City Hi-Fi: Projects: Suncycle

Suncycle are undeniably the hottest dancehall crew in the U.K, they have three self produced albums recorded to date. City Hi-Fi proudly took control of remix duties on their 2003 single "Hanging Out" produced by Jazzwad and currently works closely on collaborations with both the entire crew and various members. The crew is collective of over 15 of the finest exponents of raw British talent. Hailing from Harlesden, London, they have built up a huge core following in the last 3 years and have now reached all urban pockets in the UK and beyond.

Summer 2003 saw the release of their 3rd album "Levels" and the single "Hanging Out" produced by Jazzwad & remixed by City Hi-Fi. The album features the full crew as well as guest vocals from Spragga Benz and also comes with a bonus 73 track mix C.D. by Silver Star.

Suncycle founder Chad Williamson AKA Dolamite had shown strong musical tendencies from an early age. At eleven his youthful visions manifested in the formation of a sound system with his cousin Chukki Starr. The sound 'Echo Tone' laid the foundation stones for the group's ambition, which was to have a future career in music. Dolamite enrolled at the Islington School of Music to study Music Technology and Sound Engineering, he immediately utilized his newfound knowledge to build and create his own studio; this was the birth of Suncycle. His mission was to provide much needed studio facilities for talented hopefuls in his area. Starting off in his own backyard he looked closely at those around him, identifying the abundance of raw talent in his own large tight knit family. He encouraged his brother Naff Skrilla, sister Landa Boo, cousins W Squeeze and Serita and close friend Villain to form a group, which they called the Skrilla Kidz. The determined quintet began writing and performing to perfect their hip hop influenced sound in earnest, entering a number of London based talent showcases and competitions to resounding success; this did not go unnoticed. Dolamite, now in a position to act upon his initial instincts, signed them up as part of the Suncycle Crew.

The Suncycle movement picked up momentum and various other local artists and celebrities soon caught wind of the enormous hype which quickly attracted attention from the wider dancehall/reggae community at large. One of the knock on effects saw Dolamite as producer for Suncycle Productions take on the mantle as producer, arranger and performer on several important collaborations. World renown artists like Capleton, Sizzla, Singing Melody, Goofy & Determine as well as the cream of British dancehall acts like Gappy Ranx, Redman UK, Vigilante and Shortie Blitz to name a few, recording blazin' cuts for the Suncycle label. Many of London's urban radio stations particularly in North West London supported heavily with airplay complemented perfectly with supercharged personal appearances and showcases from the Crew, which was rapidly growing in number. By now fourteen strong to also include Armani, Booji, Bongo Kanni, and Skrilla One.

In the past year Suncycle have dominated the UK dancehall scene with a compelling and irresistible dynamism and force. Supporting international mainstream names like Foxy Brown and Elephant Man gave Suncycle further valuable exposure, which led to the full Suncycle Crew being asked by BBC1 Xtra to perform at their recent launch party in Sheffield, where they performed to an extremely receptive crowd. A rapturous welcome also greeted them at the Southport Summerfest Weekender where they created a huge stir. BBC1, and BBC R1 have also featured them heavily, with dancehall and garage programmes on radio stations throughout the UK reporting incredible request levels for Suncycle material.

Dolamite modestly puts his current success down to destiny, though in reality his perseverance, talent and ability to ensure his success through his actions also play a part in this incredible scenario. Dolomite's ultimate goals are "to build a foundation for future generations of talent; to create opportunities for youth in his community and to demonstrate that music can be used positively as a means of opening doors and escaping the negativity of the streets".

The following interview with Suncycle originally appeared on www.bashmentvibes.com

How would you describe Suncycle's music?

You've got High Street music - mainstream music - which is for the High Road. When you listen to our music it's like the back roads of London, the parts you never really get to really see. This is backstreet music - the hidden stuff from the underground.

Is Reggae your main influence?

Our music is a UK sound. If you listen to the album there's so much different kinda music. You have hip-hop, house and garage, you have Ragga and you have a little bit of rap mixed with Ragga. It's a new style. Our flavour is such that no one can really label our music as simply a Ragga album.

Standard is one of your biggest songs - what is it about?

The word on the street is standard. 'Cops are on the block,' that's standard - yuzimi? Or you could say, 'I got some girls to go and check,' standard. It's the standard procedure of life that we go through on that song there. The things we do daily.

Is there any Roots music on Northwest Stars?

Babylon Time Done is a deep tune. That one's for the conscious heads - for the men and women who are aware of what's going on in these days and times.

Why are UK acts so heavily influenced by Jamaican and American culture?

You have to remember England doesn't really have its own music. England just follows everybody else. We don't have our own music but our roots are Jamaican, so that's what we use in Britain to try and bring Reggae to the mainstream. Even if we have to go through house and garage, r&b, opera, whatever - we will do it because music is music.

Back in 2000, Suncycle performed alongside Elephant Man, Ward 21, Captain Barkey and Wickerman at the Temple in north London. What was that like?

That concert was good. It was the first time we'd been on a big stage show, so we were kinda nervous and ting, but it went well. How did the death of DJ Village (during the 'UK Log On Tour' in November 2001, Elephant Man, Ce'cile and Kip Rich were robbed outside their west London hotel and BBC disc jockey Village was subsequently killed) affect you? `

I was very saddened by the DJ Village incident. DJ Village was my bredrin and I love him. Rest in peace. Village was the only man who would play me on (BBC) Radio One. If he was here now, my music would be blowing up all over the place. It's a great loss to the music business.

Is there any difference between Suncycle and the So Solid Crew?

We deal with real tight lyrics - that's what the difference is. Supertight - UK's finest. So Solid can't talk to Suncycle baby.There is a similarity in terms of the large numbers in both crews. But our music is different because they are basically on a American/rapping flavour whereas we mix everything.

Do you think Suncycle is hotter than So Solid?

We have a different style. This is pioneering stuff we're dealing with. Nah, not even Pioneer or Sony, we are like Techniques (laughs). Still, don't get us wrong, love goes out to the So Solid because they make do make brilliant music.

What would you say to critics who think your music promotes violence?

Our music isn't making the world a worse place - it's making the world dance.

What's the one thing you'd like to change about the industry?

I've got my likkle studio here and the talent that comes through sometimes is incredible. I would just like to see more opportunities for the youths to express their talents. All those producers out there that aren't recognising the talent: get up and smell the coffee, because the talent is out there. I'd like to change how nuff MCs are preaching a lot of wrong stuff to the youths. I've done badness but it doesn't mean I'm telling the youths to go and do it. Some people seh dem a produce but dem is only bag juice - Suncycle a de real deal.

SUNCYCLE

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