Canadian reggae-rock veterans Bedouin Soundclash are back with “Islands in the Fog,” a new collaboration featuring London-based singer-songwriter Gizmo Varillas. Released through Ineffable Records, the single brings together the band’s longstanding fusion of reggae, alternative rock, and pop with Varillas’ soulful, globally influenced approach to songwriting.
For more than two decades, Bedouin Soundclash have occupied a unique space within alternative music. Emerging from Kingston, Ontario, in the early 2000s, the group built its reputation by combining Jamaican musical influences with the melodic sensibilities of indie rock, punk, and alternative pop. Their sound helped introduce a generation of listeners to a style of reggae-influenced alternative music that was equally at home on rock radio and festival stages.
The band’s breakthrough came with their 2004 album Sounding a Mosaic, which featured the hit single “When the Night Feels My Song.” The track became one of the group’s defining releases, earning widespread recognition in Canada and internationally while establishing Bedouin Soundclash as an important voice in the genre’s crossover into mainstream alternative music.
Frontman Jay Malinowski’s distinctive vocal delivery has remained central to the band’s identity, while the group’s willingness to experiment with different rhythms and musical traditions has allowed its sound to evolve over the years.
Born in Spain and raised in the United Kingdom, Varillas has developed a sound that draws from Latin music, soul, folk, reggae, and contemporary indie pop. His songwriting frequently incorporates warm acoustic instrumentation, rhythmic guitar work, and melodies influenced by his multicultural background.
Varillas’ music has earned attention for its ability to blend seemingly distant musical traditions into cohesive, accessible songs. His work shares several characteristics with Bedouin Soundclash, particularly an interest in using rhythm and melody to bridge different genres and cultural influences.
The new single also arrives during an active period for Bedouin Soundclash, who are currently touring alongside Mariachi El Bronx. The pairing brings together two acts that have built their identities around incorporating influences from musical traditions outside the conventional boundaries of alternative rock.
Mariachi El Bronx, the mariachi-inspired project from Los Angeles punk band The Bronx, has similarly developed a reputation for crossing genre boundaries while maintaining a recognizable artistic identity. The tour provides a fitting setting for Bedouin Soundclash to introduce new music to audiences already receptive to stylistic experimentation.
The release of “Islands in the Fog” follows the band’s recent collaboration with Collie Buddz on “Bang-A-Lang (J-Vibe Version),” another example of their continued engagement with artists across the contemporary reggae community.
More than twenty years after their emergence, the band continues to connect the worlds of reggae, indie rock, and alternative music. Their collaboration with Gizmo Varillas represents another chapter in that evolution, bringing a fresh perspective to a sound that has always thrived on the exchange of musical ideas.
Listen to Bedouin Soundclash and Gizmo Varillas’ “Islands in the Fog”
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