If you’re not familiar with The Medicinals, we strongly suspect you will be soon. While bandleader Dylan Savage’s other commitments may have limited their output to three tracks in their three years of existence, the quality of the music is making them a favorite of many. Their latest release, “Brand New Day” might be their best yet.
While the band is relatively new to the scene, Dylan Savage is anything but. The band’s founder is best known as the co-vocalist and guitarist of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. While that band is well known for pushing the limits of the genre, The Medicinals comes across as a love letter to roots reggae and the ever-growing American reggae scene. With a little help from some familiar friends, the latest single is a particularly sweet one.
“Brand New Day” was presented as a full-on collaboration with The Movement, and for good reason. Not only does the track feature Movement vocalist and Cali reggae giant Joshua Swain, but it was also produced by band keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist and esteemed producer, Matthew Goodwin. The result is a bouncy, infectious number that manages to be slick and classic-sounding at the same time. Do you dig Steel Pulse as much as you love The Movement? Ya, this is probably for you.
About this collaboration, Savage said, “We had the absolute pleasure of working with our brother, Matt Goodwin, on the mix and production. Goodie is talented in so many areas of sound and engineering. Having him on board always elevates every facet of the song experience. And the opportunity to have Joshua Swain contribute such a brilliant guest verse was super special. Joshua is such a creative force. Collaborating with him was a major highlight of this release. The entire Movement crew was beyond generous with their time and support. We are grateful for the friendship.”
Thematically, “Brand New Day” explores the universal themes of hope, resilience and finding solidarity in the celebration of music. According to the band’s press statement, one single line in the song encapsulates the core message of the song: “Love is still the message.”
The Medicinals are a behemoth of a band, featuring eight or nine members depending on the day. So as you’d expect/hope, you’re getting all the horns, keys and percussion along with the core instruments for that full reggae experience. Savage’s voice is clearly one bred from a lifetime of being immersed in the genre, and we don’t have to tell you that Swain shelled down the place from the beginning to the end of his feature. Goodwin’s production deserves special note as well—whether you’re burning one down or sweating inna the dance (or both), the tune hits.
While we always want as much Dub Squad as we can get, we’re also crossing our fingers Savage is able to squeeze in a bit more Medicinals as well. Now that we’ve gotten a taste — yes I’m going to say it — I need more medicine!
Share this:
Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, reggae and dancehall music sat alongside calypso and soca as sounds inherent to life itself. His father’s Marley, Tosh and Black Uhuru records soon gave way to the sounds of Buju Banton, Capleton and other dancehall titans.
After falling in love with hip-hop and all manner of rock, he began to seek out music that fused all of the above. The incredibly unique Trini reggae rock scene (don’t worry, he’ll be telling you all about it soon) blew his little teenaged mind, and of course when the Cali Reggae scene reached his ears, it was all over.
Nobody was more surprised than him, however, when after emigrating to Canada, he himself ended up in the reggae rock band, Staylefish, touring the continent and discovering what he himself had to offer as a musician. After a long break which allowed him to find himself and some much needed peace, he’s now back to the stage as King Sagz the Dreamer.
During that break, his second love—words—kept him afloat. Working in music journalism and as a freelance copywriter, he eventually landed as a lead copywriter at a tech company’s internal agency. He’ll be forever thankful for the stability it provided—but at the end of the day, Sagz is a Dreamer, and the dream is doing what you love. Return to music: check. And now, getting back to writing not just about music, but the music he loves most, feels like a dream come true.
You can follow his journey on Instagram and TikTok @kingsagz