REGGAE | Dubalizer

Wagner Bagão aka Dubalizer has always been passionate about music since his early childhood. At the age of ten, he received a guitar from his parents as a gift. From that day on, he knew that a path in music would become a reality in his life.

In 1994, he became a member of the band, Skamoondongos, a band that performed a combination of Ska, Reggae, Dub, and Brazilian music. Their sound was welcomed by the public and the media. They recorded two albums and played great shows all over Brazil. At that time, Bagão started to produce some things, because he had set up a mini studio in his room. In 1999 the band ended their activities, but Bagão did not stop. He dedicated himself to music production and started working in large studios in São Paulo as an assistant until he became a recording technician. During this period he received the invitation to be responsible for the post-production and finalization room at the Mister Som studio (SP), an opportunity that helped strengthen his career as a producer.

Since then, he has produced many bands of various styles. It was Reggae bands (in which he already had a lot of affinity for being a great lover of Jamaican music) that allowed his gift to stand out. He produced bands that were at the beginning of their careers, Ponto de Equilíbrio, Lions of Israel among many others.

In 2004, he received an invitation to be the technician responsible for mixing the Tribo de Jah concerts, an invitation he accepted that yielded great experience for his career. With the band Tribo de Jah, he made several international tours, including the USA, Japan, England, Portugal, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, French Guiana, and Cape Verde.

In the Middle of the Dub

Release Date: April 10, 2020
Label: Audiofya Records
Copyright: 2020 Audiofya Records
Total Length: 55:32
Total Tracks: 12
Format: Album
Genre: Dub Reggae

In 2005, Bagão took advantage of the great expansion of Reggae bands in Brazil and created the studio ‘Audiofya Records’, specializing in Reggae and Dub. He produced several projects, including the albums ‘Babylon Inside’ and ‘Love to the World’, by the band Tribo de Jah, which was nominated for a Grammy in the category ‘World Music’, in addition to being released in England and Canada.

In 2008, Bagão produced the album ‘Refazendo’ by the band Tribo de Jah, which was released by a major Brazilian label. It was well-received and stood out for its great sound. That same year, he took over the musical production of the DVD, ‘Live in Amazon’, by the Tribo de Jah, where they recorded live for more than 20 thousand people.

As a sound engineer, Wagner Bagão has worked with great national and international artists such as Marcelo Yuka, Nação Zumbi, Mutantes, Arnaldo Antunes, Solano Jacob, Ponto de Equlibrio, Planta e Raiz, Lions of Israel, SOJA (USA), Dom Carlos (JAM ), Max Romeu (JAM), Alpha Blondy (FR), Bambu Station (USA), Queen Omega (JAM), Clinton Fearon (JAM), Fullywood Band (JAM) among others.

With the influence of Jamaican reggae/dub, electronic music, and Afro-Brazilian music, the Dubalizer project was born.

Wagner Bagão felt the need to explore his musical side more and started to compose several songs using a simple laptop and some digital production software.A lover of psychedelic textures, heavy bass lines, and powerful beats, he fused these styles with the percussive groove of Brazilian music, giving a totally different and original context to his sound.

In partnerships with several national and international producers, music in collections, mixtapes, and podcasts, the Dubalizer project stands out in the independent music scene, bringing a new and original sound.

His first release was called ‘Sub Existence’ and was released exclusively by France’s net-label ‘Fresh Poulp Records’ in 2009, this album had a great international repercussion as it was the first album by a Brazilian dub producer to be released exclusively for the international market. With that Dubalizer began to be known and well heard by many other producers and lovers of the new school of dub.

Dubalizer has a discography of 7 copyright albums released and partnerships with several Brazilian and international artists, such as Mato Seco (Brazil), Sizzla Kalonji (Jamaica), Parly B (England) Bandulu Dub (Portugal).

His newest release is the first dub album by the band Tribo de Jah (Dubalizer presents Tribo de Jah in Dub, vol. 1). This album makes dub versions of several songs by the band, taking the music to a place not very common, but with a lot of personality. The album features 12 tracks produced and mixed by Dubalizer.

In his presentations, Dubalizer shows a wide sound diversity with many improvisations and climates where he produces live dub mixes, giving a new and unique context to each performance.

Dubalizer Interview

IRIE. You got your first instrument, a guitar, at the age of ten. As you learn to play the guitar, what music were you listening to?

Dubalizer. Yes, I started playing guitar at 10 years old. I went to study at a very famous music school here in São Paulo. I graduated in classical guitar and music theory. During that time in my life, I listened to a lot of classic rock and Brazilian popular music (MPB).

I also liked listening to the radio a lot. That was when I discovered Jimmy Cliff (who was a huge success in Brazil with the song ‘Reggae Night’. 

IRIE. Who are some of your musical influences?

Dubalizer. I have a lot of influences because I like to listen to various styles of music… but in reggae, my influences are Lee Perry, King Tubby and Augustus Pablo. They are my masters.

IRIE. You recorded two albums with the band, Skamoondongo, performing different genres of reggae as well as Brazilian music. Can you share with us your experience performing live?

Dubalizer. Yes… I recorded two albums with the band Skamoondongos which was a band that mixed ska, punk rock, dub and Brazilian music; a very different mix that gave a very special touch to the band’s sound.

I played guitar in this band and it was a very cool phase of my life. We did a lot of shows in São Paulo and in the countryside. We had a very good fan base and the shows were packed… a real party.

IRIE. Do you remember your first studio. What equipment did you use?

Dubalizer. I remember… it was a small room that I rented inside a famous studio of the members of a Brazilian rock band called ‘Korzus’. The studio had a high turnover of artists and bands and that connection was very good for me.

It was in this studio that I produced the first reggae bands, including the band, ‘Reggae Style’, which included the singer Junior Dread.

I had a computer, some peripherals, an 8-channel mixer and a pair of speakers. With that I produced many things!

IRIE. Take us back to 2004 when you got the invite to be the technician for Tribo de Jah concerts. That must have been a dream come true.

Dubalizer. It was incredible! I didn’t expect it! At that time when I received the invitation to work with the Tribo de Jah, the band ‘Ponto de Equilibrio’ was working with them and did many shows together. They were gaining fame in the Brazilian reggae scene and it was a very important time.

I accepted the invitation and went to work with the Tribo de Jah. I did many shows with them and went to many places in Brazil and around the world. I give thanks to Tribo de Jah for that initial invitation. They transformed me into what I am today.

IRIE. You started your own studio, Audiofya Records, in 2005. What was the feeling like for you? Were you confident? Nervous? Uncertain?

Dubalizer. It was a very good feeling… to have my own studio and record company; to be able to work on my sounds and help many artists and bands in Brazil to have more quality in their work; to do things as they should be. That was a big step for my evolution as a producer.

IRIE. How did the name Dubalizer come about?

Dubalizer. Hehehe … that name came to mind !!! I can’t say when, but it was in my mind for a long time, until I started producing some digital sounds and called it “Dubalizer” … it was something spiritual, it had to be.

IRIE. Your first release as Dubalizer was ‘Sub Existence’ which was an international success for you. How did you feel about the positive recognition of your work?

Dubalizer. I was very happy with this album! I put my truth, everything I wanted to do, without worrying too much about the sound line that the work was following. In this album, you will find Steppa, Dancehall, Digital Reggae, Bass … with a very different mix with Brazilian percussion and also with artists singing in Portuguese. It is 100% original work and I believe that was what made the recognition. I am very grateful to Fresh Poulp Records (French netlabel) for the release of this album in Europe. To this day, many producers, selectors, and DJs still talk about this album and these songs. I am very grateful.

IRIE.As a Sound Engineer and Dub producer, you have worked on some amazing projects. Is there one album that is memorable to you?

Dubalizer. An album that I like a lot is ‘Amplified Revolution’ that I launched in 2018. This album is very special because I managed to gather many collaborators for this. The album has 22 songs and all of them have collaborations by artists, producers, musicians. It took me two years to produce. It was tiring but it was also produced the way I really wanted it. After all, this album is themed, all the songs talk about revolution, both internal and external revolutions.

IRIE.We LOVE Dubalizer presents Tribo de Jah in Dub, vol.1. What was been the overall response from this release? What’s next on the horizon for Dubalizer?

Dubalizer. This work was very good. I really enjoyed making this album of dub versions because they were songs that I saw born in the studio, the original recordings were made by me at Audiofya Records in 2007. The people’s response has been great! Everyone likes this album a lot. Those who are fans of Tribo de Jah can feel another face of the band and can know my work too. Many don’t listen to dub but started listening because of this album … it’s been very good, something new in our careers.

This is vol.1! I’m already separating material for volume 2 and 3 … it will be a dub trilogy!!!

IRIE.Yes, I! The power of three! Is there anything you would like to share with our audience?

Dubalizer. I would like to note that Brazil has a very good reggae scene!!! There are many bands and artists that have an original sound with a lot of vibration. I invite everyone to listen to the bands in Brazil as we need more international recognition and I believe that our Portuguese is a differentiator for this style that we love so much.

I would like to say that the strength of women in reggae is very important for our entire movement! We are going to support reggae made by women because they have a lot to talk about!!!

Listen to Dubalizer on digital platforms.

IRIE. Much love and Respect, Dubalizer!

Dubalizer. I sincerely thank you for the invitation to be featured in this magazine. It is a powerful reference in the world reggae scene. I am very happy to have this recognition. It is something I never imagined and today it is being realized. Thank you very much!!! JAH BLESS

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