Zvuloon Dub System
Anbessa Dub
Zvuloon Dub System is an 8 piece band consisting of the cream of Israeli underground musicians. Adopting their name from one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the band was formed in 2006 by the Smilan brothers. They share the same deep passion for roots reggae and dub along with influences from a variety of music styles: Ethiopian jazz and rare grooves from the 70s, the soul, funk and jazz from the US, as well as Israeli oriental music. In creative solidarity with some of the pivotal producers of reggae such as Lee Perry and King Tubby, the band is keen on creating not just their own music but their own sound. 'Anbessa Dub' is an innovative project that links the threads of diverse lands, languages and cultures to weave a novel original sound in the world of music. The project is the realization of the band members' ethos of "one world, one love, one music" accomplished by blending elements of roots reggae with scales, rhythms and languages of Ethiopian music. The word anbessa translates to lion in Ethiopian Amharic. The album features fresh versions of famous songs from the golden age of modern Ethiopian music together with original songs written by the members of the band. The project features several artists from the Beta Israel community (the Jewish Ethiopian community that immigrated to Israel during the 80s and the 90s) playing the music they grew up with, in their mother tongue. The collaboration of these artists with the members of Zvuloon Dub System creates a new style of music which is neither "Ethiopian music" nor "Jamaican roots reggae", but rather a new sonic manifestation that crosses borders and cultural boundaries.