What names appear on the topic Dub in your mind's eye? Let's take a look at the Jamaican pioneers like King T., Lee P., Prince J. and Scientist and look to Europe: Then next to the crazy professor, Adrian S. and Jah S. it should really only be - right: Alpha & Be omega. And rightly so, because they have the European one Dub decisively shaped with her style, which cannot be surpassed in terms of heavy bass and dark magic. Meanwhile, the veteran duo Christine Woodbridge and John Spronsen have become a real one thanks to Spronsen's son, Ben "Alpha" Dub Dynasty, which presented its new family work at the end of last year: "Gideon" (Steppas). As usual a “double album” (as they used to say), with eleven vocal tunes followed by nine Dubs. Basically everything is as usual: Hypnotic beats, booming (hand-played) bass, really nice songs and even better ones Dubs. Only the sound has changed a bit compared to the previous albums. Somehow it sounds more like a sound system now: massive bass and high-pitched highs - not much in between. "Holy Cow" or "Thundering Mantis" sounded a bit rounder. Not to mention the impenetrable jungle sound of classic A&O productions. Only the vocals are nicely present in the middle frequency spectrum. I'm very happy that the Dub Dynasty places great value on text quality. “Black Woman Civilization” is a fine example of this. Otherwise there is not much esoteric or religious information to be heard, but all the more criticism of the system. If there is text, then this!
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Dub Dynasty: Gideon
4 replies to "Dub Dynasty: Gideon "
"Massive bass and shrill highs - not much in between."
I could leave that as it is now without having to say more about it. On the whole, I also don't like the sound of the computer snare that much.
This sound from the snare has even made the sound of the Exterminator (label?) Pretty damned for me. In the meantime, the snare sound sounds quite acceptable again.
This is nothing "absolute" now, but that's how my sense of taste is. Unfortunately - as always with AuO - the basslines remain too entangled in the "dark magic". I'm more into "Voodoo" inna Upliftmenmt Style ". What I noticed positively here with “Gideon” from time to time are the small keyboards and / or synthesizer melodies that manage to lighten my mind, at least in the meantime. I don't think I will give much thought to the lyrics in the future, but I think it's very ok if
the text quality goes beyond religion and esotericism. The most important thing to me is always that the “whyties” don't also sing about repatriation to Africa. I find that downright silly. But I still don't care if the tune otherwise "knocks me out".
All in all, it remains a "steppers disc" and for me I can sum it up by writing:
I have taken note of the music …………………………… lemmi
Haha great, "acknowledged" - you can hardly write more soberly about it.
I had the record in the stream months ago and so far I liked it. By the way, I don't remember the sound of the bathtub, but experience has shown that this is always a problem when the speakers (over) emphasize or attenuate the same frequency ranges as the recording.
The problem with Dub Dynasty is in my opinion her best work, the one with the thundering praying mantis. It is full of catchy tunes, and not just for steppers. And Prince David contributes a few lines. Every new album has to measure itself against this, that's the bar to jump over.
Plus points go to the cover picture, the plasterer sound system certainly looks even better on vinyl album size than on my dirty 14 ″ laptop. "Mantis" had less to offer.
There is no new “Evil Fi Bun” on it, and no “Ithiopia” either. But instead “Likkle Zion”, the track I'm somehow sure I've known for ages. Was it, like “His Foundation”, that has been played as unreleased for every second European sound for years? And the list of feature guests actually reads well. Yehoud-I, whose "Leave Babylon For The Mountain-Top" (in the cool version WITHOUT Alpha Stepper) is somehow only available on Youtube, comes to mind right away.
"Zion Surround" with its celebrated monotony spins a hypnotic mycelium from hammocks in my head. Then it continues with Echo Ranks in a similar mood. So far, not bad at all. Where's the conical-twisted plane? Where the siren? The live MC who toasts himself in such a rage over recent police brutality and doesn't even notice that the track is over?
I probably just miss the moment of collective ecstasy in front of a really huge sound system that I had more than once during the Mantis Tunes. As it currently looks, it will not be possible to make up for it until further notice.
Still I treat myself to “Gideon” again in full length, at least on good headphones, also because of the lyrics. Maybe then I'll take all criticism back, who knows. I really like steppers. For me this is the link to electronic dance music, takes with me a lot of what I like from it, amazingly timeless and older than many techno genres ...
I give four stars out of memory.
Thundering Mantis “got five despite a few ascertained sonic questions, you don't hear every album so often that you even notice annoying little things.
and when it comes to political texts: this one fits the sound of the album very well, inspires me with its didgeridoo-like bass synthesizer (or is it even a didg ...?) and features Fidel Castro quotes :)
https://maddubkolective.bandcamp.com/track/camarada-fidel
High rop up !!!
Yes, I am now and then (in truth mostly) sober ;-)
Even if not down to the smallest detail, we actually found a certain overlap again. Anyway it has the "Thunderimg Mantis"
so far as the only one managed to convince me so far, that as PROPERTY
to increase. Otherwise, I haven't had anything from this team, nor have I needed anything.
However, I had to smile warmly when I wrote your little anecdote about the
Live Mc read. Bob Marley just went on singing, although the concert hall was almost vacated due to too much riot in the crowd and the Wailers had already left the stage out of panic.
This is real enthusiasm !!
However, it also raises questions ;-)
"Three Babylon Try To Make I and I Run" …………………. lemmi