Obviously been way too long since I’ve seen a basically decent label site, given that I’ve spent the better part of a few evenings now clicking around Jahtari – either reading their essays or just streaming the mixtapes on the site. The heavily influential electronic dub (or are we still saying ‘digidub‘?) label is the embodiment of releasing the music you want and letting the success come around. Label heads Disrupt and Rootah are proper heroes in the scene who continue to smash systems with their records or playing live on a regular basis.
Founded and based in Germany, the techno influenced heads behind the label were able to draw on a variety of rave influences when they started off in computer music. Once they found their vein in and exposure to sound system dub music, the Jahtari sound was born. Since it’s inception as a label in 2004, Jahtari has clocked up over thirty 12″, LP and 7″ releases alongside over another thirty digital only drops. One of those labels with a unique level of quality, Jahtari changed the landscape for European dub, and continues to set a standard worldwide.
Designed with their 8-bit aesthetic in mind, the site is not only slick and a pleasure to look at, but holds a proper treasure trove of music to stream. Net-7’s spin as they play, and you can stream almost the entire catalogue in various other guises as well as unique releases to the site. The best part however is undoubtedly the tapes section. Days of mixtapes from the Jahtari roster including Soom T, Bo Marley, Firehouse Crew and a heap more. Get lost in there, it’s well worth it.
Moving out from the music on offer for a second, Jahtari offers their own essay stylings on Reggae History split in to six chapters each one that could be a published Shook piece on it’s own. Past that quality reading you’ve also got the theory section, which charts the Jahtari crews own developments through computer music, back in to analogue and DIY hardware. And yep, you guessed it, there’s even the special treat of a gear dedicated part of the site where you can look at the tools they’re using, completely open to create yourself, or send away for Disrupt to take to it himself and make you a C64 synth.
Just an amazing online locale that’s a pleasure to click around, built from an incredible label that’s always benefiting the scene, not taking away. Big up the Jahtari family.