To start with something positive, Alborosie is a great live act with his Shengen Clan. But that's it again. At the beginning of his solo career, the Italian delivered a decent performance with his country-typical grating voice (greetings from Umberto Tozzi, Gianna Nannini, Zucchero & Co): Who doesn't remember the "Herbalist"? And who could have guessed that this track would be the blueprint for pretty much everything else to be produced at Alborosie's Shengen Studio?
Voluminous drums, a simple bassline and credibility samples packed into a simple 80's rubadub-Arrangement without significant hooks; an Italian who tries his hand at patois and perhaps for that reason just barely misses the meaningful content: that was all half-funny with the “Herbalist”; but building a whole career on this concept… well, contrary to expectations, it actually worked! Alborosie fans probably won't agree with me that all albums sound the same and the tracks are interchangeable - that goes for the vocal ones, and especially the cultivated boredom ones, I would argue Dub-Albums. Even the artist himself doesn't seem to have much fun at the mixing desk:
So let's move on to Alborosie's current ones Dub-Release: Schengen Dub / Embryonic Dub (Greensleeves/VP Music Group) is the name of the stream version, which comes up with an amazing 22 tracks. This seemingly never-ending consonance can kill one or the other listener - fans of vinyl, on the other hand, can expect two albums that probably offer better sound and should be easier to digest simply because they are divided into two portions. Or you make it easy for yourself and dizzy through the acoustic convolute - in the sense of: If you've heard one track, you've heard them all:
To end with something positive: Alborosie is a great live act with his Shengen Clan!
2 Responses to “Alborosia: Shengen Dub / Embryonic Dub"
I don't think it's quite as bad as it appears here. I also had to get his album "Destiny" and when I put it on at home I decided to take a break after the first six tunes. Not that I found it too bad, but Albo's voice sounds a little too strained for the length of the album. But when I listened to the disc a few days later, I was at peace with alborosia again. I find his tunes and especially his riddims mostly very powerful and I can't and don't want to withdraw from that. And so I like "Destiny", like all his records, quite well. My favorite tune of his will always be "Kingston Town". Unfortunately, I can't write too many good things about his live qualities, but I admit that I only saw him and his Shengen Clan once - at the time of "Kingston Town" at the Summerjam, but the band didn't have the power for that get stage. It may be that unlike ALL other reggae bands and acts they have improved. Otherwise I just shed tears
at ReggaeLive Acts, which are mainly similar to a cruise, where the travelers say goodbye to their relatives and acquaintances. What chichikram!
Ok, this is about them Dubs and I have to say here again that I find them much better than they come across in the review. And even if I give the Albo the "Dubbing” watching, my fascination stays on top. Yes, he's no Paolo Baldini and no Adrian Sherwood at the mixing desk for a long time, but I can do his Dubs good off. In any case, I ordered the disc as well, although I already know that it won't run in "heavy rotation". Anyway, "Albo Dubs" are always ok for me.
What I particularly like about Alborosie is his unbreakable love for roots music and his riddims mostly sound a bit like Jamaica to me ;-)
And if his live concerts are good, then I'm even happier. It was actually one of the best at this year's SummerJam as far as I can tell from youtube.
“And now I want to see your hands!” …… and wave and wave and wave ……………… so long … tinki lemmi
2nd opinion :
Now that I've treated myself to the whole album at home in peace, I've come to a somewhat more differentiated opinion.
Between the "Shengen Dub' and the 'Embryonic Dub“ are worlds! "Shengen Dub“ has much slacker riddims and that DubMix by Alborosie sounds listless and uninspired indeed.
At the “Embryonic Dub' both the riddims and the bloom DubMix up intoxicating. As if someone flipped a switch and the engine is now going full throttle on all 12 cylinders. In complete contrast to the stiff, stuttering "Shengendubs”, which almost feel like a piston eater.
"Big Bubbles No Troubles" ……………….. lemmi