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time is not counted from daylight but from Midnite...
Hailing from St Croix, Virgin Islands
Lead singer Vaughn Benjamin's electrifying
voice seems an amalgamation of many great voices in reggae-soulful, chanting,
edgy. Vaughn's potent lyrical style and his brother Ron
Benjamin's exquisite production, vocals, dub, arrangements, keyboard/bass
musical directorship form the nucleus of this musical - rootsy sound,
which includes:
Christian Molina (drums), Edmund
Fieulleteau (guitar), Edwin Byron
(guitar) and Ras L (keyboards).
Midnite weaves the cultural lyrics of "old school" roots music with modern
day experiences to create a unique listening encounter. Roots Reggae -
naked and raw is an apt description for Midnite's musical style, in which
they forgo the frills of extensive remixes, overdubbing and other musical
refinements.
"Unpolished" is the title of their debut album which includes such classics
as "Don't Move", "Mama Africa", and "Love the Life You Live". Originally
released in 1997, while the band was located in Washington, DC.
In 1999, Midnite linked up with Wildchild! Records for their second release
"Ras Mek Peace". Incredibly, this album was recorded using only two channels
and was mastered without any reverb, filtering, compression or equalization.
Songs like "Hieroglyphics", in which graffiti is likened to ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphics, showcase the intelligent songwriting that pervades all
of Midnite's works.
Following the release of Ras Mek Peace, Midnite returned to live in St.
Croix so that they could work with the local musicians and make recordings
at their African Roots Lab without any outside interference. The fruits
of these labours can be found on their third album "Jubilees of Zion",
which was released on their independent Afrikan Roots Lab record label.
The expansive, hypnotic rhythms continue, alongside the messages of peace,
universal brotherhood, and cultural resistance to Babylon.
In June 2002, Midnite made their Northern California debut at the 9th
Annual Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. That same month saw the release
of Midnite's fourth album "Seek Knowledge Before Vengeance". Released
on their Afrikan Roots Lab record label, this album raises the bar of
cultural roots reggae, as we know it today.
Midnite explodes in live performances with sets that often exceed 3 hours.
Their vigorous, weighty sound, driven by the punchy bass lines creates
a vibe that penetrates straight to the heart. These epic musical communions
have earned Midnite an enormous following throughout the roots community.
By breaking all the rules, Midnite is setting
a new standard. Armed with a firm foundation in Jah Rastafari, their natural
talents, and a strong and uncompromising musical vision, Midnite
champions a unique sound that is on the cutting edge of modern roots music.
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