First UK sound system to cross borders to come to France since Brexit, Sinai was the only representative of the English scene with its heavy sound system at Dub Camp, 2022. Based in Sheffield and formed by Iration Steppas, Sinai brilliantly bridges the gap between the traditional dub sound system culture and the bass music. The Dub Camp audience discovered exclusively the brand new version of the sound system completely redesigned at all levels during confinement. Passionate about audio engineering, he seeks the best quality to raise vibrations to the highest level. It is also possible to rent the sound for private events, enough to liven up your whole neighborhood! Interviewing with Huw Williams, the founder of Sinai, very enthusiastic about sharing the vibes with the French public that he greatly admires!

Why did you absolutely want to be there for this 2022 Dub camp?

It's my favorite festival in the world! People are here for one reason: the music. They love the music and they understand the culture of sound system. So, when you have a big gathering of people, who love the same thing, sticked in one place, who are all in the same vibe, this is what it gives an incredible atmosphere. It's magical… Combine with the weather which is really good. And the place: it’s not too central but you can drive from Belgium, Germany, Spain... So, people come from all over Europe to be here. And another reason is that I want to show my new sound system (laughs). Because it was supposed to happen 2 years ago but for the reason everyone knows, it couldn't happen. So, we'll be on fire.

What do you especially like in French sessions?

The French crowd really knows music. Good example: we were in jukebox arena yesterday with the Ensemble National de Reggae. The saxophone started to play a Studio One’s tune called Freedom Sound and everyone started to sing the vocals! It's a tune from 60's or 70's and everyone knows it. You can play 5 seconds of a dubplate, people know what is it even before it started. I feed in with energy and the energy in French sessions is one of the best of my experiences, it's incredible. They live and breathe music, buy records, have their own sound system. It's inspiring to be honest. I will go home with full of energy.

What’s the particularity of your sound system?

This is the third version of my sound system. Originally, I built it just to play a few tunes. The second one was with top boxes I got from Iration Steppas. Then I was lucky enough to play in bigger and bigger and bigger sessions like Reggae Sun Ska in Bordeaux, Rototom in Benicassim in Spain. My little sound system couldn't cope bigger and bigger spaces. When I'm taking the sound system out every single week-end, I just use it. In lockdown, I had a lot of time to think about what can I do to make something better. Also, it's not just a reggae sound system. People hire it to put music for their drum’n’bass or techno events. So normally they hire a Funktion One or Void or another one. They’re all the same. I wanted to continue that kind of tradition of sound system which needed something be good for all kind of musics and the scoops I used to have didn't work as well for all. This is what I stand upon the powerflex designs and my good friend Calum decided to build some prototypes. It was very clear since the first boxes, we wanted something special. So, a lot of the box were finished only very recently, a lot of money invested to get some new boxes to perform in bigger and bigger spaces.

This is the first time I come with my own sound system, because I'm still "new" I need to prove a point.

What about the ecological impact of a sound system?

Transportation literally is money but ecological go hand in hand. It costs a lot of money to full up the van so reduce the amount of vans, you're burning less diesel. Sometimes I had to take 2 trucks for all the equipment, I can now do a better job with one truck. Before I was maybe taking 8 boxes and now can take 4, so it's smaller but is sounds as good. In the UK, diesel is so expensive, up and down, and it's not good for the environment either. The other way I can do it is my amplifiers are very new, very advanced and 99% electrically efficient, some old school was 50%. Some old amplifiers they use a lot of electricity and give out a lot of heat. My amplifiers and my design use less electricity which mean it uses less diesel in my generators.

What's the philosophy of your sound system?

The name Sinai comes from the mountain in the Bible where Moses received the Ten commandments. What do you believe that happened do or not, what do you believe in the Bible or not, the Ten Commandments are good life: don't kill people, don't steal, simple things. As I like to say, you can translate Ten Commandments pretty much to "don't be a dick", be nice to each other. That's gonna be the vibe we bring. Like I can play quite aggressive dub music but it comes with a positive message in the same time. We're always looking at for peace in the dance. I've seen some sessions where people have been aggressive or pushy with girls - we stopped that. We’re here to celebrate life, in a right way.

In this world of crisis, do you have a message to convey with this Dub Camp session?

Don't believe what the media tell you. I'm not saying the Earth is flat. I'm not saying Covid isn't real or don't take a vaccine. We have in our hand a computer, we can have access all the time, we're all represent with information and they tell us what we want to hear. In the media, automatically they try to attract people to sell newspaper. They want you go click on website so, they represent you with a headline. When you read, it's not what it means. They're two sides to a coin, two sides to every story. People say "you need to have critical about what the media tells you", but you also need to have critical thinking on the people who are saying to have critical thinking. Read many things and make your own educated decision. It's not because something is on the internet it means it's true.

What’s the biggest difficulty to move on the sound system since the Brexit, across the borders?

This is another interview itself (lol). It's really strange to say that I'm the only UK sound system. Jah Tubby or Channel One but the sound system with the boxes, I'm the only one. I'm very much aware that there is so many good sound systems in Europe, but it would be very strange without UK sound system. I've never been here with my sound system, I have to come.

One of the things I had to do is produced one document called "a carnet" which list every item I want to bring. But because of the British border police, can be sometimes aggressive maybe, I needed to be legitimate. I had to make a list of everything I had to bring which is very difficult as a sound system because there is always something to remember. I listed everything from a fan, the strap, the mic stand... with for every item: the weight, the value, the country of origin and the serial number. One entire day to do that. After have sent that, I had the document in 3 days, it's quick, it's just the uncertainty where there is none before.

Then before you leave the UK, we got to be a stamp and when you enter France, you have to get a stamp. You leave France, you have to get a stamp, and same when you enter England. I didn't know where to go to have that but you can't leave before get the stamp. It's making difficult, I might miss my ferry... What’s frustrating is that on the ferry no one asked to see you.

It costed me approximatively 1000 pounds. I'm familiar to come in France so I spent that money almost for one year. If I can do few more sessions next year, I'm ready!

It's not very obvious to do it, learning something new is always difficult but now it's fine. Because of that, I'm the only UK sound system, that's crazy. The thing I'm gonna try to do now is advice other UK sound systems, I'm happy to offer it!

Beyond coming to play, do you also come to see other artists play?

I can be a sound system nerd so, there here is lot I wanted to see: Jah Tubbys but he didn't bring his sound system maybe due the Brexit’s constraints. Equal Brothers as well, I really like the way they run things. And then the super star OBF, it's incredible to see how they've taken sound system easily like that, it's so big. I saw Panda Dub yesterday, you just can't see a crown like that in England. It doesn't happen. Inspiring. This is why I do this.

Your dream place to put a sound system?

As a technological geek, in Japan. I've been there before, incredible. When they like something, they really go in deep into the knowledge of something. They love sound system. And probably Jamaica because of the history.

Last words?

I'm fortunate, I played in most places I always wanted to play, it's crazy. Hopefully I'll play in Notting Hill carnaval this year...

Interview & photo by Maela.