A bass hook gave Indica Dub its starting point. An unfinished track became its companion. For Rockafella’s first release on Vibe City, the connection between Indica Dub and Paradise came from their shared soulful feel and basslines built for the dancefloor, with one offering a lighter counterpart to the other.

Introduced to Lee through Dave Shichman, Rockafella talks us through how the pair came together, why he keeps musical elements to a minimum, and the drum detail he hopes listeners pick up on. He also reflects on New York’s smaller UK bass community, the appeal of a strong melody across genres, and the Patrice Rushen album he would take to a desert island.

This is your first release with Vibe City. What made this the right moment and label for Indica Dub / Paradise?

It came about pretty naturally. Dave Shichman, who's a big part of the New York scene and has released on the label himself, put me in touch with Lee. I sent over Indica Dub and Lee said straight away that it belonged on Vibe City. The label is all about the soulful, liquid end of drum & bass, which is exactly where these two tracks sit, so it felt like the right home.

You came through the scene listening to jungle and UK garage before settling into the more melodic side of drum and bass. Which part of that journey still has the strongest pull on how you write now?

I like a lot of dance music genres, but dnb has a special place in my heart, and even after all these years I still find it the most exciting music to hear on a dancefloor. Nothing matches it in terms of energy. I like a lot of the subgenres, but dancefloor tunes which occupy the more melodic and soulful end of the spectrum always connect more, and seem to be the ones that stay in my crate the longest. So that's the sound I'm usually reaching for when I write.

At what point did it become clear that Indica Dub and Paradise belonged together as a release, rather than as two separate ideas?

I had sent over Indica Dub already, and the label decided it was good enough for a release, so it was a case of finding another track that would complement it. I went through my graveyard of unfinished tracks, and an early version of Paradise jumped out as being a pretty good match in terms of the vibe; laid back, soulful, but with a bassline that could carry a dancefloor.

Indica Dub is the more open and sunlit side of the pair. What were you chasing in its vocal, melodic, and rhythmic balance?

I started with the bass hook sample. It just screamed D&B roller from the start, so I built the elements around this one hook and didn’t want to mess around with it too much. It was a pretty simple idea, so the work was more in getting the flow right.

Paradise carries a darker edge while staying within the same liquid world. What needed to change in your process to give it that contrast without breaking the connection between the tracks?

Nothing really changed in the process. Paradise started out as more of a dancefloor idea, which is where the darker feel and the grimier bassline come from. But it's still smooth and soulful, and I think the two sit well together as a light side/dark side combo.

When you are building a track, how do you decide how much musical detail it can carry before the groove needs to take over?

Generally I try to keep things simple, keeping the number of musical elements to a minimum. If I can combine a beat, a bassline, a synth line, and a vocal into a loop that works on its own, I do my best not to overcrowd the track with a lot of extra elements. Sometimes this is easier said than done, though.

You DJ across drum and bass, UKG, 140, and bruk. When you are playing out, what do you learn from the way those sounds move a room that you take back into the studio?

There’s some commonality across those genres, but they’re pretty distinct in terms of style. One thing I always see though, is an appreciation for musicality. I think a catchy chord progression or melody works for everyone, in all music, so that's what I'm always chasing in the studio.

You have roots in Bristol and are now active in Brooklyn. What has that change of place added to your relationship with UK bass music?

I feel like the UK bass scene in New York is still somewhat niche. Drum & bass has grown in popularity over the 12 years I’ve been here, and there are some great promoters and producers, but it’s still a relatively small community. In some ways it’s nice to be part of a smaller club though, and it’s also a bigger deal when big name DJs come through. Maybe that scarcity is part of what’s kept the music so exciting for me still.

When the release reaches listeners, what do you hope they notice about it that might not be obvious on a first play?

Quite a lot of work went into the drums on both tracks; layering breaks, adding fills and variations throughout. Hopefully that comes over.

You’re stranded on a desert island with a turntable, a generator, and one record. Which record are you taking, and why?

Patrice Rushen - ‘Patrice’. She’s extraordinary, and this album is a banger.

Our thanks to Rockafella for sharing the story behind Indica Dub / Paradise and his approach to making music.