Phenin
Grounded
Shit catapult / compact / alive
Dub is at home in many styles. After its resurrection as a Steppers variant in the 90s, the Dub-Virus underwent many mutations and infected the most diverse musical styles one after the other. Lately I especially like a typically German variant that nests itself in minimal techno and house pieces, whose shuffle rhythms, which are already very susceptible, add a few offbeats and occasionally switch on the echo chamber. One of the masters of these techno-affiliates Dubs is Lars Fenin. Inspired by Adrian Sherwood and Audio Active (but also Burning Spear) concerts, he turned to reggae in the mid-90s. His move from Hamburg to Berlin placed him in the middle of the electronic music capital, which was not without consequences. And so Fenin began in 1999 with the production of warm, groovy, clearly technoid tones Dub-Do it. In the years that followed, a whole series of 12 ”and EPs were released on labels such as Meteosound, Hör Zu and Shitkatapult - but he still owes his debut album. Here it is now: "Grounded" (Shitkatapult / Compact / Alive). It spans the whole spectrum of his art, from the techno hardliner “Konstrukt” to compact compatible ones like “Stony Road” to reggae songs like “No CIA” or “Thrill”. It all fits together wonderfully and there is not a weak piece among them. Subtle and intricate yet dynamically flowing rhythms shape every single tune. So Fenin offers exactly what I do Dub love: Music that withstands attentive and analytical listening and at the same time has a strong emotional and physical impact. In Fenins Dub- Understanding therefore has a lot of potential - which, by the way, also applies to other protagonists in this scene (z. B. for the label Meteosound). And of course I don't mean that just in terms of Dub and reggae, but above all with regard to electronic music Made in Germany.
The Canadian's new work belongs in the same area of tension between reggae and techno Deadbeat (aka Scott Monteith): "New World Observer" (~ scape / Indigo). However, the offbeats and the repetitive minimal beats take a back seat to the broad ambient atmosphere. The rhythms are no less elegantly constructed than with Fenin, it is only the dynamics that largely give way to the surface and thus partly take away the groove from the pieces. Typical for Scape, not only the beats of Deadbeat's pieces are tricky, but the whole track. This of course offers more space for artistic expression, and so it is not surprising that the press release “New World Observer” assumes a political statement - which is made for you Dub-Album naturally only via the title (z. B. "Abu Ghraib" or "Texas Tea") and possibly vocal samples. The question that arises here is whether the symbolic power of reggae (and with it Dub) as resistance music can be so easily absorbed. I'm not sure because Dub is based on a very formalistic understanding of music. Dub was created by removing the text message from a piece of music on the mixer and replacing it with a purely aesthetic reinterpretation. More contemporary Dub As is well known, it even comes about without a preceding vocal version. Dub is abstract music, for the most part it doesn't even have a memorable, and thus “figurative” melody. And this is exactly where the sound cosmos of Deadbeat fits: into the great abstraction of synthetic beats and complex compositions.
Another crossover album deserves a brief mention here, but it sits between the chairs much more consistently than Fenin or Deadbeat: "Sports" (Stadler & Waldorf / Alive) by the two Danes Rasmus Möbius and Anders Christophersen aka Dairy. They split their album into Dub- and hip-hop pieces that take turns. It goes together amazingly well because they too Dubs are characterized by clear breakbeats - without losing their warmth.
My secret favorite is a record from Poland, which I could hardly find out anything about, as both the booklet and the website were written exclusively in Polish. How good that music is a universal language, because what you can hear is easy to describe: Bhangra, Quawwala, Drum 'n' Bass, Arabesque and Asian Underground united under the all-encompassing principle of Dub. The title of the album is therefore logical "Masala" (Home Appliance / Import) - the name of an Indian mixture of spices. A rather sharp mixture of spices, which makes it clear that we are not dealing with spherical sitar sounds, but with a high-energy mix of exotic dance beats, with the reggae offbeat always calming the chaos in order. The comparison to Asian Dub Foundation urges itself, with ADF going more aggressively and in favor of Dub and Drum 'n' Bass further move away from the original ethnic sounds. The Masala sound system however, he recorded his pieces in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Poland and therefore places much more emphasis on the authentic music of these cultures. This is then by no means eclectic under-sampled and appropriated as a mere sound quotation, but it essentially carries the pieces and gives each one its unmistakable identity. Very fascinating! (The album can be obtained from Irie Records in Münster).
If you are interested in world music, you cannot ignore Phil Stanton's World Music Network label. The “Rough Guide” series in particular is very well known. After the "Rough Guide To Reggae" was published a few years ago, it is now fresh "Rough Guide To Dub" (World Music Network). Both samplers were put together by reggae historian and Blood & Fire co-operator Steve Barrow. However, this has to be with the guide Dub limited to titles from the Blood & Fire catalog with just one exception, which also explains why the guide does not get past the 1970s. King Tubby alone mixed 10 of the 20 tracks. The rest is shared by Prince Jammy, Errol Thompson, Lee Perry and Joe Joe Hookim. This would bring the most important Jamaican masters - with the exception of Scientist - all together, the Jamaican Dub So represented in the most excellent way and an aesthetically very satisfying album was created. But what use is a guide if he falls halfway?
The sampler comes from Echo Beach "King size Dub 11 "(Echo Beach / Indigo). For ten years now, Mr. Beverungen has been documenting with his King Size Dub-Series (the first sampler appeared in 1995) the “Logical Dubgression ”and as usual there are the finest again Dub- Delicacies gathered between reggae, soul, pop, dancehall, world, trip hop and dope beats. Anyone who - like me - is an avid collector of Echo Beach's artist albums will buy around a third of the pieces (Noiseshaper, Kalahari Surfers, Dubblestandart et al.) already know. But especially among the new material there are some extremely interesting ones Dubs. There is, for example, Math Doly, a singer and songwriter from the Ivory Coast, whose griot singing here by producer Simon Grab in a meditative way Dub-Piece was transformed. There would also be the Alpsdub to call a Dub-Mixer from Canada who loves Dubs to mix based on German alpine music. And finally I mentioned salt from Cologne, with one Dub-House remix of the label anthem "Echo Beach" by Martha & The Muffins.
One of the pieces on king size Dub 11 is from the album "Dub Guerilla "(Rent a Dog / Soulfood) from Dub guerrilla, aka Tom Bennecke, the longtime guitarist of bands like Space Guerilla and Jazzkantine. It goes without saying that this has to be about jazz. And when it comes to reggae and jazz, ska is not far away - any more than the brass section. And in fact stand by Dub Guerrilla the three trombonists Nils Wogram (leading jazz trombonist), Uwe Granitza (Phil Collins, Tom Jones) and of course Dr. Ring thing in the center of the action. But the record would be wrong in my column if the three gentlemen only garnished ska pieces with their brass sections. What makes this project so unusual are the truly extraordinary DubPieces. Already the first track, “The Curse”, welcomes the listener as the reincarnation of a King Tubby Dub-Mix in the style of classic Flying Cymbal Bunny Lee productions. "Dub is the ideal form of expression for me, ”says Bennecke,“ it contains everything I love: powerful riddims, naive melodies and also space for spacey-jazzy descents, ”and thus aptly describes the sound cosmos of the album - apart from perhaps powerful ones Rhythms (which jazz musicians of the post-swing era have never really gotten to). In addition to the pieces based on drum loops, there are also real, hand-played band tracks that enrich the album with the sound of a large rhythm group.
Who today for Dub committed, be it as a musician / producer or label operator, he does this out of pure idealism, because money can hardly be earned with it. Ralf Wunderlich is both a musician and a label owner, Dub A wholehearted aficionado and an unconditional idealist. He runs the from his hometown Berlin Dub-Info website www.dubflash.com as well as the label of the same name, on which 12 "s appear in small editions and recently also albums in CD form. While he's only there so far Dub-Works befriended sound tinkerer and Dub-Musician introduced, he is now under the name Dub Arrogant with its own album, called "Dreams Of A Lost Soul" (Dubflash), at the beginning. Wunderlich produced it entirely on his home PC, "without any professional skills", as he apologetically writes, and completely without a budget. He can allow himself a little more self-confidence, because it is a very beautiful, calm and meditative one Dub-Become a work that is full of good ideas and beautiful melodies. Created as a concept album, it provides the soundtrack to a dream about a stolen melody and the question: "What is reality?" An interesting concept, because this topic in the back of the mind actually changes the perception of the music. When listening, images inevitably arise in the head, which combine in a chain of associations to form a story. Why aren't there others already? Dub-Producer figured it out?
What else on Dubflash can be heard, Wunderlich has now on the sampler "Dub Royal - Best Of Dub Flash "(Dubflash) gathered. Heavy steppers beats predominate here, occasionally garnished with vocals. Typical UKDub-Mid 90ies sound. Here, too, there are some nice ideas, but it will probably not get an innovation award. The arrangement and instrumentation of the individual tracks should also be a bit more inventive.
Let us now come to a work that, for better or worse, belongs in this column: "The Dub Tribute To U2 "(www.vitaminrecords.com/Import) from WideAwake. Maybe I've always been a contempt for rock music, but maybe you have to know the U2 originals to enjoy this album. In any case, I don't even begin to succeed. OK, what the producers did there is without a doubt DubThat means: there are a lot of sound effects here, many (too many!) breaks, reverb and echo and whatever else goes with it. But unfortunately the basslines were forgotten. Or is it part of the rock tribute that the bass cannot be heard? The fact that guitars are used instead of bass only makes matters worse. It remains to be noted: powerful rhythms, the conditio sine qua non of every ordinary one Dubs, does not exist! But I don't want to deny that the producers really try and put many well-intentioned ideas into their arrangements. But if the bas (s) is not right, then you can forget the rest. Incidentally, a visit to the Vitaminrecords website is quite enlightening, because the label has specialized entirely in tribute albums. There are tributes to Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein or Bon Jovi. However, they are not Dub- Remixes, but mostly classically orchestrated reinterpretations, some of which are really exciting (MP3s can be tried out). For example, a classic string quartet interprets the music of Sonic Youth in the minimal style of Steve Reich or Philipp Glass. The same quartet has also undertaken a baroque reinterpretation of AC / DC !?
That Poland is a country with liveliness DubScene is, due to the two PolandDub- Guess samplers that I discussed in the last issue. Now a couple of respectable solo albums have "come over", first and foremost Activator with "Mario Dziurex Remixy" (www.independent.pl/Import). You can hear it here Dub- Remixes of some tracks by Zion Train, Rootsman, Nucleus Roots, Maka B and various Polish acts. That worked out pretty well. The Maka B remix is bursting with energy and is already tending towards techno-Dub. Other pieces sound no less progressive and also captivate with wonderfully catchy melodies and varied instrumentation. It's really fun to hear. If you want to get the album via import, you should ask here: www.irie-records.de.
Next comes 12rael (I don't know how to say that) with his simply titled album "In Dub"(Www.wmoichoczach.com.pl/Import). He offers us rock-solid steppersDub with an acceptable level of inspiration. The artist with the unpronounceable name has invested a lot of effort in his mixes. His basslines are rolling and the drum loops are partly like on “Freedomic Dub“, A little unusual. But to be honest, I still can't think of a real argument why one should invest in imports from Poland.
The new work of another artist with an unpronounceable name is very interesting: Wszystkie Wschody Slonca. The album is titled a little more simply: "Luv Etno Logic Dub"(Www.independent.pl/Import). Instead of stoic steppers beats, complex arrangements with breaks, samples and some folk-inspired harmony are served here. There are always small catchy tunes that lead like a red thread through the respective track. Occasionally, however, you have to endure a guitar solo or listen to someone speak Polish. In general, there is a certain proximity to the rougher Adrian Sherwood productions. This is at the expense of warm bass vibes, but you get head food - hot onions, as shown on the cover.
So much for the Poland selection. Now we come to a couple of rather obscure productions. First, there is Justin DeHart from Sacramento on the American West Coast, who goes by the name Doctor Echo since the early 90s Dub produced. The ones on his album "Steady Ups vs. Doctor Echo: Dub Disaster "(www.doctorecho.com/Import) The pieces presented were recorded live between 1995 and 2000 and are now closed Dubs mixed. That doesn't sound particularly exciting and it isn't. Unfortunately the Steady Ups had no idea how to get groovy rhythms. And no matter how hard the doctor tries with his mix, good guys Dubs sound different.
King earthquake sets with his album "Earthquake Dub-Plates "(King Earthquake / Import) other plans. Hard-hitting steppers beats in the purest UKDub-Style let the window panes rattle (with which the king of the earthquakes is probably trying to live up to his name). But apart from the fact that the King has nothing to add to the mid-90ies sound, he produced for his Dubplates the most boring basslines I've ever heard.
The I-sticals from France are with their self-burned CD "Verse-Ital" (www.irie-records) slightly better. However, the singing, which fortunately only started sporadically, is so bad that everyone meant well Dubs down with it - so that they rest in peace.
After the pans, now a really nice revival album: Dub Roots (Wackies / Indigo) from Prince Douglas. Originally released in the early 80s, the album was one of the ultra-rare Wackies collectibles (which recently sold for over $ 200 in an internet auction). It may be that the buyer will be really annoyed about the rerelease, all other lovers of good reggae music will undoubtedly be very happy, because Dub Roots is one of the most beautiful Dub-Albums of the label. Even if it is rather reserved in terms of the mix, the rhythms are simply breathtaking. The melodic basslines roll through wonderfully "warm" Wackies tunes full of atmosphere at a pleasantly relaxed pace. Allegedly the pieces are copies of rhythms that Sly and Robbie brought back from Jamaica. One of the nicest tunes, “March Down Babylon” is definitely a copy of Steel Pulse's “Handsworth Revolution”, with Bullwackie himself on the microphone.