Author Rene Wynands

The Echo Beach label has always had a preference for historical Dubmaterial in the crossover area, and I must say, the tracks on the album “In Dub, vol. 1“ by Statik Sound System fit perfectly into the label’s repertoire. Statik Sound System was a trip-hop band from Bristol that released four albums and a few singles in the mid-90s. Echo Beach has dug through this archive, the nine dub-compatible tracks and put them on an album. Most of them are not classic reggae (although there are four drum 'n' bass tracks), but if you - like me - z. B. If you like Dreadzone or More Rockers, you can also do a lot with Statik Sound System. Their most famous track, "Revolutionary Pilot", which became known worldwide through the DJ Kicks compilation by Kruder & Dorfmeister, is also a central point here. Several remixes, including one by More Rockers and a version by Rob Smith, provide variety. For me, the album is a sentimental, nostalgic journey into the past, to a time when these sounds were truly avant-garde. Tracks like "Secret Love", "Free to Choose", "Vacuum" and the emotional "So Close" sound so beautifully like the 1990s - and at the same time show the band's full range. "In Dub, Vol. 1” is a reminder of an era in which fat beats, dreamy melodies and playing with Dubrhythms enchanted the music world. Yes, the sound is definitely historical, but somehow the tracks still sound fresh to my ears. Maybe it's because it's not a classic Dub but rather a stylistically not so easy to locate Dub-Experiment.

And here it is again, the new “King Size Dub“! Currently it is “King Size Dub 24“ (Echo Beach). Five years were omitted, because the series has existed for 29 years. So 2024 will be an anniversary! The current, 24th edition presents a whopping 23 tracks - according to the label, 90 percent of them are exclusive titles. Of course, the well-known names from the Echo Beach stable are there, including Noiseshaper, Dubblestandard, Dub Spencer & Trance Hill, Dub Syndicate, Illbilly Hitec, Dubinator and – how could it be otherwise – Martha & The Muffins. But there are also a whole lot of fresh artists outside the well-known Echo Beach universe. Blundetto & Soul Sugar surprise with the modest, quiet “Don't Cry, It's Only the Rhythm” – a really beautiful tune. aDUBta delivers a dull, oppressive and somehow magical version of the Cassava Piece riddim that captivates me. Captain Yossarian counters with the funky “Expensive Shit”. Overall, I find the album to be wonderfully fresh – it once again presents the wide spectrum of DubLabel owner Nicolai is known for not being a fan of genre boundaries, and it is precisely this attitude that makes every new King Size Dub to be an exciting surprise package. I'm already looking forward to #30. No pressure, but it has to be big!

I am fascinated by the meditative, melancholic and profound sound of Alpha Steppa. The DNA of father and aunt, of Alpha & Omega, is unmistakable, and there is hardly a current Dub-Artist with such a unique signature sound. Mad Professor used to be similarly recognizable - and of course Alpha & Omega. With his style, Alpha Steppa clearly sets himself apart from the conventional Steppers scene, but at the same time remains 100% sound system compatible. Even when listening attentively with headphones, his music has a lot to offer: It is multi-layered, complex and never boring. In addition, the heir to the throne has Dub-Dynasty had a brilliant hand for gifted vocal artists. Nai-Jah was such a discovery for me, but also Awa Fall and Wellette Seyon, with whom he released complete solo albums. His new album "Collision of an Ancient Mind and a Modern World“ (Steppas) impresses again with great vocal tunes. In the digital version, the album is divided into two parts: Disc 1 contains twelve vocal tunes, including Joe Yorke, Tanganyika, Sheila Langa, Fikir Amlak and Ras Tinny in an acapella solo. Disc 2 then delivers the Dub-versions after. “This album features some of my favorite voices in contemporary reggae and beyond, from Jamaica, the UK, Zimbabwe, the Seychelles, Brazil, the USA, Senegal, Italy, and Spain,” explains the Dub-Producer. “With this record I set out to build a unique sound and atmosphere, the idea was to blend the rich heritage of dub with a vibrant, futuristic musical landscape.” I have no objections to the topic of “atmosphere” – on the contrary: it is always the atmosphere of his music that captivates and fascinates me. However, if you think of “futuristic musical landscape” as influences from different musical cultures, you are wrong in my opinion. Everything here is 100 percent reggae and Dub and typical Alpha Steppa sound. Nevertheless, the vocalists deliver really good songs across the board. Every single track presents a sophisticated melody, and almost all of them even shine with clever, socially critical lyrics that go beyond typical reggae themes. Perhaps the album title is also aimed at this socially critical tone, because left-wing attitudes aimed at justice and diversity are unmistakably becoming increasingly rare in our modern world.

So now the time has come: The first reggae instrumental albums by an artificial intelligence are here. It had to happen at some point. I just didn't expect it to happen now. A Sleng Teng moment? Hardly, because the three albums "Roots Rock Steady","Rhythms of the Grove" and "Bassline Confidential", all by Rudebwai Stailee, have received little attention so far. And yet it is a significant development, because just as the studio musicians were replaced by computer technology in Sleng Teng, the same is now happening with the composers and producers. The music is created automatically on the basis of a short beeping or "prompt". In any case, my experience with generative artificial intelligence in the field of images has taught me that AI not only works almost perfectly in terms of image technology, but can also be incredibly creative. What works with images and text must also be possible with music - and in principle it is, as Rudebwai Stailee proves.

Well, what do we do with it now? Somehow, listening to an AI album creates mixed feelings. On the one hand, there is the fascination that it is even possible. The fact that the pieces are created with almost no human intervention and still sound pretty good is incredible. On the other hand, there is this unease that the music has no author. No artist, no (real) producer, no one who uses Logic Pro, let alone plays a real instrument. Which, by the way, puts the music in the public domain. There is no copyright, anyone can use it freely. But why does the non-existence of authorship create unease? Why is it not really fun to listen to an AI reggae album?

Basically, I am convinced that knowledge of the process by which music is created can be very informative and can also influence the reception of music, but it must not influence the assessment of the quality of music. What matters is "what comes out at the end". That is all that counts. And I have to say that the three AI albums are quite okay. The rhythms are definitely very solid, as is the mix. Only the lead instruments and the solos sometimes sound a bit off. And the whole thing might sound a bit monotonous. But that's where we get to prejudices and cognitive distortions. Does it sound monotonous because I whitethat a machine was at work here and not a human? Or is it even hurt vanity because no one really made the effort to create the music that I am devoting my time to listening to carefully? Can I enjoy music - if there is no artist who cares about me as a listener? If there is no one who wants to please me, who is trying to make me happy, who, ideally, has something to say to me? In short: Can I enjoy and appreciate music if there is no artist personality behind it? Strangely enough, this is not a problem with an idyllic landscape. There is no artist personality behind it either, and yet I enjoy and appreciate it fervently. The same applies to other natural beauties. How fascinating is the sight of some plants or animals that are also not the work of an artist. Why should it be any different with music, painting or - in the future - film? Perhaps a really good AI will manage to compose only good music in the future. All killer, no filler! What could be wrong with that?

The situation is strikingly reminiscent of the refusal of nineteenth-century society to recognize photography, invented in 1839, as art. The arguments were the same as today with regard to AI: the photographic image is the work of a machine, there is no human creator, which is why it cannot be art. Today, of course, we see things very differently, but only because we have discovered that a photograph is by no means just the product of a machine. We have brought humans back into play through the back door, as the ones who select the motif, determine the section of the world that the photograph shows, and make numerous other creative decisions. This strategy may no longer be quite so simple in the face of artificial intelligence. Sure, the prompt is currently still written by someone. But only a minimal creative act is required - and even that will probably become obsolete in the future if the AI ​​algorithm simply adapts to the preferences of the user. z. B. oriented towards listeners.

Well, dear Dub-Fans, you see me at a loss. But I tend to believe that the artist's disappearance is only irritating because we are used to it being different. This is a radical break with an important convention, namely the way we understand and receive art and culture. My prediction would be: in five years, no one will care whether music is made by people or generated by AI. A bold thesis: perhaps in 10 years there will be no more streaming of pre-produced content. The music we will hear will then be generated for us in real time - according to our preferences. A horror scenario? Write to me and tell me what you think.

Okay, finally a few words on the actual topic of this review: “Roots Rock Steady” is an acceptable instrumental album. The rhythms have oomph, the basses rock, there are real melodies and the whole arrangement is very solid. There is even a real mix, the sound is powerful and the instruments sound real. What I don’t like: The generated tracks sound, yes, there is no other way to say it: a bit generic. They are too repetitive. A bit more variety and tonal complexity would be nice. The lead instruments also don’t sound very natural. The same goes for “Rhythms of the Grove”. Overall, the pieces here seem a bit more rootsy and varied. The most recent work, “Bassline Confidential”, sounds like 80s reggae. There are solid backings in the background and a lead instrument in the foreground. Overall, too monotonous and therefore a bit boring. Yes, if I were evil, I would write: Reminds me of Dean Fraser's instrumental albums – only without the saxophone.

But hey, remember that these are the first steps of AI. Think about it five years from now and you'll know what to expect.

Those were the days when Rhythm & Sound was founded in the late 90s to mid-2000s with the fusion of Dub and Techno. Since the demise of the Burial Mix label, this form of DubOf course, there are minimal techno productions that are released under the label “Dub“, but these are always techno rhythms that are Dub-principles. At Rhythm & Sound it was the other way round: Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald played clear - albeit minimalist - reggae beats and mixed them in a reduced, repetitive and dark way like minimal techno. I really liked that at the time. The hypnotic, almost metaphysical power of the music impressed me deeply. Ten years later, Michael Fiedler, also known as Jah Schulz, came on the scene and devoted himself to the stylistic legacy of techno.Dub. Initially more oriented towards Steppers, but then deeper, more minimal, more consistent. The two LPs "Dub Over Science” and “Dub Showcase” gave a clear foretaste of what Michael Fiedler is now doing under the pseudonym Ghost Dubs with his current album “Damaged” (Pressure) presented. Lemmi already asked in his commentary whether this can really still be classified under the general term 'music' or whether it is not more of a test tone for bass speakers. Hehe, that is somehow a brilliantly fitting question, because Michael's Dubs are so incredibly minimalistic, so incredibly bass-heavy, so incredibly slow motion that he is actually entering a border area of ​​music. He seems to be more concerned with the total experience of pure, abstract sound than with making us hear a piece of music in the classical sense. The incredible mastering by Stefan Betke also contributes to this, giving the sound a gigantic presence. The noise and vinyl crackling established by Rhythm & Sound are also indispensable, as is this dull underwater sound. These are exactly the ingredients needed to conjure up this deep, cottony and warm atmosphere. But atmosphere is not everything, because the most important ingredient of "Damaged" is undoubtedly the ever-present (at least latently) offbeat, which places these "test sounds" briefly but clearly in the genre of Dub Even if purists and “Dub Connoisseurs” like Lemmi turn up their noses a little, I have to admit that “Damaged” is something like the essence of Dub embodied. The distillate of 50 years of bass music. Just a touch less and it wouldn't be Dub more, but probably a test tone for bass speakers.

The Dub-Alborosie's albums have rarely convinced me. Of course I admire his technical skills and his fixation on analogue equipment also earns me recognition. But his previous Dub-Albums seemed too textbook to me. They lacked creativity, excitement and, above all, the intention to override the rules of good taste. Perhaps the Dubs underlying productions are not strong enough. That is exactly what Alborosie avoids with his latest Dub-Plant: "Dub Pirate” (Evolution Media), because it is based on the outstanding album “Soul Pirate” from 2008, with which he made his breakthrough as a reggae artist. And rightly so, because it is still a brilliant album, but to this day there is no Dubversion. Crazy, since Alborosie is a big fan of Dub and studio work. We don’t know what prompted him now, 18 years later, to grab the old tracks and Dubs from it - of course with his historic studio equipment, which previously belonged to King Tubby or Coxsone Dodd. Alborosie not only uses the equipment of these legends, but also cultivates the aesthetics of his great role models. Therefore, it is not surprising that "Dub Pirate” was mixed in the style of King Tubby. Generous use of echo effects, masterful manipulation of high and low pass filters, virtuoso switching on and off of various instrumental tracks as well as some heavy sound manipulation. On “Dub In his new album “Pirate”, Alborosie is much more aggressive, even radical, with the original recordings. There is no comparison to his later Dub-albums. Perhaps the historical distance to the material was needed to deal with it “destructively”. Dubs of "Dub Pirate” are all remarkable, all killer, no filler. Nevertheless, some stand out. For example, “Still Dub Blazing”, with the strong echo effects on the guitar that create a surreal and gripping atmosphere. Or “Precious Dub“, a piece that cleverly focuses on the wind section and its powerful, extremely creatively manipulated sounds are fascinating. A particular strength of “Dub Pirate” is undoubtedly the creative deconstruction of Alborosie’s greatest hits. Always nice to recognize echoes of well-known songs and their Dubreconstruction. Fortunately, Alborosie largely avoids the use of vocal snippets. The album particularly shines with “Natural Dub Mystic”, the Dub-Reinterpretation of his collaboration with Kymani Marley. This strong riddim was predestined for a Dub-Treatment, and Alborosie executes it absolutely masterfully. The heart of the track lies in the driving bass line and the recurring brass sections, which are enveloped by crazy swirling, spatial sound effects. A fascinating Dubexperience – like the album as a whole.

A year after their acclaimed album “Ladders”, the Loving Paupers from Washington DC release an extremely beautiful one Dub-version of the same: “The Ghost of Ladders” (Easy Star Records) - a title that all too obviously refers to the legendary Burning Spear album "Garvey's Ghost" and thus inevitably raises the level of expectation to the maximum. But with none other than Victor Rice handling the remix duties here (he also engineered “Ladders”), there's a strong chance that expectations will be met. Sure, his music isn't what you would play on a sound system. Somehow his sound - especially in contrast to Burning Spear - always sounds a little too light, too poppy, too much like ska. But for the sofa at home, or as a headphones accompaniment on your daily journey through the city, they are his Dubs wonderful music. Legendary British DJ Don Letts described the Loving Paupers' original sound as being influenced by 40s pop and XNUMXs reggae - a mix that made their music uniquely resonant. Which he is absolutely right about. I definitely had to think of UBXNUMX or Hollie Cook while listening to it. The sound is of course miles away from the repetitive, sappy Lovers Rock. It's pop reggae in the best sense. The question now is: what will happen? Dub-Mix of it? Known to be a treatment that generally gives pieces more gravity and grounding. What will be left of the light pop appeal? The answer is: exactly the right dose! “The Ghost of Ladders” is simply a super pleasant one Dubalbum that reveals the complex arrangements of the recordings and reveals the true quality of the music, which in the original could hide all too well behind Kelly Di Filippo's bright vocals. And as the singing disappears, the pop flair is significantly reduced. The allusion to "Garvey's Ghost" is perhaps a bit too exaggerated, but an analogy becomes clear: while "Ladders" is a nice pop-reggae album, "The Ghost of Ladders" really unfolds Dub-Magic - exactly that indescribable quality that Burning Spears also has Dubalbum elevated to the status of a cult work. Rice's masterful Dub-Mix uses the familiar ingredients of reverb and delay to transform the familiar into something completely new and otherworldly. “The Ghost of Ladders” once again impressively proves how Dub can effortlessly get to the core of the music and transcend it into a magical-abstract experience of pure sound. Now, I don't want to give the impression that Rice is somehow producing cerebral art music. On the contrary: thanks to the poppy basic nature of the music, it stays there Dubversion accessible and inevitably creates a good mood when listening. For me one of the most beautiful Dub-Albums from the last few months.