THE studio engineer has played a critical role in the development of Jamaican pop music.

Contemporary dancehall is not short on artistes or engineers. Dohnzhey ‘Sasaine’ Grindley is among the new generation of engineers.

From Ocho Rios, the self-taught Sasaine started out as a deejay, but it did not take him long to realise his calling was behind the studio console.

“When I just got introduced to Junkyard Music Productions in 2012, I was an artiste, but then I found myself to be more interested in learning to use the equipment and composing my own rhythms,” he said. “From there I began to learn more and more to where I am now.”

Only 21, Sasaine has worked with a number of production companies, such as Studio Vibes Entertainment and Unity Yawd Family.

He considers Family Over All Things and Heart Crush by singer Deep Jahi as the most successful songs he has worked on to date.

Dancehall/reggae has produced a number of outstanding engineers, including Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Karl Pitterson, Lloyd ‘King Jammys’ James, and Bobby ‘Bobby Digital’ Dixon.

All went on to outstanding careers as producers.

Sasaine’s current projects include songs by Maskman, Sycure, and Dadda.

— Howard Campbell