Headphone Rockers

June 2, 2010

Words by Eddie STATS Houghton

Rastaphones

There must be an otherworldy vibe in the air this week or maybe it’s just one of those inflection points when people feel the need for a break from the earthly grind of drug wars, sinkholes and oil spills. Either way, spacey headphone rockers seems to be the current soundtrack to the internet. No sooner did our doopses at Deadly Dragon drop their latest podcast of echoey roots and foundation riddims–appropriately titled “In a Higher Region”–than my FADER co-columnist Andrew Field-Pickering abandoned the usual Detroit Techno and experimental dance format of his “Heal Yourself and Move” blog and posted nine mind-altering examples of what he describes as “moog reggae and cosmic dancehall.” Between them you’ll find enough b-side version excursions and obscure gems from the likes of Johhny Clarke, Yabby You, The Vulcans, Dub Syndicate, Yellowman and Horace Andy to dub your way out of all your constrictions, whatever they might be.