Dancehall duo Equiknoxx are based in Kingston, Jamaica, and have been making music for the better part of a decade. In July 2016, Gavsborg and production partner Time Cow released the debut Equiknoxx album, Bird Sound Power, on British techno-noise act Demdike Stare’s DDS label. A collection of experimental dancehall riddims dating from 2009 to 2016, the album was mastered and cut to vinyl for the first time by Matt Colton (the engineer behind music by Lee “Scratch” Perry, Kanye West and Aphex Twin, among others): a collation of broad influences across the dancehall and dub spectrum, noughties R&B signifiers and US rap techniques; sonic mutations of underground experimental British dance music, too, sawn off and licked back together with sizzling flair. Before Bird Sound Power, the Equiknoxx story has been a fascinating one. After dabbling in performance as part of a rap group in high school and then starting to produce in college, Gavsborg’s beats were selector-favorites in the early 2000s. His breakthrough was “Step Out,” dancehall vocalist Busy Signal’s Billboard-charting 2004 single, but after a lack of proper credits and a closed-door culture in the Jamaican music scene for new producers, Gavsborg decided to focus on new underground talent rather than trying to break the charts with established MCs. Briefly faltered but quickly energised by the late 2000s controversy of the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission’s crackdown on dancehall and soca music – where certain references and even the bleeping-out of such references were banned on the airwaves – the Equiknoxx sound dug its heels in. Focusing once again on raw riddims rather than pop-leaning songs, and collaborating in earnest with upbeat vocalist Shanique Marie, the character of the Equiknoxx production sound has mutated into a fascinating beast.

Headphone Highlights

Horse Lords

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 876, Cao

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 874, Cassell Webb

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 873, Lontalius

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 872, Chrysta Bell: Music to Die to

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 870, Alis

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 869, Lance Scott Walker: Houston Rap Tapes

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 868, The Venopian Solitude: Music from Malaysia

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 867, Matrixxman: Cinematic Sounds

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 866, Mach-Hommy: Dual Citizen Shit

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 865, Equiknoxx

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 864, Emma Jean Thackray: Lunar Conspiracies

Headphone Highlights

Ep. 863, Deena Abdelwahed

Fireside Chat

Ep. 911, The Make Up

LAndscape

Desolation Center

Main Stage

Holy Wave at Festival Nrmal

Main Stage

Lorelle Meets the Obsolete at Festival Nrmal

Main Stage

Moon Duo at Festival Nrmal

Main Stage

Al Lover at Festival Nrmal

Main Stage

Tortoise at Festival Nrmal

Counter Intelligence

Electric Fetus

Peak Time

Tei Shi, Blinky Bill and Kelefa Sanneh on Prog Rock

LAndscape

Drop Top

Stephen O’Malley presents Acid Quarry Paris

Free-Form Farewells

Peak Time

Japanese Breakfast and Pioneer Works