Dubbest “Autumn Rain” Steps from Roots Reggae into Soul — Same Heart, New Texture
After 16+ years in roots reggae, San Diego’s Dubbest step into soul with a slow-burn single that keeps their harmonies, melodic bass, and melancholy storytelling intact—while borrowing texture from Motown and Philly soul.
Why This Turn Works
Dubbest’s center of gravity hasn’t changed—it’s still layered harmonies, a melodic bass that locks with vocal figures, and lyrics that sit comfortably in the sad-love pocket. What’s new is the feel: different guitar rhythms, more open keyboards, soul/hip-hop-leaning drums, and (for the first time) synth strings.
“Despite being a different genre for us, ‘Autumn Rain’ definitely maintains some of the original Dubbest sound… The harmonies are classic Dubbest, the melodic bass locks with the vocals, and lyrically it’s a sad love song—that’s our comfort zone. We really leaned into the soul vibe—different guitar rhythms, open keys, synth strings, and drum textures inspired by Motown and Philly soul.”
The seed came from a side project by bassist Andrew Mackenzie and his brother—funky soul instrumentals that singer/keyboardist Ryan Thaxter began writing over. One of those demos hit instantly and became “Autumn Rain.”
The Image at the Heart of the Song
“It gave me a fall feeling right away. I pictured being in a car in a rainstorm—raindrops running down the glass. The line ‘a foggy pane’ vs ‘a foggy pain’ is deliberate: that cold you feel inside even on a beautiful autumn day. It feels like lovers in an argument; stream-of-consciousness at first, then the puzzle pieces click.”
“Winter stays lingering with me on an autumn day.
And when it rains, feels like snow hitting a foggy pane.”
In the Studio: Keeping the “Real” Take
Recorded at 17th Street Studio (Costa Mesa, CA) with Lewis Richards producing/engineering/mixing and Dubbest co-producing, the band favored feel over polish.
“We tracked a quick placeholder vocal at the end of a long day… and kept it. It was raw and imperfect in the right way—added character we didn’t want to lose.”
The Theory & Tempo (for the Music Nerds)
“The chords are C♯ minor and B minor; technically the key is A major, but we never hit the root—you’re cycling iii → ii the whole time. That unresolved loop keeps the mood suspended. 4/4, straight eighths, about 77 BPM.”
That “never-resolving” motion mirrors the lyric’s emotional stalemate—moving forward, but never quite arriving where you want to land.
Live: Translating the Soul Pocket
On stage, the four-piece pares the layers without losing the groove.
“We strip it down a bit and replace details with little improvisations and feel. Left hand on electric piano for a simple rhythm, right hand plays the synth-string melody while I sing—plus stacked harmonies, guitar rhythms, and drums close to the record. We treat live as a different version that has to groove.”
And yes, the new direction may revisit older tunes:
“We could see reworking ‘Sincerity’ in a soul feel live.”
Not a One-Off: The Door Is Open
“Almost certainly not a one-off. We’re huge soul fans and finally feel musically mature enough to make the jump tastefully. We’ve got 3–4 new ideas—some upbeat funk, some downbeat neo-soul—and we’re open to trying it all.”
Quick Listen Guide (Start Here)
- The hook that lingers: the lyric-less outro melody (“bah-dah… bap bah-dah bah-dah”)—a timeless tag the band loves.
- Rhythm section focus: head-nod 77 BPM with an unresolved loop that mirrors the lyric’s emotional stalemate.
- Texture watch: first-time synth strings + open keys over a soul/hip-hop drum bed.
Credits
- Dubbest: Ryan Thaxter (keyboards, vocals), Andrew Mackenzie (bass, vocals), Kyle Hancock (drums, percussion), Cory Mahoney (guitar, vocals)
- Recorded / Engineered / Mixed: Lewis Richards at 17th Street Studio (Costa Mesa, CA)
- Produced: Dubbest & Lewis Richards
- Mastering: Dan Millice
- Artwork: Nukui Bogard
Link & Socials
Listen:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/dubbest1/autumn-rain
Instagram: @DubbestMusic
