 NYC-2-Africa Nov 2010
SS017 Elephant Man "Vampires & Informers" EP (digital) Oct 2010
SS015 Dubblestandart meets David Lynch & Lee Scratch Perry "Chrome Optimism" (digital & vinyl) Sept 2010
SS014 Subatomic Sound System meets Ari-Up & Lee Scratch Perry "Hello, Hell is Very Low" (vinyl) Aug 2010
SS009 Lee Scratch Perry & Dubblestandart meet  Subatomic Sound System & Jahdan Blakkamoore "Blackboard Jungle" (vinyl) April 209
SS008 Subatomic Sound System meets Lee Scratch Perry "Iron Devil" (vinyl) Oct 2008

For over a decade Emch has been the producer, selector, and musician behind Subatomic Sound System and the Subatomic Sound label. Founded at the turn of the millennium, NYC’s Subatomic Sound System has built a reputation worldwide for explosive shows, genre bending production, and breaking down barriers with their unique adaptation of 1970’s Jamaican sound system culture and dub reggae studio techniques to all types of bass heavy music genres, current technology, and live performances. A record label, DJ/production crew, live band, and event promoters, the Subatomic Sound crew is at work in NYC on every level. For 3 years, Subatomic Sound Radio blasted out to a footprint of eleven million terrestrial listeners in the greater NYC area on KEXP's Radio New York broadcast, 91.5fm and also via BrooklynRadio.com  

Subatomic Sound System has toured throughout N. America, Europe, & Asia  including with Lee Scratch Perry at NYC's Central Park, RBMA NYC, Poland's One Love, and Moscow's Milk with John Forte.

As the Subatomic Sound record label head, Emch has produced and released dub reggae innovator Lee Scratch Perry's first dubstep tracks plus eclectic collaborations with icons like filmmaker David Lynch, Prince Far-i, & UK punk pioneer Ari Up of the Slits as well as new school torchbearers like Anthony B, Elephant Man, Jahdan Blakkamoore, Dubblestandart, & his own group Subatomic Sound System.

Want to book Subatomic Sound? Hit us on Soundcloud or mail BOOKING (at) SubatomicSound (dot) COM  

Pushing dub and bass globally! Next stop your city or festival?

Champion Sound (Dubplate Roots 10" Mix)

Subatomic Sound

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