Kingston, Jamaica's
Equiknoxx emerged as one of dancehall reggae's most innovative production teams during the 2010s. Their sparse yet intricate tracks often incorporate bird calls, sound effects, and offbeat percussion into their futuristic rhythms. The group's core members are
Gavin Blair (
Gavsborg) and Jordan Chung (Time Cow), and other contributors include Bobby Blackbird, Kofi Knoxx, and vocalists
Kemikal and
Shanique Marie.
Blair has long been a successful dancehall producer, responsible for hits by the likes of
Busy Signal and
Beenie Man. Singles by vocalists such as
Aidonia and
T.O.K. began appearing on the Equiknoxx Musiq label around 2008, followed by tracks with
Ward 21,
Masicka,
Future Fambo, and others.
Equiknoxx produced
Shanique Marie's 2015 Uno EP, which was later expanded to a full-length. By 2016, the
Equiknoxx sound had made an impact on the experimental electronic music world, and their full-length Bird Sound Power (a compilation of instrumentals dating back to the 2000s) was released by
Demdike Stare's DDS label to widespread acclaim, appearing on numerous year-end polls. The non-album track "Bubble," released by the Swing Ting label and featuring vocals by
Devin Di Dakta, was also well received.
Colón Man,
Equiknoxx's proper full-length debut, was released by DDS in November of 2017. Eternal Children, the first album to feature the entire
Equiknoxx crew, was self-released in 2019. ~ Paul Simpson