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Review

Ghost Dubs: Extended Damaged Versions

Last year's album “Damaged” (Pressure) by Ghost Dubs (alias Michael Fiedler, alias Jah Schulz) has already ventured deep into the boundaries of the genre. Now, with “Extended Damaged Versions”, the – er – Dub Version of “Damaged” has been released. According to the title, it literally means “extended versions of the damage” – that doesn’t bode well. There were already voices describing Fiedler’s music as “studio test sounds” when it came to “Damaged”. I would specify that it was specifically a test of the membrane vibration depth of subwoofer scoops. But seriously: The music of Ghost Dub is strictly speaking a reinterpretation of the sounds of Basic Channel/Rhythm & Sound from the early 2000s, which at that time represented the area of ​​tension between minimal techno and Dub Compared to “Damaged”, Mr. Ghost Dubs in the “Damaged Versions” the typical shuffle pattern of the original, challenges the listening habits even further, turns the bass even more and makes the music even more abstract, even darker, even more evil. Even if we thought “Damaged” went to the limits of what Dub can be, so Fiedler instructs: It goes even further. "Exdended Damaged Versions" is a journey through dystopian soundscapes, a sound design labyrinth that has more in common with experimental electronics than with roots aesthetics. And yet, deep under the thick layers of bass and delay lies the driving beat of reggae, deconstructed and in super slow motion, but also organic and dynamic. Tracks like "Dub Regulator” bursts out of the speakers with raw force, a massive, technoid groove that rolls forward hypnotically. “Chemical Version”, on the other hand, is a whirlpool of delay spirals, a sonic illusion whose deep structure is reminiscent of the best works of German techno pioneer Porter Ricks. “Thin Dub“ is another highlight, a sonic condensation of reverb, echo and minimalist percussion that seems to dissolve into nothingness and yet seems anything but insubstantial. The essence of this album lies in the complete devotion to the mixer as an instrument, to the principle of sonic deconstruction. Fiedler chops up his own tracks, transforms them into new structures that seem fragmentary but by no means incoherent. The final “Lobotomy Version” in particular shows that this is not just Dub produced, but rather a kind of sonic ritual took place - a hypnotic, ambient descent into the deepest regions of the bass abyss.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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Review

Danny T & Tradesman: Wicked City

I have to admit, I had almost forgotten about Danny T and Tradesman. The production duo from Leeds, specializing in dancehall and UK steppers, is not exactly known for its productivity. A look at their discography shows: an album from 2017 and a remix from 2019, that's it so far. But now, after a full seven years, they are back with a new work: "Wicked city“ (Moonshine Recordings). The album only contains six tracks (less than one per year), but as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. The tracks are digital productions, clearly produced with a focus on sound system sessions. So Dubs that are quite heavy and make no secret of the fact that they are of digital origin. What particularly strikes me are the amazingly imaginative arrangements. Beautiful drum patterns and percussion, brutal, electronically distorted bass lines and lots of little melodies that fit in cleverly. Sure, it's the usual stuff, you could say. But here it's implemented in such a way that you can listen to it consciously and enjoy it comfortably at home on the sofa. I like it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
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Five Star Review

Hornsman Coyote Meets House of Riddim: Madman Slide

What a beautiful album: Hornsman Coyote Meets House of Riddim, “Madman Slide” (House of Riddim)! One of the most impressive works I have heard in recent weeks. The rhythms are rich, dynamic, full of warmth and emotion – and there is also this impressive lead instrument: the trombone. It simply sounds majestic. It is probably due to its dark tone and the relatively high bass content compared to the trumpet that it sounds so warm, relaxed and confident – ​​exactly what is perfect for Dub No wonder that the band Message recently used the trombone as a lead instrumentHornsman Coyote shows us how versatile the instrument can be: sometimes gentle and grooving, sometimes energetic and driving. Sometimes it caresses the rhythm, sometimes it sounds like the trumpets of Jericho. Seven days of trombone playing can bring down the strongest walls - or so the Bible claims. Hornsman plays the trombone for 11 tracks, which adds up to 43 minutes, but at the right volume it can also shake walls. Important: If "instrumental album" and "trombone" make you think of Dean Fraser's saxophone excursions, you need not be afraid here. Unlike Fraser, where the saxophone often floats somewhat isolated above the rhythms, Hornsman's trombone playing interacts harmoniously with the backings, is almost embedded in them and combines organically with the rhythms without ever being intrusive. Hornsman uses a clever trick to achieve this: he often plays the trombone on two tracks that are layered on top of each other in the mix, which makes the instrument sound softer and gentler and allows it to blend even more with the rhythms. But all of this would only be half as impressive without the magnificent backing tracks of House of Riddim. This Austrian band really is one of the best - their productions are masterfully crafted and show how well reggae and Dub can sound.

Rating: 5 out of 5.
Categories
Charts Review

Dubblog annual charts 2024

It's that time again: We serve you ours Dub-Top 5 of the year ending. As you can see, diversity counts for us. How could it be otherwise with such a diverse genre? We look forward to your comments.

Top 5 from René

Message: Showcase II

Great, live recorded instrumentals, additionally with Dubversions. What more could you want?

Pinnacle Sound: In Dub Flight. 1

Not a remake but a newmake with the fantastic stylistic devices of the past – and a great Dub-Album.

Philipp Greter: Greter than Dub

»Greter« here probably means »about Dub because that is exactly what this fascinating mix of styles delivers, showing what Dub can be anything.

Dreadsquad: Reggae From the Desert

Dreadsquad is back – and completely different than expected. Grown up! Beautiful, inspired instrumentals, superbly executed and with a perfect sound.

Message: Showcase I

Outstanding album. Instrumentals and melodies recorded under the direction of Roberto Sánchez Dubs. Rarely have I heard so much joy in playing.

Top 5 of Ras Vorbei

Christos DC: Kung Fu Action Theater

No excessive Dub-Fireworks, but an excellent meditative soundscape with quietly meandering riddims without a lot of frills.

Horace Andy: Showcase (Deluxe Edition)

A long-lost album is experiencing its renaissance.

Roots Architects: From Then 'Til Now

A wonderful musical legacy.

Keith Hudson: Playing It Cool & Playing It Right (Re-Release)

A very unique sound that not only I find hypnotic.

Mick Dick: A Dub Supreme

A four-part cross-cultural journey combining reggae, jazz, Dub- and trip-hop grooves into a cinematic palette.

Top 5 from gtk

Adubta & Roots Organization: A Tale Of Dubbing Horns

First place this time goes to… Bavaria! Adubta transforms a rather jazzy album by the Graz Roots Organisation into a bass-heavy monster with killer dynamics. No offense!

Ras Teo: Ion Man in Dub

Ras Teo, Zion I Kings and Lone Ark make music together – not surprisingly, this could only work out well, both in the vocal and in the Dubversion. This applies to part 1 of the recording session…

Ras Teo: Up Fi Jah in Dub

... as well as for part 2. On both albums, the melodies of Ras Teo meet the musical and production qualities of Roberto Sanchez, David Goldfine and Laurent Alfred, who complement each other wonderfully.

Hornsman Coyote Meets House of Riddim: Madman Slide

If you prefer something more crisp and rocky, you can't miss Sam Gilly's House of Riddim - the same goes for this collaboration with trombonist Hornsman Coyote. There's no shortage of effects either!

Prince Fatty: Dub Battle For Seattle

Prince Fatty actually took us 13 years to Dubversion of Little Roy's fine and curious "Battle for Seattle" album. How could he!

Top 5 by Philipp K

Emanuel & The Bionites: Nations Shall Know

This work is the one that makes the most rounds on my plate. Great! Since the release of "Zipporah" (2020), I have fallen in love with the sound and magic of Emanuel & The Bionites. It's hard to believe that this music is Made in France.

Spiritual Food: Hooligan / Point Finger Pon

As you can read in the review, I am very enthusiastic about these two riddims and their versions. Reggae and Dub the finest, pure soul food.

Dennis Bovell: Sufferer Sounds

A compilation that brings together the best and selected versions and mixes of Blackbeard from 1976 - 1980 and celebrates the Sufferer Sound System once again. Relevant.

Dub Shepherds: Tape Me Out Vol. 5

My DubThe year 2024 clearly goes to France. The label BAT Records and the Dub Shepherds stand for incredibly good and high quality reggae and Dub-Productions that, in most cases, completely convince me.

Dreadsquad: Reggae From The Desert

'Which desert?' I ask myself. Is it possible that Dub- and reggae desert Poland? No idea and it doesn't matter, because this instrumental album is reggae-Dub-Ethio-Jazz at its finest. Organ, saxophone, flute, melodica (just part of it) and good arrangement stand out for me...

Categories
Review

Statik Sound System: In Dub, vol. 1

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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Review

King Size Dub 24

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!

Rating: 4 out of 5.
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Review

Ashkabad: Outernational Skankers

As a Dub-lover, I have had the duo Anthony Antcliffe and Bastien Raymond, better known as Ashkabad, on my radar for a while. The two musicians from Avignon have been in the music scene since their 2022 album “Fire Drop”. Dubscene. Their debut “International Skankers” was released in 2016, now they deliver with “Outernational Skankers“ the remix version. Eight of the original ten tracks have been remixed by current greats of the Dubscene for remixes – including Ondubground, Alpha Steppa, Tetra Hydro K and Bukkha. The result is a powerful update of the almost historic recordings from eight years ago. The term “remix” says it all: these are real reworkings and not just Dub-Mixes. This brings a lot of variety, because the remixers have given each track new rhythms. Alpha Steppa's mix is ​​unmistakably deep-Dub, Tetra Hydro K provide a dubdrum'n'bass track, and Ramiya contributes an elegiac downtempo piece. Again and again I hear musical quotes and samples from exotic music cultures - an element that I generally appreciate very much. For DubFor purists, “Outernational Skankers” may seem a little too extroverted and occasionally cross genre boundaries. But if you want to clear your ears with fresh air, you will find exactly the right sounds here – if only to then return to the familiar world of classical Dub to return.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Categories
Review

Alpha Steppa: Collision of an Ancient Mind and a Modern World

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.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Categories
Five Star Review

Message: Showcase II

I love the hypnotic, hard Dub-Sound of sound system sessions - these repetitive rhythms always captivate me. But recently my enthusiasm for handmade, analogue produced music has grown even stronger. I have the feeling that it is "richer" and the sound is more complex - of course only when it is played, recorded and produced really well. Apart from that, I have a really great appreciation for talented musicians. It is simply a true craft art to create good instrumentals and Dubs manually precise and with perfect timing. After recently dealing extensively with AI-generated music, my appreciation for man-made music has grown even more. And it is in this mood that I now come across Message's new album, "Showcase II" (Messengers) - and what can I say? “Showcase I” already impressed me, and now I am at "Showcase II“ enchants us again. The concept has – fortunately – not changed. The album contains seven instrumentals and seven Dubversions. Lead instruments are again mostly melodica, trombone and sometimes a keyboard. All pieces are original compositions by the band, were recorded live in the Lone Ark studio in Santander (northern Spain) and recorded on good old magnetic tape. Studio mastermind Roberto Sánchez himself sat on the drums and also took care of the recording. And of course the whole thing is once again seen as a homage to Jamaican reggae of the 1970s. Even at first listen, you can hear that Message doesn't just copy, but captures the essence of the genre and reinterprets it. The musicians succeed in doing this perfectly, not least thanks to the live recording, because this is the only way to really capture the energy and vibes that make roots reggae so special. It gives the album a special magic and an authentic, lively sound that is often missing from digital productions (which, however, have other qualities!). “Showcase II” is a work that not only honors the musical architects of the genre - the Jamaican musicians of the 1970s - but also shows how the band Message has found its own way within this tradition. Every track on “Showcase II” radiates the spirit of the band, the sense of community and the love of music. The best that reggae has to offer comes together here: brilliant craftsmanship, perfect production and, last but not least, really good compositions. We'll have to wait and see whether I have to sing such hymns of praise again for “Showcase III”. I certainly wouldn't mind.

Rating: 5 out of 5.
Categories
Five Star Review

Dub Shepherds: Tape Me Out #5

The series began during the Corona period: “Tape Me Out #1“ was published as a YouTube video three years ago. There is not much to see. The two friends Dr Charty and Jolly Joseph (= The Dub Shepherds) sit at the mixing desk and mix live for 50 minutes Dubs with material from their label Bat Records. #2 and #3 appear in quick succession. Then nothing happened for a long time until the beginning of this year #4 was released, parallel to her album “Night and Day”. Until then, “Tape Me Out” stood for pure video productions – which explains the name. In July, “Tape Me Out #5“ as a video AND as a regular Dubalbum. The mixes on the album are exactly the same as those in the video. The entire Dub-album was mixed in one take - a process that you can follow live in the video. A really beautiful and unique concept that also testifies to the mastery of the two musicians, 11 Dub-tracks one after the other without any mistakes. While in the first episodes of the series they are still sitting quite relaxed at the mixing desk, in #5 you can see their concentration and tension. 45 minutes Dub-Mixing in one go is really hard work.


Although in these typical Dub-Mixing videos are not much to see, but they always captivate me. And that is the case here. Strangely enough, it is fascinating to see how music is created on the mixing desk. I sometimes find it even more exciting than watching a musician play an instrument. This is perhaps because one person at the mixing desk controls all the instruments and not just one. Seeing how turning a knob or moving a slider changes the sound, triggers effects or switches instruments on or off - in other words, how music is "designed" and controlled - is for Dub-Nerds like me really find it exciting. But only as exciting as the music is good. And the two Frenchmen have no doubt about that. Their own productions and those of other artists on their Bat label (eg Pinnacle Sound) are among the best that European reggae has to offer. Like so many of us Europeans, they love the reggae sound of the 70s and 80s, which they pay homage to with all of their label's releases. Of course, everything is recorded analogue, mixed analogue and stored analogue on magnetic tape. It is not uncommon for them to quote historical riddims, work with DJs and singers from the golden era and mix their Dubs of course in the style of the old Jamaican masters. But similar to Prince Fatty and other retro fetishists in good old Europe, they don't just play classics, but deliver a fresh and original interpretation of this music and its sound. And so Tape Me Out #5 is not a remake, but an absolute newmake with the fantastic stylistic devices of the past - and a great Dub-Album.

Rating: 5 out of 5.