I don't want to fool around for a long time and say right away: That's not a Dub Album. There are no echoes, hardly any reverb or other effects. This is by no means a journey through it Dub-Universe let alone a multi-dimensional sound flash in trip quality. But it's a nice, atmospheric instrumental album of a different kind - and I'm not in the position to call it one of the best releases so far of the drought 2020 in this regard.
We're talking about Nick Manasseh's new production, which he recorded with Praise. As far as one would like to believe the omniscient data garbage dump Google, the latter is an accomplished and sought-after violinist who has already worked with various greats in the studio and on stage. This makes it clearer in which direction we are moving here: To a different kind of clash - when string instruments meet reggae. This is not a sensation per se, nor is it new, as demonstrated by Cat Coore, Ras Divarious or numerous Sherwood productions. With "Manasseh meets praise“(Roots Garden Records) the two components enter into an almost perfect symbiosis.
On the one hand, this may be due to the producer Manasseh, who used his gentle but unshakable voice from the Earl Sixteen release "Gold dust“The familiar style continues: Acoustic guitars float over a lazy bass monster. Here Praise can bring himself in perfectly with multi-layered string recordings, so that sometimes the impression arises as if a string quartet played melancholy music for a film of this kind - as you can also see in the video for the track "Yes Mic":
I do not know why this particular piece was chosen for the promo video; In any case, my selling point would have been “London Babylon”, which is my highlight of the album with its melody and clever arrangement. Perhaps the choice was difficult because the tracks from “Mannasseh Meets Praise” make a wonderfully coordinated potpourri and ultimately look like one piece - even though the recordings took place over a period of almost ten years.
The album unfolds its greatest charm through its well-tempered sound. You seldom hear a reggae bass so comfortably soft, so deep and at the same time powerful, the highs are pleasantly reserved. In the mixdown, the violins (and sometimes a flute) are gently embedded; nothing screeches there, no sound is annoying - and yet one is miles away from being “ironed”. In the usual review self-experiment, I also heard this release in a continuous loop; it was never boring or annoying due to the repetitions - but it always revealed new nuances: in the sound, in the arrangement, in the (imo classical) melody.
If I finally had to sum up the qualities of the album in one word, it would be “subtle”. Not everyone will be comfortable with this assessment - hardcore Dubheads it could all be too lax. On the other hand, those who are open to nuanced acoustic sounds will like the album and the way it latently seeps into the subconscious.
13 responses to "Manasseh meets Praise"
What does "like" mean here?
Dear ones (!) I do that. Even if I'm not in a Dubstorm, I can't help but carry this disk (?) on my hands and praise it in the 7th heaven.
Just like some other recommendations that have been recommended to me in "conspiratorial meetings" in the last few days. Nick Manasseh can't seem to produce any music that I don't like. I've been a big fan of his since his first release (I have no idea what his first was ;-)). The man has always had fantastic, innovative ideas.
The promo track is good, but I don't think it's the best on the record either. I could definitely agree with the “London Babylon” tip. But the review
is as it is, complete. I feel exactly the same and special about the sound of the instrumentalDub-As far as tunes are concerned, there really isn't a single hair left in the soup. I capitulate ! This disc is perfect! I can only explain the one “point deduction” that we Dubheads here maybe an echo and reverb every now and then
could have needed more. Maybe the point was just forgotten or the color was just gone ;-)
Hardcore DubFans who find this too lax seem to have strained their taste buds too much. This is music for “sensitive gourmets” …….
……… exactly for such “connoisseurs” like me ;-) …………………………… lemmi
hey lemmi,
no, we haven't run out of stars :)
This is a fine album, but I think there is still room for improvement ... and that would theoretically be reserved for a “Manasseh meets Praise in Dub".
So this album reflects Dub in new facets, that would be the only reason I can explain this album not to the beginning Dub-Style to be assigned. The sounds, especially the violins and the division of the parts remind me mildly of characteristics of Bombay Dub orchestra.
The basslines and the offbeats call everyone Dub/ Reggae lovers to indulge their accents fully and to let their fruits open in his ear.
Two songs remind me of parts of Lee Perry & Mad prof., As well as Dreadzone's songs. I always find it very exciting when the same bassline or intro or whatever is played in different songs, whereby the word "same" is in no way meant to be derogatory. There are many multi-faceted songs that many “brothers and sisters” have, if you will.
back to what I noticed at * Manasseh meets Praise *.
London Babylon? Dread'pon Sound - Dreadzone
Whereby the intros are similar to each other, but point in different directions in the course.
Dub With difference? True Meaning of Dub - Lee Perry, MAd Professor and the Robotics
Here the basslines are closely related and go different ways in terms of mood
maybe someone will see himself related :)
Hey carter,
I'm more of the conservative DubGroup and have a corresponding idea what Dub is and what is not.
Abstract: Dub is the reinterpretation of an existing piece of music by editing it with the relevant Dub-Techniques. None of this applies to “Manasseh meets Praise” ... and yet it is a very nice album that is worth listening to. Other Dubheads have a different definition of what Dub is ... and that's a good thing :)
There are classic basslines / riddims that are used and / or reinterpreted over and over again. I find it very exciting when these well-known basslines are recycled and given a new life by the rest of the instrumentation / vocals.
“London Babylon? Dread'pon Sound - Dreadzone "
Yeah man Right !!! I really don't know whether I would have noticed that so quickly in the near future. But I had to write something here again because "Dread pon Sound"
a Dub is (sorry gtkriz ;-) ...) one of my “All Time Favorite Dubs “, which I always find very good. After the intro, both go other ways, but since the earth is round, they meet again exactly in my head and create a fantastic feeling of music.
Take It "Straight To A Sound Boy" …………………. lemmi
lemmi,
I hear immediately when two songs have the same, harmonious parts. Then it captivates me so much that I first have to find the other song for a good hour.
Will now add my salad to something more often: D
“A different kind of clash - when string instruments meet reggae. This is not a sensation per se and is not new either, as demonstrated by Cat Coore, Ras Divarious or numerous Sherwood productions. "
Not to forget "Dub with strings ”from the“ Twinkle Brothers ”.
The strings in reggae /Dub have a very long tradition. Harry Mudie was the first to my knowledge to use strings in his productions.
Prime examples are:
"Harry Mudie with King Tubby in Dub Conference Volume 1 (1975) - Volume 3 (1977) ”. For eternal milestones of the Dub!
Mudie first used string sections in 1973 when recording John Holt's “Time is the Master”.
Spot on, dr.div! In this sense, one could also name the numerous Trojan and Islands releases that were either recorded entirely with strings in England or the JA productions that were subsequently "made worse" with strings there. Back then, the strings were en vogue ... see Bob & Marcia's “Young, gifted & black” (1970) or the examples that Ras Vorbei posted here.
hello gtkriz,
and yet I can understand you, especially as the author of this blog if you don't see the album as fulldub Labeled album. That would just be too broad. "Dub is the reinterpretation of an existing piece of music "is a fine definition. I think about Lee Perry, who said something like, Dub be unfinished music that people began to love. But of course it is nowadays Dub more than unfinished reggae songs and riddims, but it came about as we know :)
"Dub is the reinterpretation of an existing piece of music "
That's definitely too summarized for me. The sentence means nothing else than when every cover version, with or without vocals, already has one Dub would.
Then z..B. Eric Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" die Dubversion of the original
Wailers version. Or "Every Breath You Take" in the "Hip-Hop Version" would be that DubVersion of the Sting version, which could possibly not be original. For me this is neither hip hop nor Dub, but just limp, softened radio music.
Now I may have misunderstood you on purpose. Because gtkriz has the addition “by processing the relevant Dubtechniques ”and I can accept that much sooner. The way I understand Lee Perry, he means that a finished tune has been made into an unfinished one.
Dub is neither finished nor unfinished for me. Dub is primarily fun! Both for the engineer and for the listener who is fun for this kind of thing. Dub is game, fun
and imagination.
Gtkriz once had a definition that I can't find anymore, but I could understand it very well. In the end, however, it only allowed a certain amount of leeway, which mainly related to the type of production. Sorry gtkriz if I remembered this wrong.
I always mean it is Dubwhen I say it! It is Dub, if I DubFeeling
have. Of course, this does not count as a generally applicable definition.
Or maybe it's almost impossible to like something psychic Dub define.
Even if there is something like an original definition for Dub would give, so can also Dub not withdraw from the space-time continuum. In other words, too Dub develops over time and creates new spaces. The techniques and the technique
itself progresses inexorably and constantly brings new things to light.
Cars and airplanes have also developed enormously compared to the beginning
and in the meantime have not only refined their drive options but also completely converted them. Nevertheless, the parts are still called the car and airplane.
And that's why I designate every tune with which one is a DubFeeling gets, so something like a driving or even a flight - up to the floating feeling, as DUB !!!
Levitation gives me another cue myself in order to translate the whole thing even more into the "obscure". We can now also float! For example in the ISS in orbit. This is, so to speak, an increase in driving and flying. What we at On-U. Sound would be ;-)
For me, On-U.Sound is defined as:
"DUB PLUS X TO A SQUARE DIVIDED BY ROOT SEVEN "
You don't need to do the math, it always comes out 42 anyway ……. lemmi
Well, lemmi ... here we have the apparently eternal discussion about what Dub is and what Dub is not. My contribution to this: Everyone has their own point of view, and that's a good thing. In the end - as has already been discussed up to the point - no study has yet been made of what is understood by the various relevant terms or is to be understood based on the development over time.
And yes, at the beginning of your comment you left out the really important, so to speak all-decisive part of the sentence :)))
"And yes, at the beginning of your comment you left out the really important, so to speak all-decisive part of the sentence"
Yes, sorry ;-) But actually Carter L. had your summarized definition
not fully cited. Of course, he has a minimum of intelligence
provided and rightly expected that one would understand him correctly. For me, however, that was a steep assist, so here we go again
to spin around.
After all, Lee Perry has said before and he must know:
"Sex is Dub“…………………… .. lemmi