Producer Moon Bain Talks Lustre Kings, New Star Chile EP, And State Of Jamaican Music

The musical landscape is shifting back to a place where the producers, instrumentalists, DJs, beatmakers or executive producers are not only acknowledged but famous for their contribution to the music.

With producers like DJ Khaled compiling, releasing, and selling platinum albums; the proof is in the numbers. We have no reason to doubt that producers can perform as well in terms of sales and celebrity. Jamaica has managed to create several genres of music within its short life, which provides an arguably more rich tapestry of producers who have either helped or continue to help define the sounds coming out of the island.

Zion I King’s Andrew “Moon” Bain is one of the latest in this rich history of producers; producing songs like Protoje X Lila Ike X Agent Sasco’s Not Another Word, or Chronixx and Kabaka Pyramid’s Same Prayer .

Bain, who’s starting his own label Lustre Kings, is also slated to drop the premier EP Star Chile. DancehallMag got in touch to speak with the producer about his thoughts on Jamaican music, and the waves he’s been making with the release of singles like No Selfie with Lutan Fyah.

How did you get your start in music?

I started playing the cello when I was 4 years old. It was my first instrument, I played in the Youth Symphony. I got into guitar around 12 and started rapping shortly after that, in a middle school hip-hop crew.

When did you produce your first hit song?

I guess I’m still working to create a global hit though I think I have produced a bag of hits, you just never heard yet. It’s not totally clear what defines a “hit” the more that I learn and release music. A song can hit somewhere in the world and be totally unknown elsewhere. Some tunes are huge in Jamaica but the US never heard of the song or the artist. There are reggae artists in France that are European and have major draw and success but not one person in Jamaica or the US has heard of them. Which is cool but makes the “hit” definition a little vague to me.

What are some songs you’ve worked on that the general public may not be aware of?

Recently, Not Another Word for Protoje, Agent Sasco and Lila Iké, Same Prayer by Chronixx and Kabaka Pyramid.

I wrote the hook for Lighters Up by Popcaan, Mavado, and Snoop Lion.

Where did the idea come from to start a production label?

My partner, Corrin, was teaching school in Jamaica in the mid to late ’90s and made a record with an artist he befriended named, Mr. T. He produced it on a Bobby Digital track he bought and when I heard it, I had an epiphany moment “I can do that”. I had already started making beats with an Akai MPC 2000 and had already spent time in Jamaica and was totally infected by the music of Garnett Silk, early Capleton, Louie Culture, Merciless, Harry Toddler and much more so it was a simple move to start working on digital dancehall and reggae tracks. Once I saw the 45 record he made, it’s all I wanted to do.

Aside from Corrin, who else is onboard the label and what roles do they play?

Really, no one, internally. I constantly work with my production team, Zion I Kings, to create the music that we release and Seed, my distribution company. AJ Finizio and Sophia Marsh at Seed offer a lot of insight and strategic ideas for releases. There is also my attorney, currently Alex Threadgold but previously Lars Weiss I use when needed. Other than that, I do most of the label work myself, as well as producing. I have learned a lot over the years and tend to navigate business stuff solo or with professional legal advice if needed. Last but not least is PR and radio service companies we may engage for a release, such as PR Rowe.

How long have you been working on the Star Chile EP?

I made the track in winter of 2018 and it slowly unfolded over the last couple years.

It’s the first release by the label?

No. I think it is our 40 or 50th release? I have not kept track. A lot of the earlier stuff was strictly 45 / 7″ records out of Jamaica which comprised of a series of vinyl’s to make up a one riddim so there were many records released in the early years. Surely hundreds of records.

Did these songs come about based on relationships with artists, timing– why these artists?

Yes, timing and relationships. I have been working with Pressure Busspipe on various projects for a long time, he is a brother to me. As well as Lutan Fyah. I produced Lutan’s first or second studio album Time and Place in 2005? We go way back. Alandon was a real dope occurrence. He came through the studio a day or two after I made the track. My colleague, a talented videographer, Birhan Tongue, was working with Alandon, on a video and press shoot in NYC. He had sent me some links to Alandon’s music and I was into it. I was looking for something different to do and I heard the potential right away. Birhan brought Alandon over to the studio. After a while, reasoning about what artists and producers we were into, playing music and getting to know each other some, I put on the track. He was actually about to leave and I didn’t think we were going to record that day…

He heard it and we wrote it on the spot. The song Play with Fyah was recorded in about 30-40 minutes. After that blast of inspiration and spontaneity, I had an electric feeling about the song and the musical connection with Alandon. Though, I recall giving him the disclaimer that day that “We may have to remix this one if Pressure uses it for his album but we’ll see…” That was January 2018.

You’ve done work with Major Lazer, describe that experience.

I started working w/Major Lazer in a songwriting capacity, on their first album Guns Don’t Kill People Lazers Do. My friend, DJ Gravy knew Diplo and sent me and Jahdan Blakkamoore the track that became Cash Flow on that project. A year later I hit up Diplo to do a remix for an album I was producing and he was working on their second album and asked about Blakkamoore again. We ended up writing what became Wyclef’s song Reach for the Stars on Free the Universe. Diplo was working on that project right around the same time as Snoop did his reggae album and he hit us up to go write songs for the album in Jamaica with the whole team; Snoops people, Dre Skull, Vice Magazine, Ariel Rechtshaid and Major Lazer. It was a great experience. Everyone worked very hard and the vibe was highly creative and instructive. Jahdan and I wrote about 40 songs for that album, I think 12 of which made the project. On that project we also had the pleasure of working and writing with Angela Hunte (NY State of Mind – Jay Z & Alecia Keys) she is an incredible writer, artist and person. I learned a lot from her and working with Major Lazer.

As someone who has a technical understanding of the sound, how similar would you say dancehall is to other genres like house or “world” music, and why?

I’d say dancehall is more unique than similar. Unique in the topics of songs, unique in how fast it is produced and released. However, I do think dancehall has leant to “pop” and “world” music indelibly in the last decade.

I don’t know the house music scene so well to comment but from what I do, I don’t hear dancehall similarities. Sonically, it always has a cutting edge. It is fearless, if that makes sense. Overall, I find dancehall to be constantly creative, evolving and influential, more than it may even realize, on a global scale.

I do wish autotune would get a break in dancehall music production and push artists to understand their own pitch, key, tone, texture and use their natural voice more to help the genre push past this rut of computer-generated tuning. It is so tired. It would be refreshing if there was a new dancehall artist that refused to use any auto tune and had real control of their vocals, like Buju Banton or Mr. Vegas. they didn’t use auto tune dem time. It would likely help it to excel and the young artists coming up understand what being a dependable vocalist is. Too many sound decent on record and flop at a stage show and can’t recreate the same experience for the fans.

What do you make of this talk that afrobeat is replacing dancehall in the global space?

I think it’s interesting and exciting and Jamaica should be proud that Africans and the diaspora are inspired by their music. It created a lane where pan African music and peoples can exist together. You can play both genre’s back to back. Ultimately, dancehall is forever and nothing can replace what is always growing and evolving.

How do you decide when a song is either ready, or if it suits the sonic textures and aesthetic of your label?

You kind of create standards as you grow as a musician and producer. I am in competition with my last release and I always want what is next to be better. It is kind of a feeling and a bench mark you strive to achieve. You just know.

What was the moment that changed how you saw music; the moment that shifted your mind to a space where you wanted to make it instead of simply consuming?

Well, I grew up playing so it has always been music making while consuming but probably when I was around 17, 18, I started writing a lot of songs on the acoustic guitar. I was in my freshman year of college and I kept skipping class to practice and write songs. I got a 4 track tape recorder and started dabbling in producing my songs. After I had a taste of multitrack recording and using drum machines etc., it was a wrap.

What’s your most immediate goal personally and for the label?

To keep it real with God, my family, my colleagues and myself. For the label, to continue to create and release good, quality music, with a message.

Based on your experience with the music industry abroad would you say Jamaica is maximizing or making the best of the potential here for industry and why?

I think Jamaica is possibly the most prolific musical culture on the planet but that does not necessarily translate into the industry standards or equity there. It is a confusing and difficult industry to be a part of, no matter where you are. Jamaica, in part because of past struggle and in part because of lack of infrastructure and knowledge, has a history of looking at the short term over the long term. I used to call it- “dub plate money” over “45 money”. A dub plate you record in a few minutes, is food you eat the same day and put gas in your car with. Then sound systems use for clash in a cultural experience and the artist never sees another penny. A single you develop, craft and can last forever. It is valued with intellectual property and an artist and producer can build an entire career off of one good song.

Unfortunately, Jamaica has gotten a bad rap due to some artists attitudes and character when touring, working and moving abroad. It has made it difficult for younger generations to outshine that cloud of judgement from foreigners. Which in turn effects how the music industry runs back a yard. There is a lot of distrust at many levels of the game.

I will say, a lot of the young Jamaican musicians are outshining that tarnished reputation and are some of the most professional and talented crop of stage performers the world has seen, in my humble opinion. They are top musicians, show up on time, execute sound check with skill and professionalism and deliver every night at the show. It is real inspiring to see 20 & 30 somethings do this with such excellence.

How do you think we can eventually get to that space where we have the structure, even without a population as large as the US, that can sustain our own music without being forced in some ways to pander to international audiences?

Being transparent, real, honest and adapting to new ways the world is accessing music, quickly. There is always jealousy and bad mind that holds ones and ones back from full their potential. The overall ethics have to shift from selfish intention to sharing knowledge about the business- publishing, licensing, producing, recording and releasing.

I’m not sure what you mean by “pander to international audiences”. I would imagine that most of the commerce created for Jamaican music, whether roots reggae or dancehall, comes from international audiences, whether that was the intention or not by the artists and producers. That support is in itself sustaining Jamaican music. I don’t think any artist or producer should think about “what country is going to support my music” over just making good music and staying inspired. That support is all positive.

Reggae and dancehall is much bigger than Jamaica at this point. I just want to see that fact reflected in the respect and financial gain that Jamaica deserves for this contribution to the world. For example, the recent Billboard magazine cover on Verzuz TV that neglected including pics of Beenie and Bounty, the largest grossing and most attended Verzuz event, is a prime example. That kind of attention would not have happened without an international audience and the help of two American super producers but pay the artists their respects! it’s simple. That type of f-ckry have to stop.

What strategies do you think musicians, artists and producers can implement right now in order to maintain presence, health and wealth during this crazy pandemic?

Release new music. Take the time to sharpen your skill set now, write new material and record. Stream live, share and monetize your music, adapt, yet don’t oversaturate yourself and make what you do share quality. Also, keep balanced. Spend more time outdoors, away from the screen, stay in tune with family, community, the earth and stay vigilant, don’t ever give up. From you have the vision, see it through.