Pray For a Soundboy: Dub-Stuy Meets Johnny Osbourne

Words by Saxon Baird—

Tour De Force is the production side of Brooklyn-based selectors Double Tiger and DJ Q-Mastah, better known as Dub-Stuy Records. The two joined forces in 2012 and built a gorgeous, gigantic sound system (that’s it above) that they’ve been showing off around NYC and beyond while putting on dub-heavy dances and championing bass music.

Having just released their debut LP, Battle Cry (which includes appearances by Luciano and Jahdan Blakkamoore, on a relicked Sleng Teng riddim), the two are sharing a dub from their personal collection, via free download.

“Soundboy Prayer” begins with dancehall godfather Johnny Osbourne’s vocals dipped into a thick vat of reverb accompanied by a wheezy synth-sound. It’s mostly an updated classic dub sound to start but, 30 seconds in, a hyper drum pattern that plays on reggae’s “steppers” style undercuts the track, met with a warping, fuzzed-out dubstep bass drop. By the track’s peak, your (hopefully well-equipped) speakers are pounding out a cacophony of horns, interloping drum rhythms and Osbourne’s echoing warnings to an at-risk soundboy.

Dub has always utilized empty space as a weapon, but on “Soundboy Prayer,” Tour De Force fills those airy soundscapes quickly and energetically, living up to their moniker. The result could work in both a sweaty, laser-lit dance club and the afterparty in a dank, herb smoke-filled room.

Stream the tune below, and get a free download here (Note: you’ll need to through the cart checkout process to collect your tune.)