Jamroc’s first release with Pierre was actually released on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records. “Seleckta” features Jamaican sound system legend Rory of Stone Love, with Pierre producing the A-side and handling the B-side remix (which premiered here on LargeUp last month).
“Pierre always wanted to work with some Jamaicans, to do vocals,” Boyd said. “He was talking about Sean Paul, RDX, Tifa, just going through the roster. I had an idea that I know Rory, cause Rory is family, and Rory have a ting where he goes “Seeeeee-leckta” from back in the day. I said, we need that on a track.”
Alric
Ben-J.A.H.
Next up for Jamroc is a remix of “Acid Dreams” by Detroit Grand Pubas, which is out April 16 on AATrax (you can already stream the whole Acid Dreams EP here). That will be followed by Jamroc’s first official release as a unit, “Head Bass.” Though no longer on the radio in Jamaica (their Fame FM residency ended in 2009, after 14 years), Alric and Boyd produce Afro Acid Radio, Pierre’s radio show broadcast in England and Greece. Behind the scenes, they have helped push dubstep in Jamaica forward, connecting up-and-coming producer Noah Issa with Mr. Lexx on the recent track, “Damp.”
“We can’t stop doing what we’re doing, because if you stop then you’re not in the race anymore,” Boyd says. “Because of the whole MP3 revolution, that whole sense of being a DJ has broken down to nothing. Music isn’t worth anything, DJs aren’t worth anything. What we have to do now is try to reinvent ourselves in a way of being a super producer or super DJ. Put those things together and you have something where you can set yourself up.”
For the full history behind Alric and Boyd and EDM in Jamaica, read “Raving Kings: Alric and Boyd and the Untold Story of Dance Music in Jamaica.”
