Your Name: Mathieu Pé aka Dubble Dubble (Keys and Trumpet by Braintheft, Brass Wood & Wires, The Magic Touch …)
You live in: Berlin
Titel of your latest album: Pressure Drop
What is your definition of dub?
Dub is first a minimal, mostly instrumental bass oriented, somewhat psychedelic and Trance evolution of Jamaican popular music bringing post-production techniques to the front. It started in the 60’s as an emancipation of the sound engineer as central part of the creative process. The Mixing desk became an instrument. Dub had a huge influence worldwide. The minimal and trance aspects brought a whole new time perception in popular music leading the way to all electronic styles as we know them now.
What is essential for a good dub?
Space and Bass!!!
What is the difference between a good and a bad dub?
Who am I to judge? I’d say I like or I don’t.
How would you describe your style of dub?
I try to keep up to the roots staying away from computer as much as possible, using actual instruments and analog gear. So hopefully it sounds more authentic.
What is your process of creating a typical dub-track?
Well, the good old way of doing it was first to record a song with the band. Then bounce it down to eight discrete tracks in order to mix it on the flight at the mixing board with all sort of effects connected to it. So that’s how I like to work too. I believe to get inspired by limitations.
When you’re satisfied with a dub produced by you?
If I felt the flow while mixing and there’s no major issues: I’m happy. I believe the better is the enemy of the good. Most of the time first takes have that thing you can’t reproduce.
What are your personal top 5 dub albums?
In no particular order:
Augustus Pablo: King Tubby meet Rockers uptown
Serge Gainsbourg feat. Sly and Robby: Aux armes etcetera
High Tone: Opus Incertaint
Scientist: Heavy wheight Dub
Jackie Mittoo: Champion of the Arena
Who is the greatest dub artist of all time for you?
Guess what… the King: King Tubby. The simple fact that he was the first makes him untouchable.
And who is the currently most interesting dub-artist?
The Breadwinners (Alan Redfern at Bakery Studio). Best sounding dub I heard in a long time. All analog, pure feeling. Check him out.
What is the musically most interesting decade for you? Why
The seventies for sure. Because the electrification of music brought a lot in all styles. New genres popped out everywhere. It was a very creative time. Probably because back then the music industry, the distribution, democratization of private copy, the access to musical instruments boomed like crazy.
Where is the biggest market for your music?
France is the last el-dorado. We played at the last Telerama Dub with Braintheft. It was amazing to see how young the crowd was! The venue was packed of Bass addicted youngsters! Go west!
Are you able to earn a living with your music?
Not really. And I’m not running after it otherwise I’d make compromises to do so.
Which artist would you like to work with?
There is so much… and not only in dub. I’d say Victor Rice would be one of them just to keep that list short.
What is your particular strength?
Inner peace.
What do you enjoy most about what you are doing?
Playing ! In all contexts would it be behind the mixer or instruments, at home, with friends, on stage …
What horrifies you in the studio?
The time/money factor! There’s never enough time in studio!
When not tinkering with dubs, what do you prefer to do?
Playing trumpet! Tweaking Synths!
What is the current health status of dub?
Dub and music in general knows no illness. In todays world where musical vividness tends to be measured in financial success, talking about health of a style makes little sense. Money is at the root of all evil and it affects music as everything else.
How do you see the future of dub?
It will still be there in fifty years because Dub artists have experimentation in the blood. So I guess it will keep on and on, mixing with other styles.