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Captain: Dubs from the Vault

Dub is now produced all over the world, of course also in Germany (but ironically hardly in Jamaica). Not only do we have one of the most prominent in Hamburg Dub-Labels worldwide, but also a well-hung generation of established ones Dub-Producer. With people like Jah Schulz and Kaptan, there are also young talents in the starting blocks. Both, Schulz and Kaptan, are committed to pure, uncompromising sound systemDubs, which derive their immersive power from pure bass presence and stoic, repetitive beats. The focus here is no longer on the virtuoso mix, or even a pale memory of a vocal version that doesn't exist anyway, but on the pure, abstract-concrete sound driven by the bass. Kaptan has just presented his debut album: Dubs From the Vault (Basscomesaveme) which I am currently listening to with great fascination. With the traditional Dub-Schema doesn't have much in common with this album either. But all the more with Jah Schulz - and on the last track also a lot with Rhythm & Sound. So it's expressly not about heavy steppers, but about slower productions in which the bass spreads out like a swollen yeast dough. All pores and cavities of Dubs are pervaded by the bass batter. Drums and offbeat swirl around like raisins. Just delicious! Although the title suggests otherwise, the "Dubs From the Vault" current productions and by no means material that was once lost in the archive. The album only has seven tracks - which is due to the release format, because if you want to physically own the album you actually have to buy an audio cassette. Luckily there is also a digital edition with perfect sound.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

3 replies to “Captan: Dubs from the Vault"

Dear Rene
"the bass that spreads like a swollen yeast dough"... very, very nice metaphor for this short album, which I also celebrate. I don't have anything else to add, let the music speak for itself!

After reading the review in the Riddim, I thought, 'Hopefully René will publish that in the too Dubblog so I can disagree with him.'
It's only one point, but it's close to my heart: I just feel lucky that this album has been released on cassette. Of course, nostalgia plays a role, but apart from that: Must Dub come in perfect sound? No! May Dub not be a bit dirty, unsterile? Absolutely!

(The "swelling yeast dough" is great!)

Hmmmm, yeah that's a shame. Now that you are all in agreement here, I really don't want to write anything more about it.
I don't think the album is bad either, but I can't quite share your enthusiasm. And although I also occasionally use a TapeDeck at home, I cannot understand the philosophy of still relying on this bulkiest medium of all in 2023 (22 years after a space odyssey). I prefer simple data. I don't quite understand why that's the reason for the "only" seven Dubtunes should be. My cassettes easily fit 90 minutes on it. Ok, but that has nothing to do with them Dubtunes to do yourself. I find them all ok, but unfortunately I don't manage to celebrate the album with the same fascination as you do. I can't explain it rationally, especially since Jah Schulz was even in my top 5 last year. There was always something missing from Rhythm And Sound to get into Dubto get ecstatic. Although I didn't think it was bad either, I didn't have to put any of it down at home, let alone hang it up.
I can only guess or at best guess but I have the feeling this DubTunes weren't sent through an analogue mixing console and therefore – in the end – sound a bit bulky to me, or rather they leave me “a bit hungry”. As René put it so aptly on occasion. Maybe it's the raisins wafting around in the yeast-bass dough. It's not my fault, but I don't like raisins at all. So raisins go minus for me. However, they are DubTunes here much better than a Christmas stollen with raisins …………………
No offense but I think a Christmas stollen is a taste error. Just like gorgonzola with or without avocado ………… Ok, ok, I know, it’s all a matter of taste but I really don’t have to have Christmas stollen, raisins, gorgonzola and avocado.
Likewise, I can't understand it in the slightest, how one should have fun with it, DubEditing music in a really tiresome way by pushing the mouse when there is the nice possibility of creating the whole thing spontaneously, intuitively and lively with an analogue mixing console. I admit (reluctantly) that I have no idea about either of these things, but for me this nasty computer mouse definitely has nothing to do with it Dub to do. You can also forward this to the "Mr. Scientist", who apparently did it very early on Dubs, wanted to edit or edit quasi "automatically". Well, the scientist is only human and he can be wrong. As far as I remember he said only reggae was real "dubsuitable". So far I would still be there, but when he then said that RaB and Soul were the only styles where it could possibly work, I had to doubt it badly. However, I'm only human ………………… lemmi

(By the way, I also find eggplant inedible)

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