Simao Victor Rice

Victor Rice is one of those figures whose fingerprints are all over a scene even when his name isn't on the marquee. As a producer, bassist, and sonic architect, he's shaped the sound of Easy Star Records from behind the console for decades — his work on the Easy Star All-Stars sessions alone would secure his legacy. “Simao” puts Rice in the spotlight as a solo artist, and the result is a track that reveals the deep musical intelligence that drives all his work. The production is sparse but never empty, every element placed with the precision of someone who has spent years knowing exactly what a mix needs and, more importantly, what it doesn't.

The single draws from Rice's long immersion in both dub and Brazilian music, two traditions that share more common ground than casual listeners might expect. Both prize rhythm, space, and the creative use of the studio as an instrument — and Rice has spent enough time in both worlds to move between them fluently. It's a quality that makes his solo material feel like a natural extension of his production work rather than a side project.

Within Easy Star's catalog, Rice occupies the role of connective tissue — the musician who has played on, produced, or mixed projects across the label's history. From DUB SIDE OF THE MOON to his work with John Brown's Body, his aesthetic has helped define what the label sounds like. “Simao” distills that aesthetic into its purest form: deep bass, analog warmth, and a rhythm that could run forever.