Swatch International set for Japan, Europe tour this year

Dancehall sound system Swatch International will be embarking upon a tour of Japan and Europe as they continue to spread the sound system culture on the international stage.

“Swatch is a well-established name and we are pushing into new markets like Canada, for example, sometimes we go there two times in one month. We have a Japan tour coming up and we will also be touring Europe later this year,” O’Neil Miles, the founder of Swatch International, said.

The future and continued success of Swatch International is possible because of the hard work put in by Miles and his dynamic team.

“The young selectors are getting more mature and have started to travel to the Caribbean islands, will also travel to the US later this year,” Miles said.

Over the years, Swatch has cultivated a huge underground cult following for its unique style of customising its dubplates and integrating them in the regular juggling, thus generating a euphoric ‘vibes’ in the party. They were first associated with the Passa Passa dances in west Kingston which became a cultural phenomenon.

“Swatch has received awards from the music industry varying from Best Juggling Sound to the Best Quality Sound,” he shared.

Swatch International, the real Passa Passa sound, was established in 1991 by Miles, whose love for music went back from the days when he used to attend Jamaica College.

In a short time Swatch International became one of the top-ranked sounds coming out of Kingston, from the late ‘90s going on to the year 2000. The company now revolves about a team of 16 members.

The team includes the maintenance crew, technician, and several selectors plus Miles himself. The crew at present includes O’Neil ‘Ragga Neil’ Miles, Oniel ‘Boy Boy’ Trought, Ashmaine ‘Alex Frass’ Henry, Walter ‘Ice Box’ Blackwood, Richard ‘Little Richie’ Campbell, Leonardo ‘BJ’ Nelson, Kenneth ‘Alonza Hawk’ Campbell, Sheldon ‘Ice Wata’ Evans, Delroy ‘Barge’ Burnette, and Richard ‘Shortman’ Anderson.

The sound has three complete systems and the team can play at least three events for one night.

“We are covering the 14 parishes of Jamaica. We play frequently right across the United States, the UK, Japan, Canada and most of the Caribbean islands,” Miles said, adding that they have huge fans in far-off places like Japan where “they just get crazy when we are playing”.