Iration, SOJA, et Tribal Seeds

With a name that could not possibly be further opposed to the general perception of reggae - it’s about as easy to imagine Bob Marley becoming irate about something as it is to picture the members of Slipknot sitting down for afternoon tea and a nice slice of cake - Iration set out to give the genre a much-needed shot in the arm in 2004, when they began playing shows in the small college town of Isla Vista. The rock edge they brought to their music commanded the attention of locals, and that propelled them to national attention within the genre when their debut full-length, ‘No Time for Rest’, topped the Billboard Reggae Charts in 2007. They opened for Pepper on tour the following year, their first nation jaunt within the U.S.

They followed up their debut with records including 2010’s ‘Time Bomb’ and 2013’s ‘Automatic’, although the latter was not released before the departure of co-lead vocalist Kai Rediske, who worked on the album. A vague statement on the band’s website, suggesting that he departed to “pursue other interests”, has failed to quell speculation that tension between Rediske and the band’s other singer, Micah Pueschel, led to the split.

This is the philosophy behind SOJA’s music, a simple statement that has driven the Grammy Nominated D.C. area band, who blend reggae, go-go, D.C. hardcore, Latin, rock and hip-hop. Originally formed by a group of friends while still in middle school and has built a massive, dedicated fanbase around the world since. In the years following, SOJA has sold more than 200,000 albums, headlined shows in nearly 30 countries around the world, generated over 4 million Facebook fans, and over 130 million YouTube views. The band has toured with Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, 311 and appeared at major festivals including Bonnaroo where they attract an almost Grateful Dead-like international fan base along the way, with caravans of diehards following them from city to city. After the release of their 2012 album Strength To Survive, the musicians started writing material for what would become their fifth full-length album, “Amid the Noise and Haste.”

The writing and recording process for Amid the Noise and Haste stretched out over a year and a half, mostly because the musicians kept finding new collaborators and new ideas along the way. The aim was to engage as many guest artists as possible, with each working on a song that had a legitimate connection to them. The album was produced by Supa Dups (Bruno Mars, Eminem, Rihanna, John Legend) and recorded at Circle House Studios in Miami and Lion & Fox Studios in Washington D.C. throughout 2013. Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley appears on “Your Song,” a buoyant, hopeful number that asks fans to remind the band why they got into music by singing along, while “I Believe” brings Michael Franti and Nahko together to offer thoughts on how to control your own destiny. Collie Buddz, J Boog and Anuhea are also featured on various tracks. “We wanted to bring together people who would help demonstrate each song,” Jacob says. “We wanted people who could either relate to or convey the message. The whole album is about the human race relating to itself and connecting with itself.”

For SOJA, whose live show is an explosion of energy and positivity, music is a means of helping people relate in a more affirmative way. It also asks people to look inside themselves and really ask what it is they want to do with their life and how they can be happy. SOJA’s music is about finding that happiness and peace we all deserve and helping others do the same, something Amid the Noise and Haste aptly conveys in its songs.

“I put words in my songs that I believe to be true,” Jacob says. “The point of the album is

reconnecting people to the power inside themselves, getting them to fall back in love with life again. Look around, take a deep breath. All the answers are there.”

Tribal Seeds was formed by two brothers, Steven Rene Jacobo (vocals, guitar) and Tony-Ray Jacobo (producer, keyboard, vocals) and joined by Carlos Verdugo (drums), Victor Navarro (bass), E.N Young (keyboards, vocals) and Ryan Gonzo (guitar,vocals). Since forming, they have gained many fans through their refreshing take on rock influenced reggae, focusing more on roots and rocksteady influences to inform their sound, looking back to artists like Black Uhuru, The Congos, Peter Tosh and the Abyssnians.

The band released their self-titled debut album in 2008, named 'Best Of' in an iTunes list of Reggae releases that year. They also received a local award for 'Best World Music' at the San Diego Music Awards. Their second record, "Harvest" (2009) also was named 'Best Of' by iTunes, achieving chart success by reaching number five in the Billboard Reggae Charts.

After several successful tours, the band returned to the studio to record the EP, "Soundwaves" which went to number two on the Billboard Reggae Charts.The band have toured extensively throughout their career, performing across the United States as well as in Mexico and Aruba. They have supported artists including The Wailers, Collie Buddz, Gregory Issacs, Rebelution and a whole host of others.

Their eagerly awaited fourth album came out in 2014, titled "Representing," debuting at number one on the Billboard Reggae Charts and number 114 on the Billboard 200. The album solidified their place in the world of contemporary reggae, as one of the top bands in the scene.