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1.) Vents is happy to welcome respected musician and producer Drumwise to our hallowed pages! Before riddling you with copious questions, how has 2021 been treating you thus far?
2021 has been a combination of looking promising as well as looking like things could regress into the same pattern as 2020 (as covid goes,) so I’ve been preparing for both haha. In terms of the music industry and the return of live music, I’ve really missed the stage and touring, so I’d say I’ve been optimistic yet cautious. I’d love to get back on stage but only if we can do so in ways that are safe for everyone.
2.) Major congratulations and kudos for your debut album which is out right now and is entitled Reflection Riddim! The album has been rightly celebrated by critics and fans alike – How does it feel after all of your hard work to have the fruits of your labor so well-received?
Thank you! It feels very rewarding and validating to finally have a project out that has been so well received not just by family and friends, but fans of the culture and of all the featured artists as well. It was a long process, but I wanted to ensure the album was the best it possibly could be, so I didn’t want to rush it.
3.) Why was this the right time do you feel to debut your first album?
I had months worth of local gigs, national and international tours booked throughout 2020, so when they were canceled I found myself with a lot of unexpected free time on my hands. I was bummed about the loss of that work but figured what better way to spend that time than to focus my energy on putting out an album. It was always something I’ve wanted to do but never had enough time to dedicate to doing so because I was always gigging and touring.
4.) What was the genesis of Reflection Riddim?
I find inspiration through melodies or grooves that pop into my head–I can be in the shower listening to music and I’d start humming or beatboxing an idea or groove. I then immediately sit down in the studio and start laying out all the parts and recording them. I think this song started with a bassline in my head and I built from there, it all happened very organically.
5.) For those not familiar with your style of music, how would you describe Reflection Riddim?
My sound is more of a modern style of reggae. I love a good “one drop” song, and that’s what this riddim is. It’s also my favorite style to play live as well. It’s got a heavy drum and bass groove with lots of room for melodies which is the reason why all the artists came up with such different versions. The riddim has a chord progression that takes you to a really emotional place off the bat and every song showcases each artist’s writing style.
6.) Do you feel that being a noted and respected producer gave you some insight you may not otherwise have had when you sat down to create Reflection Riddim?
That’s really generous, thank you haha! I’ve been producing music for over a decade but I’ve never felt as confident in my production as I would have liked, which is in part why I was excited to dedicate this time honing these skills. In this case, however, this creation happened so organically and represented the sound I felt represented my style so I had to drop my insecurities and trust my gut and ears.
Throughout 2020 I invested in building up my home studio to do so and spent a lot of time studying and learning so I could improve in those skills. One of the things I’ve been wanting to do for a long time was to learn how to mix, so that is one of the things I learned in 2020 and was really proud that I mixed 10 out of the 11 tracks on the album.
7.) Reflection Riddim was released through the Greenstone label and your own newly created Drumwise label. What made these two venues, specifically Greenstone, the perfect home for your first album?
The partnership between Greenstone Music and Drumwise is the result of a really awesome friendship between myself and my now-manager, Anu. He is J Boog’s manager who I met years ago when I was hired to fill in for a few international shows. That relationship just grew over the years as we got to know each other on tour. He and I share the same appreciation for reggae and have lots of mutual respect for each other, so we’ve stayed in touch over the years. During lockdown, I sent him some music I had been working on and he told me he was starting Greenstone, so he brought me on as a producer and has been a great friend, manager and support throughout this process. I am so stoked to have released my first album with Greenstone Music Group!
8.) Drumwise is your professional moniker with your actual name being Calvin Canha. Is there a Secret Origin story behind your nom de plume?
Drumwise came up as a joke actually haha. In reggae there’s a saying known as “dubwise” where everyone in the band will stop playing except the drummer and bassist. A few years ago I was on tour with J Boog in Australia/New Zealand, and during one of our soundchecks our band director Carl Noa yelled out “DRUMWISE” for everyone to stop playing except me. It was said as a joke but I heard that and immediately thought–that’s dope! I want to use that for something. I had that name in my head for a while, so when it came time for me to name myself as a producer–Drumwise was born!
9.) Is there a specific song off of Reflection Riddim that is a personal favorite for you?
That’s like asking a parent to choose their favorite child–it’s impossible, haha! In all honesty, I like each song for different reasons. It could be the message in one song or the melody in another, but if I really had to say one I’m especially close to right now, I’d say “Faith” from Jemere Morgan is one of my favorites. The message in his lyrics, his delivery, as well as his melody is top tier in my book.
10.) You produced Reflection Riddim; do you think that, as your own producer, you were tougher on yourself than an outside producer would have been?
Oh yes, completely! I’m really hard on myself and very much a perfectionist when it comes to my work. I must have changed a million little parts and mixed the song about 30 times before I could come to a point where I was happy with how it sounded and felt good about releasing it. At a certain point, you can actually end up doing more harm than good to the project by being overly critical. I’ve learned that through trial and error over the years that you have to know when to stop as well, because if not you could sit on the music forever and never actually release it.
11.) From start to finish, how long did Reflection Riddim take to complete?
I started the project in April 2020 and we released the first single in early July 2021 with the full album dropping on July 30th. It took roughly a year and 3 months from conception to its full release.
12.) What do you hope fans will walk away with after listening to Reflection Riddim?
I hope fans will be able to listen to the album in its entirety and find a personal connection with a specific song. Maybe they lost someone or they’re going through a rough patch in their life; maybe they’re feeling anxious about lockdowns or feeling lovey dovey. The album has a song for literally every mood, so I’d hope they can connect with at least one song if not all of them. I want them to walk away knowing whatever struggles they’re going through, they’re not alone and will keep moving forward.
13.) You ply territory in Reflection Riddim that reminds this long-in-the-tooth music fan of reggae singer-songwriting legend Desmond Dekker. Has Dekker been an influence on your sound?
Desmond Dekker has for sure been a part of my sound! He’s been a massive voice out of Jamaica for decades, and his work has no doubt influenced my taste and style when it comes to reggae.
14.) The new album is chalk full of such great musicians as Peetah Morgan, Jemere Morgan, Through The Roots, The Steppas, Fiji and more. What was the collaboration process like between you and these brilliant musicians?
Because of covid restrictions and lockdowns, this entire album was created remotely. We are luckily living in a time where everyone either has a home recording studio or has access to one, so we used that to our advantage. I’d send the artists the song and they’d record their parts at home and send back their vocal files and we’d go back and forth that way–bouncing ideas off one another. It’s great because they could take their time with the vocals and feel really comfortable recording at home, and I think that really shows in their work. I wasn’t going to let lockdowns stop me from working, and neither were they haha!
15.) With the world seemingly held hostage by COVID-19, what are your touring plans for Reflection Riddim?
As of writing this, shows and tours had started to come back, but case numbers especially here in Hawai’i are rising at an alarming rate. In terms of local shows in the islands I’m not sure what it’s looking like for live shows in the near future, though I have a west coast tour coming up with Through The Roots that I’m really looking forward to, and hoping our shows continue as long as it’s all done safely. Once everyone is able to get back to performing I’m hoping the featured artists will be adding their Reflection Riddim song into their live set. I just wish I could be in the crowd when they play it for the first time–that would be such a full circle moment!
