Author Rene Wynands

Dub is known to be a subgenre of reggae. But also Dub breaks down again into various sub-subgenres. Insanely, even a sub-subgenre, like Steppers, is made up of different ways of playing. There would be z. B. the old-school steppers we know from classic UK sound systems. Iration Steppers, Disciples or Jah Warrior are typical representatives. Then there is a younger school that is a bit more experimental. Alpha Steppa, Kanka or Jah Schulz come to mind here. And then there's the school that produces pure fodder for Sound Systems. A very special sound that is not so easy to describe. Instead of putting it into words, I recommend listening to this album: Benjah and EK: "Dust off the Dubs' (Lions Den). Benjah and EK are two young producers from France. They also operate under the name "Bedrin Records" and offer exactly the sound that forces the selector to rewind on sound system events. With a little imagination, the whole thing could be described as “technowise Dub" describe. The rhythm is XNUMX% reggae, but the productions have completely abandoned the mimicry of handmade music, the rhythm is maximally repetitive and all references are closed Dub and reggae in the form of samples, MC vocals and "jah" calls or sirens are absent.

The Berlin label Lions Den, which specializes in sound system music, has long been into the sound of the two Frenchmen and therefore decided to dedicate an album to them, on which they present the best Dubs of the last few years into a thick package of 20 tracks. I feel like Lions Den, I also like this uncompromisingly concrete sound, especially the polyrhythms forced by the drums did it to me. However, there are also some pretty bad ones among the 22 tracks (11 instrumentals plus Dubversions), in which sluggish synth orgies spoil my fun, or I'm overwhelmed by boredom because of the unimaginative beats. Maybe not everyone would Dub it deserves to be dusted off.

Dub is now produced all over the world, of course also in Germany (but ironically hardly in Jamaica). Not only do we have one of the most prominent in Hamburg Dub-Labels worldwide, but also a well-hung generation of established ones Dub-Producer. With people like Jah Schulz and Kaptan, there are also young talents in the starting blocks. Both, Schulz and Kaptan, are committed to pure, uncompromising sound systemDubs, which derive their immersive power from pure bass presence and stoic, repetitive beats. The focus here is no longer on the virtuoso mix, or even a pale memory of a vocal version that doesn't exist anyway, but on the pure, abstract-concrete sound driven by the bass. Kaptan has just presented his debut album: Dubs From the Vault (Basscomesaveme) which I am currently listening to with great fascination. With the traditional Dub-Schema doesn't have much in common with this album either. But all the more with Jah Schulz - and on the last track also a lot with Rhythm & Sound. So it's expressly not about heavy steppers, but about slower productions in which the bass spreads out like a swollen yeast dough. All pores and cavities of Dubs are pervaded by the bass batter. Drums and offbeat swirl around like raisins. Just delicious! Although the title suggests otherwise, the "Dubs From the Vault" current productions and by no means material that was once lost in the archive. The album only has seven tracks - which is due to the release format, because if you want to physically own the album you actually have to buy an audio cassette. Luckily there is also a digital edition with perfect sound.

I love it when yourself Dub mixed with atypical musical cultures. Dub and classical music has always fascinated me, the combination of Dub and jazz I love very much and also the mixture of Dub with Nordic melodies I have fond memories of some productions. That reminds me: I had one of the first encounters of this kind on an album by the Twinkle Brothers, which they had recorded together with some Polish violinists. What was it called? Doesn't matter. What has always worked great is the combination of Dub with oriental harmonies. I'm thinking of the Spy from Cairo and others. How nice that we finally have this exciting sound again in the form of a successful album: "Sahar(Merkaba Music) by Kino Doscun & Youthie. Trombonist, flautist and accordionist Youthie might Dub-Be well known to fans. Just think of their fantastic Macca Dread productions. Youthie is now a guarantee for good music. But who is Kino Doscun? My research leads me to a certain Dino Coskun who is a sound engineer at the Opéra National de Paris. His specialty is remixing and Dubpracticing oriental music by playing oud, saz, guitar and percussion, looping and then in dubBig sound textures transferred. On "Sahar" he is responsible for almost all instruments. Youthie is limited to trombone, flute and accordion. The result is a fascinating one Dub-Melange of complex oriental melodies, sensitive instrumental solos, of course lots of bass and restrained reggae beats. Everything is interwoven in complex arrangements and mixed with virtuosity. Were it not for the echoes and reverb, "Sahar" could be mistaken for an elaborately arranged instrumental album. The music is unmistakably based on reggae basslines and regularly sounding offbeats, but the strong oriental character of the instruments and the melodies lead us to the limits of the genre - and at the same time prove to us how universal reggae and Dub could be.

The eight-piece band Pama International was founded in 2001, and they call their music “Dub Fueled Ska Rocksteady & Reggae”. There is already a certain contradiction in this description, because Dub and ska and rocksteady don't actually go well together (if you disregard the work of Victor Rice). In 2006 the band signed a record deal with Trojan Records - as the first band in 30 years. But two years later, the fun was over. The pamas then founded their own label "Rockers Revolt" and recorded the album "Love Filled Dub Band", which is considered one of their best. Although the album (according to its title) already from strong Dub-Elements, the London sound inventor Wrongtom was commissioned to create a Dub-make version. But his recordings disappeared into Nirvana and (allegedly) remained missing until 2022. Now they have miraculously reappeared and are now on the album "Pama I'ntl Meets Wrongtom in Dub' (Happy People). A big story about a reasonably simple album. Yes, Wrongtom did a good jobdubbt, but the result remains kind of colorless. But maybe that's also due to the pronounced retro style of the recordings. One looks in vain for the magic, depth, intensity and spirituality of good current productions. The sound remains comparatively noncommittal and irrelevant. Yes, the whole thing looks a bit uninspired - just like the cover. Who, however, Jamaican Dub 1970s might have a different opinion here.

If you fancy cracking steppers, Le Faune Stepper is the place for you. On his new album "Paradox’ (ODG) the bass drum hits the floor in staccato. In addition, there are sometimes very bad synth sounds. So bad it's fun again. And of course lots and lots of bass. Since the experienced trumpeter Robin Pavie is behind Le Faune Stepper, we also hear many beautiful wind solos, which are sometimes reminiscent of Balkan sounds. In general, you have to use some imagination when composing his Pavie Dubs concede. So many fine melodies adorn the often brute stepper beats. It's almost a shame that the Faun obscures the artistic aspects of his work with his distorted basses and brutal beats. On the other hand, the contrast between finely crafted elements and brutal anarchy is particularly attractive. Like all ODG albums, "Paradoxe" is also available free download available. It's also available on stream - and if you want to do a good deed, you can do so too Bandcamp also buy.

Hey, what does eighties pop icon Robert Palmer have to do with reggae? you don't know? Here's the whole story:

Robert Palmer is well known (but perhaps forgotten now) for his performances in smart suits, with a band of wireless models in their instruments. But the singer, who died in 2003, was more than the dandy of the MTV generation. When Palmer conquered the charts in Germany with "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible", the cosmopolitan Brit was already looking back on a highly respectable discography that went far beyond Steam Hammer Pop.

Raised in the north of England as a teenager, Robert Palmer discovered his passion for American black music and played in a number of soul and R&B inspired bands before being signed by Chris Blackwell to his new label Island. After the debut "Sneaking Sally Through The Alley" recorded in New Orleans with the Meters as backing band, Palmer moved to New York and discovered reggae for himself: He named his album "Pressure Drop" (1975) after the Toots & The song Maytals, which he covered. After another move to the Bahamas, the album Double Fun was produced at Blackwell's Compass Studio in Nassau, including the classic Every Kinda People, later appropriately covered by Chaka Demus & Pliers. In those days, Palmer also frequented Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark studio in Jamaica, hoping to tap into the spirit of the resident reggae genius. However, the session didn't go as hoped: the local Rastas enjoyed teasing the white singer, the Perry-produced mix "Best of Both Worlds" remained unreleased (including Dub), and in the end only the single B-side "Love Can Run Faster" was released. After this episode, Palmer set the course for the eighties and the chart highlights of his career with the albums "Secrets" and "Clues" as well as the disco-funk "Looking For Clues": rock guitars, Prince-inspired funk and finally The Power Station Chic musicians Tony Thompson and Bernard Edwards, and Duran Duran's John and Andy Taylor.

“But what would have happened if everything had gone smoothly at Black Ark Studio that day? If Palmer had stuck to Jamaica and its vibes and produced all his past and future hits in this legendary studio?" asks the Echo Beach press release and the label also gives an answer in the form of the album "Palmer in Dub« (Echo Beach).

Interesting musicians contributed to it: drummer Achim Färber (Automat, Ben Lucas Boysen), sound artist Max Loderbauer (Ambiq, Moritz von Oswald Trio), bassist Zeitblom (Automat, Pole) and Ingo Krauss (sound engineer, partial mix, formerly Connie Plank Studio), and DEADBEAT (Scott Monteith) and Doug Wimbish.

The result is – shall we say: interesting. Perry would certainly not have agreed with that. Apart from the fact that Robert Palmer's voice, which is overwhelmed with echoes, is only annoying, the rhythms didn't turn out really well either. They just sound monotonous and uninspired. The sound is dull and even the bass doesn't develop any dynamics. To make matters worse, some songs are repeated up to three times (in slightly different mixes) on the album. There is even a separate song from the song »Jonny & Mary« Remix album with 8 versions of the track. The crazy thing about it: It's more varied than »Palmer in Dub«. We here in dubblog love Echo Beach's work, but with »Palmer in Dub« our favorite label cannot convince us.

vocal first, dub second (if at all), that's the motto for most Dub-Factories. This order is also logical. Of the Dub is known to be mixed from a vocal original, so it must inevitably come second. Most bands and producers take their time with the second step. Much time. Commercially it makes little difference since that Dubalbum is only appreciated by a very, very small audience anyway. But they still exist, the bands and producers who disregard this practice and the Dub be given the same status as the original. Like: the Soothsayers and Victor Rice. The band's new instrumental album "Soothsayers Meets Victor Rice and Friends in Dub" (Red Earth Music) was released to coincide with Soothsayers Meets Victor Rice and Friends. Two grandiose albums that actually fit equally into this column, because the "Original" is a purely instrumental album.
The Soothsayers are a British band based in London. Formed in 1998 by two brass musicians (Idris Rahman and Robin Hopcraft), it embraced ska, reggae and afrobeat. Sounds to which she has remained true to this day. Accordingly, their music is dominated by powerful brass sections, mostly fast shuffle beats, many jazz influences and a very analogue studio sound in general. Not surprising, then, but of absolute perfection and irrepressible joy of playing. Above all, the jazz borrowings ensure a beautifully complex structure that contrasts congenially with the repetitive rhythm. It is also beneficial that both the speed of the beats and the arrangements vary greatly from piece to piece. This is how the instrumental album becomes the right listening experience.
The Dub-Pendant adds the remix layer. But of course, better stands out Dub through a clever reduction to the essentials. Producer and remixer Victor Rice knows this, of course, and consequently eliminates more than he adds. Without a doubt, Rice is exactly the right man for the job. He was socialized as a bassist, sound engineer and producer in the New York ska scene of the 1990s and 2000s. In 2002 he emigrated to São Paulo in Brazil, founded his own band, produced and remixed countless albums (among others he became one of the most important producers at Easy Star Records) and dealt intensively with in particular Dub. The latter is a rather unusual decision for a ska musician, since ska is a type of music that, due to its speed, has little room for Dub leaves. Well, Victor Rice made his USP out of this dilemma and has stood for fascinating ones for a number of years Dub-Versions of ska or ska-influenced music. That's why his name appears in the Dubblog regularly.
On "Soothsayers Meets Victor Rice and Friends in Dub' he once again delivers a prime example of his art. His Dub-Mixes fit organically into the complex structure of the instrumentals and create a completely new, original interpretation of the originals. That Dub-Album has a completely different tonality than the instrumental album. While the latter is like fireworks, the Dub-Version more like a campfire to warm yourself around. Concentration and introversion instead of exuberant temperament and unrestrained extroversion. Both have their appeal, but we friends of the Dub naturally tend to do less than more (only with the bass it's the other way around ;-). By the way, Victor wouldn't be Rice if he didn't already have some of the instrumentals with soft ones Dub-Effects equipped. So there is only one recommendation: just stream both albums!

"Havana Meets Kingston" was a big deal in 2017. Following the example of Buena Vista Social Club, Jake Savona aka Mista Savona - reputedly Australia's "leading reggae producer" - invited veteran Cuban musicians to veteran Cuban and Jamaican studios, where they met veteran reggae musicians such as Sly & Robbie , Ernest Ranglin, Bongo Herman and others met to record music together – and of course to make a documentary (which apparently never came to fruition). A huge effort that paid off with the (relative) success of the album. But it would be a shame not to use the recordings further - and that's a good idea Dub-Album on! Anyone who thinks so big cannot hire just any remixer, which is why Savona turned to Gaudi, who also enjoys fame and respect outside the reggae cosmos. Gaudi took five years, around nine Dubs to mix that up now "Havana Meets Kingston in Dub" (Mista Savona) find. Maybe he has thought through every turn of the knob intensively and weighed it up against alternatives, in order to actually make one after months of planning Dub record. But maybe he was just in a severe corona lethargy. Anyway, it's finally here, that Dub-The album is out and it turned out really well. Gaudi's meticulousness pays off, because the sound and mix are simply superb. However, a lot would have had to go wrong in order not to turn the brilliant templates into brilliant ones as well Dubs to peen. The arrangements are simply great and the perfect craftsmanship of the musicians leaves nothing to be desired. So: Gaudi gives us a wonderful Dub-Album that would have been worth waiting for had you known it was planned to exist. I'm even of the opinion (no wonder) that the Dub-Version of the album is better than the original. The sound is tighter and the overstuffed arrangements have been reduced to a level that really allows each individual instrument to come into its own. Gaudi is pretty reluctant to use reverb and echo, because enough is already happening without them. Perfectly dosed, I would say. It is also noticeable that the organic live sound produced by Savona is a very appealing contrast to Gaudi's more electronic tracks Dub-Mixing stands. Altogether certainly one of the notable ones Dub-Highlights 2022.