Category: Review

To woman in Dub - what no Dub-Album was - sets Dubble standard with In Dub (Echo Beach) now a genuine, single origin Dub-Work before. It essentially consists of the “Woman in Dub“Rhythm material, as well as a few tracks from older works, such as z. B. Marijuana Dreams and Return from Planet Dub. Two thirds of the Dubs are penned by Paul Zasky and Robbie Ost, who are both the hard core of Dubform blestandart. Four other tracks were mixed by Adrian Sherwood and one remixed by Rob Smith. Overall a solid package of good rhythms, in classic fashion too Dubs shaped. The ladies' vocals are reduced to isolated fragments, annoying sound gimmicks have largely been dispensed with and the neatly balanced old-school mix lets the rhythms flow freely and unfold. Old master Adrian Sherwood also delivers solid craftsmanship. Only Rob Smith beats with his remix of Holding You Close break new ground in the direction of club music. In fact, I would have wished for more of it - a few fresh ideas couldn't have hurt - but on the other hand I definitely don't want to badmouth a classically beautiful album. The constant hunt for innovations only causes stress anyway. So we are happy about the typical, always slightly reminiscent of On-U-Sound Dubblestandart sound (without disturbing vocals ;-) and about unexcited, old-school ones Dub-Mixes.

Oops, I didn't expect that: In the fifth year of its existence, the Evolution of DubSeries finally the turning point for digital reggae. After the previously released seven CD boxes were largely stuck in the 1970s, increases Evolution of Dub, vol. 8 (Greensleeves / VP) in the mid-1980s and stretches the bow almost into the present. "The Search for New Life" is the subtitle of the current box and thus comments on the decline of the Jamaican DubIt's almost cynical since the late 1970s. It succeeded without much effort Dub-Curators at Greensleeves / VP to fill the 28 album rereleases that have so far appeared in the Evolution series with material from the 1970s alone. The following 30 years now easily fit in a 4-CD box - at least if the evolutionary story was produced in Jamaica Dub remains limited. About the reasons why Dub fell so dramatically in popularity in Jamaica, while it became more and more popular first in England and later around the world, one can speculate. It is not uncommon to hear the explanation that the reggae sound of the digital age is not a good basis for DubLet s be: too reduced, too percussive, too fast. Let's see if there's any truth to that.

Already in year one after Sleng Teng did Prince Jammy himself demonstrated that digital rhythms and Dub do not have to be a fundamental contradiction: Computerized Dub, the first digital DubAlbum of reggae history, caused a sensation in 1986 and was therefore selected for this CD box with good reason. It contains Dubs of ten digitally produced rhythms by the pioneers of the new sound at the time: Steelie & Cleevie. The star of this album is not so much Dub-Mix rather than this unspeakable and yet ingenious 8-bit sound, which the two musicians coaxed from their cheap keyboards and formed into synthetic, beautiful reggae beats. Jahtari keeps the legacy of this sound alive to this day. On “Computerized Dub“You can hear the original.

A few years later Gussie Clarke had further developed the digital sound of reggae in his Music Works studio into a clean, polished, rather cool, but also comparatively complex sound. A member of the Music Works team was Mikey Bennet, who founded the Two Friends label together with Patrick Lindsay in the early 1990s and produced recordings for Cocoa Tea, Brian & Tony Gold, Gregory Isaacs and Shabba Ranks in the Music Works studio. The box's second album dates from this time: Voyage Into Dub, and the offers the typical Music Works sound in its purest form - and thus involuntarily answers the question of why Dub No longer played a role in the digital age in Jamaica: The digital rhythms as we hear them here naturally contradict this Dub-Treatment. Instead of the open, slow, clearly structured rhythm of Roots Reggae, the digital productions tend to be characterized by overload, emphasis on percussive structures and fast polyrhythmics, which often makes them seem complicated. Also played for Dub the crucial bassline played an increasingly minor role (until it finally disappeared completely in the dancehall sound). Hence, “Voyage Into Dub“An interesting historical document, but not a good one Dub-Album.

With the next album, the box makes a big leap into the 21st century: Juke Boxx Dub from the producer shane brown. It presents among others Dub-Versions of Chuck Fenda's "Freedom of Speech", Romain Virgo's "Can't Sleep" and Morgan Heritages "Brooklyn & Jamaica". The recordings are committed to classic reggae, probably hand-played, and build on the good old foundation of drum & bass. So the perfect basis for a Dub-Reworking. And indeed: here we have the first good one DubAlbum of the box. It follows the model of the Jamaican 70ies-Dub, uses the same techniques and creates a comparable, super-classic sound. Amazingly, however, Jamaican producers still do not have any international influences Dub-Productions that could look beyond the Seventies model. Steppers, Dubstep or crossover experiments seem taboo, although they would actually be a fantastic source of inspiration.

The last album in the box really surprised me, although it is actually quite logical, the “Evolution of Dub"Series to end with: Dub Clash from Alborosie. Produced entirely analog with historical studio equipment, it connects wherever Dub started in the 1970s. It is not without reason that Alborosie dedicated the album to King Tubby and relied on classic riddims such as “Full Up”, “Bobby Babylon” or “When I Fall in Love”. An absolutely superb album - and, although I have the greatest respect for the old masters, I have to say: the best album of the whole “Evolution of Dub".

It had to happen like this: Alborosie is such an old-school fanatic dyed in the wool that it is his duty to write a vocal album DubVersion to follow. This is how it was done in the 1970s, and this is how it is good in 2013 as well. So, bring on the disc - which of course consists of heavy, black vinyl: "Dub the System “, the Dub-Reworking of the album released a few months ago Sound the system (Greensleeves). Dug out old Thorens and put the needle in the groove. Indeed! Music - physical and analog. And what comes out of the loudspeakers fits perfectly with the almost forgotten vinyl ritual: namely classic, analogue mixed and refined with historical studio equipment Dubs. No newfangled gimmicks, no Dubstep, no steppers, no digital electronics - just a man and his mixer. Pupa Albo is the solo entertainer on this journey into the realms of the original, Jamaican Dub. It is his music through and through, because he not only played almost all instruments himself, but was also a recording engineer and of course Dub-Mixer (he only left the mastering to Kevin Metcalfe in London). When Alborosie is at the controls, there is no question where the journey is going: Already the first bars - unmistakable Sly & Robbie sound - make it clear: the album is a homage to the roots sound of the late 1970s in every note , recorded in analogue and all hand-played. Reverb, echo and switching sound tracks on and off are the only effects allowed here. A puristic setting, which, however, needs a few ideas to do more than just reincarnate the 70sDub to be. To be more means: one Dub-Album committed to tradition, but ours from 40 years Dub-Experienced listening habits can still surprise you. Has the Sicilian succeeded in this feat? I am not so sure about that. The rhythms are good (“Guess Who's Comming to Dinner” and “Zion Train” are among them), the compositions are good, the arrangements are good too, and ultimately that too Dub-Mixing not bad. On the other hand, there is still something missing to make me really happy. If the essence of the Dub really consists of completely breaking a track down into its component parts and getting to its core, consisting of pure drum & bass, around the Dub Rebuilding from this base means Alborosie is only half the way. Dub the system could use more consistency. According to my taste, they should Dubs be significantly more radical. Perhaps the entertainer, who is undoubtedly Pupa Albo, shied away from challenging his audience, denying them harmonies and lush arrangements, and replacing carefree fun with fascination. But maybe he loves his music too much to be brutally cut and rebuilt. He lacked the courage to destroy - something groundbreaking DubUnfortunately, it makes it impossible, but is somehow still sympathetic.

That's an interesting self-assessment: The Dub-Producer weeding Dub from Lille locates itself as "the missing link" between Mad Professor and Zion Train! Wow, that's specific. I haven't actually missed a link so far, but now that it is there, I have to say: I would have imagined it differently. Because weeding Dub does not stand for virtuoso Dub Mixing for extensive excursions into the house genre. I see him more in the arena of the stepper. There he undoubtedly hits heavy artillery: plump beats, massive basslines and an urgent, militant aggressiveness. Sometimes his new album sounds like "Inna Digital Age" (Contol Tower Records) a bit too 8-bit moderate for me, a bit too mechanical, a bit too old school digital - but that is obviously a concept, given the album title. But what really doesn't work that well are the six interspersed vocal tunes. Weeding has here Dub simply not having a lucky hand when choosing. Sometimes the singer sounds like a high school graduate who is standing in front of the microphone for the first time, sometimes the singer has committed, but simply stupid lyrics ready. The interplay with Housman Horns, on the other hand, works really well, whose wind melodies add a little warmth to the clean computer beats. The Housman track also offers really good things Dub-Mixing. Here you can actually hear a certain proximity to earlier Zion Train recordings. More of it would have been good.

My verdict: Brutal steppers sound with an 8-bit feel. That's okay. But the singing is definitely not okay. What I liked most is the track with Housman Horns. I wished, there were more of this.
My rating: 6 (out of 10)
Check it out: Juno

There should be people who use the old original vinylDubCollect albums and spend huge sums of money on individual works at auctions. Linval Thompsons & The Revolutionaries "Boss Man's Dub" (Hot Milk) must have been such an expensive album, because when it saw the light of day in 1979 it was only given a minimal edition white label pre-release. A collector's item par excellence, henceforth “The Lost 1979 Dub Album ”. Now it is, quite mundane, available as a CD release and offers 11 productions from the pen of Linval Thompson, whose singing can be heard sporadically on some tracks. It was produced in 1979, probably at the same time as “Negrea Love Dub"And" Outlaw Dub". Like this one became “Boss Man's Dub“Recorded in Channel One Studio, but unlike the previous ones, it is not clear where and by whom the album was mixed. Musically it is of course, unsurprisingly, very close to the two sister albums. Of the Dub-Mix is ​​absolutely classic, not an outstanding masterpiece, the originator of which has to be found out. However, the excellent liner notes by David Katz should be emphasized, who not only tries (but in vain) to shed light on the history of the album's creation, but also the genesis of the in his text en passant Dub and the biography of Linval Thompson for the best. Respect.

My verdict: A classical, rare album from 1979. Sounds similar to “Negrea Love Dub"And" Outlaw Dub". It's okay, but not worth the foot. The liner notes are brilliant.
my rating: 6 (out of 10)
Check it out: Amazon

We all love that Dub-Sound of the 70s and early 80s, right? We've all spent hours, days, weeks, even months doing that Dubs the Fatman Riddim Section, the Revolutionaries, the Roots Radics, and all the other Jamaican studio heroes. It was the perfect sound for its time. The era of the classical Dub - a closed, historical event. In the current age of eclecticism, it is this epoch that is preferably quoted, sampled and, yes, plundered. But what postmodernists like Prince Fatty, DubTo build matix or Alborosie from the stones of that era today is an interpretation of that time, a reflection on it, perhaps also an homage, but it is something new, contemporary, independent. What is the point of just copying the music of the golden era? The copy cannot be better than the original. So what is her raison d'etre? Tom Chasteen probably wasn't asking himself that question. He has been running the in Los Angeles since 2000 Dub Clubwhich is entirely based on the Rub-A-Dub-Sound prescribed. At some point Chasteen realized that the Foundation artists, whose 45s he put on the turntable every week, were unemployed in Jamaica and would be all too willing to buy songs for them for a few dollars Dub Club. So Chasteen organized sessions in LA and Jamaica to record rhythms for the project. The result was the album "Foundation Come Again" (see last riddim). In the old custom, the rhythms became two Dub-Albums generated: "Signs & Wonders in Dub" and "Bubble Dub", which are now both together - somewhat confusing - under the title “Signs & Wonders in Dub“(Stones Throw Records) are available as a digital download. You can hear a lot of classic riddims, exactly reproduced in the authentic sound. I don't think the world needed these two albums, but on the other hand I have to admit that it is fun to let them play in the background. Well, spiritual demands and the lust of the flesh are not always of the same opinion - so to speak.

My verdict: The album is an exact reincarnation of the Rub-A-Dub-Style. Nothing more. But who want's a mere copy, when the original is still available?
my rating: 5 (out of 10)
Check it out: Juno

“Robo Bass HiFi celebrates the latest electro-reggae sound in all its facets. Starting with roots and Dub and Dubstep / drumstep up to Future Jungle, UK-DIGITAL and D'n'B, everything can be found in their repertoire ”- so the info text on the new project by Fluxer M. aka Markus Kammann aka Robo Bass HiFi. Uff, you have to be able to follow that first. What is meant is a rather hybrid sound, which in my opinion is somewhere between Major Lazer and Jungle, with occasional breaks (filled with reggae offbeats) and sprinkled sampled vocals from Cutty Ranks or Bounty Killer over them. The first album with this sound is now available: Robo Bass HiFi, "16 Bit Skanks" (Select cuts). The whole thing is very energetic and full of crazy ideas. Unless you are in a state of ecstatic rapture and are able to consciously listen to the musical fireworks, you can only marvel at the countless layers of sounds that lie on top of each other here in the Dub-Mix constantly alternate; and whenever you think you know what is being played, you will be surprised again. When Dub-Puristically, this musical inferno can be considered overproduced - I think it's exciting and even appreciate it very much, after consuming the bass avalanches of others Dub-Productions to get your ears puffed through with fast beats.
Incidentally, after the first six tracks on the album, the sound changes considerably. The Sturm und Drang of the first part evaporates in favor of more classic reggae beats, because tracks 7 to 14 are remixes of pieces from the Echo Beach back catalog. So experienced z. B. Dubmatix, Groove Corporation or DubThe Robo Bass Treatment is blestandart, which - and this has to be said - is a bit of a mess. Interspersed Schranz passages, distorted basslines and brutal FX do not fit particularly harmoniously into the existing, very good productions - but on the other hand they do not transform them into new creations. It seems kind of half-hearted to me.
Incidentally, Markus Kammann, the creative spirit behind this project, has an exciting biography: in 1988 he founded the legendary Wuppertal Beatbox and then in 1990 Groove Attack. I am very curious whether the Robo Bass HiFi sound system will also be such a success story.

My verdict: A hybrid sound somewhere between Major Lazer and Jungle with lots of reggae-offbeats - always changing, always surprising, always full of ideas. The second half of the album looses it's power.
my rating: 8 (out of 10)
Check it out: Juno