Categories
Reggae

10 feet Ganja Plant: 10 Deadly Shots Vol. 2

Strictly speaking, the 10 Deadly Shots don't even belong on this page, because what the band from New York brings to our ears here are pure old-school instrumentals that come with them Dub have as much to do as my good old Olympia with the MacBook Pro on which this text is being written. If you didn't know better, a short listening session could give you the impression of hearing a Studio One tape with Jackie Mittoo that was believed to be lost - something for the guys from that Ganja plantation would probably be a huge compliment. Because they really did everything they could to fool the listener. On their website, they meticulously describe which analog recording equipment was used and when, how the recording device was calibrated and probably also which brand of tape they used and what was previously stored on the tape (if the latter was not for the benefit of the reader would have deleted). But listening is more than reading, and as far as that is concerned, no further explanation is required: The ten fatal shots (which are more like ten happy rubber balls) are just as much fun as the lovingly mimetic retro productions of Prince Fatty. Anyone who hears them simply gets a good idea: life is beautiful and everything is good. If you would like to read a critical reflection here, you should try to write one yourself in a state of blissful rapture. It is impossible.

Categories
Review

King Size Dub Special - Dub Syndicate: Crucial Recordings In The Name Of Bud

With the Dub Syndicate can never go wrong. That veteran band around Roots Radics drummer Style Scott and cult producer Adrian Sherwood has produced a huge bundle of recordings in the probably more than 25 years of its existence, from which one could compile one best of album after the other at will . The Hamburg label echo beach now has this in the form of a "Ultimate release"As it says in the press release, done and thankfully mostly remix or over the collected tracksdublet ben. In addition, two completely new recordings are presented here. That doesn't just sound good on paper. In any case, I rarely have so much fun with a new, old one Dub Syndicate album like here. And since it is supposed to go over the counter for the fabulous price of € 4,99 (who still buys something like that in the store?), There is a rambling excursion into the history of the oeuvre of Dub Syndicate nothing in the way.

Categories
Review

Webcam Hi-Fi: Feeding My Faith

That France is currently the first home of the Dub is, probably got around. One of the people who is responsible for this laudable status of our neighboring country is called Fredread and manages a label called Tube Dub Sound. I first became aware of him when I discovered his superb album Webcam Hi-Fi: "Livity Is My Temple" two years ago. Now he is also presenting a second album in the incarnation “Webcam Hi-Fi”: “Feeding My Faith”, which is not as good as its predecessor, but still far above the level of average Dub-Productions ranked. In the style of a showcase album, it presents 17 pieces both as vocal and as Dub-Version. The sound of the album is classic, even tending to be conservative, nevertheless (or perhaps because of it) wonderfully warm and harmonious. There's actually nothing to complain about here: The songs are solid, they are Dubs perfectly crafted. This album is great to listen to while working or while surfing the web. It's more like a "feel-good factor" - you don't miss a lot if you don't listen carefully. But you completely miss the very pleasant atmosphere that this music creates if you do without the album.

Categories
Review

Manwell T: Virtual Dub 4

Although the Maltese Manwel Tabone aka Manwel T is already an old cracker (born in 1960 - even older than me!), He produced and mixed his first Dub only in 2006 and completely on his PC - which is why he is also called “digital dub remixer ”. His first album was released three years later, in 2009, now in 2012 with “Virtual Dub 4 ”is his fourth work. Since I also have “Virtual Dub 2 ”, I was able to immediately make a historical comparison which, after carefully studying exactly 24 pieces, led me to the realization that Manwel T maintains a constant style: classic-modern Dub with a tendency to steppers. Despite his obviously limited resources, he manages to build quite independent tracks, each of which has its own distinctive characteristics, be it a concise hookline, a melodic bassline or an interesting arrangement. Not bad - if it weren't for the a bit too sterile, all too synthetic sounding. Maybe he just doesn't use really well-sampled instruments or he just can't do the mastering. Maybe he only works with Windows ;-) Since he is probably aware of this shortcoming himself, he is giving away his album as a free one Download - which makes any further criticism obsolete.

Categories
Other

Various: Uno

If you want to finally escape the eternal, repetitive, dull and stupid, almost mindless reggae offbeat, you can lend your ear to the label sampler “Uno” from the Italian label “Aquietbump” to sink into spherical “low end frequencies” . The sound is included somewhere Dub-House / minimal electronics and really isn't bad. Anyone who owns a voluminous subwoofer can easily provoke structural damage (or body damage, depending on) with this album. I even know two of the minimal artists gathered here: Andreas Tilliander and Hieronymus (which doesn't help you now, does it?). It's best to have a listen, because the album is free.

Categories
Review Other

Dub Colossus: Dub Me Tender Vol. 1 + 2

In the beginning there was Dubullah - a man with a vision. Even more enthusiastic Dubhead (one would hardly have expected otherwise with the name), founding member of Transglobal Underground and Syriana, had the dream, reggae and Dub to connect with the music of Ethiopia. In 2006 he flew to Addis Ababa, met many great musicians there, and founded the band with them Dub Colossus and recorded two albums. But what a real one Dubhead is, he doesn't just record two albums without them through the Dub-Wolf to spin. "Dub Me Tender Vol. 1 + 2 “(Real World) is the result of this process and you cannot avoid Dubullah to attest the mastery of his craft. What was originally a mixture of Ethiojazz and Reggae à La Abyssinians or Mighty Diamonds is now - formally speaking - more pure Dub. Played very lightly, with a sound reminiscent of live recordings. It may not be an album that gives us hardcoreDub-Maniacs, but the target group of the Real World label should be amazed to see music that is so much more playful and musical than what it was used to categorize under reggae. And it is precisely this joy of playing, which literally gushes out of the music, that with the conventions of the (mostly electronically produced) Dub breaks and enables a whole new experience of our favorite genre. But I modestly dare to question whether it is an all-round positive experience. Maybe I like the classic Dub-Convention too much, but it may also be that the conventions are the result of a natural and consistent process and therefore rightly exist; that develops in my ears Dub Colossus in any case not that fascination that the "right" Dub-Sound lives inside. In my understanding means Dub always “less”, i.e. minimalism, repetition and pure sound. Dub Colossus, on the other hand, offers “more”, musical abundance instead of minimalism, variation and joy of playing instead of repetition and instrumental “songs” instead of pure sound. The mix does not have the task of destruction here, but is itself a “more” in that it adds to the music and increases its complexity. In spite of Dub do we have it at "Dub Me Tender “not really with Dub to do - apart from that, with an interesting musical experience.

Categories
Reggae

"Do The Reggae" in the iBook store

My old book “Do The Reggae” (1995) has just been published in Apple's iBook store. If you want to read the history of reggae on the iPad, you can free download.

Categories
Review

Alpha & Omega Meets Dan I: Blessed Are The Poor

If it's in the Dub-Community gives an act that has found its sound, then it is without a doubt, completely and 100% Alpha & Omega. Bassist Christine Woodbridge and keyboard player John Sprosen have been producing their heavy, sluggish, dark, even mystical sound since 1988, which can best be compared to Lee Perry's Black Ark sound. Their recordings are so similar to each other that I often cannot make a sure decision whether they are presenting new material or recycling old rhythms. Actually, for over 20 years, an uninterrupted stream of dark sound material has been flowing out of her London Chapel House Studio, a continuum that allows only minimal variations, a stream of drum & bass that the listener falls for like a narcotic. I'm not writing about brilliant productions, crisp sound or even musical innovations. Everything I write about is this mystical jungle atmosphere, this natural force-like sound, which envelops its listener and at the same time drives it forward with massive steppers-four-to-the-floor. Despite my admiration for A&O, recent productions like “Trample The Eagle And The Dragon And The Bear” or “City Of Dub“Don't leave a lasting impression on me. The new album "Blessed Are The Poor" (Control Tower) on the other hand, the five songs by Dan I in showcase style (with an attached Dub) is of a completely different caliber. Because besides Christine's and John's typical sound (which seems to me a bit more aggressively mixed here), it is above all the songs by Dan I that cause a sensation. Somehow this guy has developed a strangely lazy, almost time-shifted style of singing that fits perfectly with the stoic A&O sound. Dan I will probably sound terrible above other productions - but here he spices the music just the right amount. But also the pure ones Dubs sound interesting. I can't analyze it exactly, but somehow the mixes sound more powerful and dynamic. Maybe it's the strangely distorted sound that accompanies the bassline here and remotely Dubstep reminds. Or maybe it's the many melody samples from older A&O productions like z. B. from Aswad's “Warrior Charge”, which was already on “City Of Dub"Was heard, but here, on" Blessed Are The Poor "it is only allowed to use all its strength.

Categories
Reggae Review

Ital Horns Meets Bush Chemists Featuring Rico: History, Mystery, Destiny

Rico Rodriguez was one of the first reggae artists I lent my ears to in the 1980s. I played his album “Man From Wareika” without a break. "That Man Is Forward" followed later - then I lost sight of my hero. I was all the more amazed when I rediscovered him when I was younger on an inconspicuous album from the Conscious Sounds Studio: Ital Horns Meets Bush Chemists Featuring Rico, "History, Mystery, Destiny" (Roots Temple). I wouldn't rate this album as a world-shattering event like “Man From Wareika” once did, but it's a solid and beautiful album that is really fun to listen to. An extraordinary concept is offered, namely an instrumental Shwocase, in which each instrumental is from one Dub accompanied - a total of 19 tracks! The typical UK-Dub-Sound of the Bush Chemists, which is also the only weakness of the album. Above that, the Ital Horns (saxophone, trombone, trumpet) shine in wonderful reggae horn section fashion, namely in unison, playing nice little melody phrases. There are also solos, of course, but they are always perfectly embedded in the harmony of the music. So worrying about eccentric jazz escapades is completely unfounded. In general, “Harmony” could be the motto of this album - if, yes, if the rhythms weren't quite as stereotypical Steppers bolides. Not only is the sound getting a bit dated, the digital beats are just a bit too powerful, almost brutal, in relation to the fine brass section. Hand-played rhythms would undoubtedly be more adequate here. But let's not complain. The joy of an album with such excellent brass music prevails.

Categories
Review

Ashley: Land Of Dub

As we all know, there is hardly any money left with music on CD or legal download. With Dub certainly not at all. On the contrary, they are probably stuck Dubheads more money into their studio equipment than they will ever make from selling their albums. Dub is very, very, very special interest. In other words, the market for Dub-Productions is tiny. Selling a few hundred copies probably won't even pay for the studio utility bill. Live concerts - the last remaining opportunity to generate money in the music biz - are for Dub not an option, as is known Dub a studio music. So what could be more natural than offering the fruits of endless nights spent in the studio for free download? Instead of letting the music go to waste on your own hard drive or on the iTunes server, it reaches those for whom it is intended: the friends of Dub like us, who do not hesitate, a gift Dub-Album gratefully accepted. Granted, most of the free music on the net isn't worth the click it takes to start the download. In the case of Ashley's new album, “Land Of Dub“ (Dubkey), but it's really worth it. I have to admit that I really grew fond of this free album. The British Edward Reeve has produced a wonderfully relaxed, harmonious and, last but not least, extremely melodic album that is consistently fun to listen to. Each track has a different feature, offers a different melody, a new arrangement and its own beat, and is topped off by an inspired mix. Okay, the synth brass section isn't really convincing, but that's all I can think of to criticize. So there is no reason not to click this link: http://dubkey.com/dubkey010.html