Fintoni, A and McLauchlan, A (2018) Assembling the dance: reggae sound system practices in the United Kingdom and France. Senses and Society, 13 (2). pp. 163-178. ISSN 1745-8927
Abstract
Reggae sound systems are assemblages of speakers, record decks, and amplifiers that permit sound to be reproduced at very powerful levels. Sound systems crews, alongside an extended affinity group, build their own systems and organize and engineer the space of the dance. Interviews with crews from the United Kingdom and France reveal differences in how they each draw from the history of Jamaican musical experimentation when making spaces to collectively immerse the crew and crowd in sound. Yet in both cases, their approach to sound design communicates a commitment to inclusivity, maintaining an emphasis on the “vibe,” which progressively alters participants’ somatic experience and perceptions. In contrast to “dancehall” in Jamaica, such sound systems disrupt understandings of a “standard” setup that reinforces hierarchical relationships between performers and audience. Crews also downplay the visual aspects of the “dance” and dancing and are consciously non-consumerist. Thus, different crews’ histories and associations alter how they enact, feel, and understand similar conventions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an author produced version of a paper published in The Senses and Society. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Sound systems; reggae; performance; listening; vibes; music |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 13 Aug 2018 12:22 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jan 2020 01:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/17458927.2018.1483655 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:134219 |