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Five Star Review

Mute Beat: In Dub

Good, also "weird" Dub works with me (almost) always. Today I am presenting a long-lost classic. A music cassette by Mute Beat first released in 1985, Japan's first Dub-Band that (unfortunately) only existed from 1982 to 1989. The first work "Mute Beat: In Dub“(ROIR; Reachout International Records) has been released under a variety of titles over the years: Tra Special Mute Beat (1985); Japanese Dub (1986); No. 0 Virgin Dub (1990) and In Dub (1996). On “In Dub“We get to hear a multitude of different ingredients, which already indicate the very broad musical spectrum of the band. The sound is of traditional Japanese music as well Dub-Influences, reggae, funk and electronic music, mixed with jazz and the sound of a marching brass band strongly influenced. Back then, Mute Beat created a sound cosmos that so few had heard before and thus moved on the edge of all existing music genres. The first two tracks on the album: “Metro” and “Fiolina”, a melancholy, reggae-like jazz number, show the band's musicality and virtuosity. "Mix Up", the only track with vocals, is closest to reggae and clearly refers to the Jamaican influence. With “Downtown”, the funky groove and the unmistakable drum patterns of a Roland TR-808 set the tone in the truest sense. These six Japanese still cannot be pigeonholed and sit between all the chairs. “Break A Road”, which was created live and sounds rather dull, like an audience recording, sounds more like a rather abstract interpretation of Horace Andy's “Money Money” at the beginning of the track. The undisputed highlight of this unique album for me is undoubtedly "Dub No. 5 ". Mute Beats idiosyncratic but extremely listenable interpretation of the old Dave Brubeck classic "Take Five".
Although also because of the fat bass lines and drums, the music is deeply rooted in authentic reggae /Dub is rooted, thanks to the trombonist and the crystal clear trumpet by Kazufumi Kodama, the head of the band, reminiscent of Miles Davis, jazz bubbles again and again to the surface. "Mute Beat: In Dub" is an incredibly impressive album that still attracts the attention it deserves many years ago.
By the way, there isn't a single guitar to be heard on the entire album. Out of the ordinary!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

5 responses to “Mute Beat: In Dub"

Unfortunately there is currently no link for the album. But I assume that most of the readers will know where to listen to the album without any problems. There is a portal where you can find a lot, almost every kind of music. ;-)

Yeah man !!!

High Ras Vorbei ! So I have to say, that is something very fine that you unearthed there.
It starts off really well. “Metro” has a fantastic riddim that immediately got me very deep
touched in my soul. The bassline is divine, if I may put it that way. The sound of the riddim keyboard
lets the angel bells ring for me. The trumpet plays a very nice melody but something from minute 3:40
going off is then complete ecstasy with me. Starts with the (I'll call it) little riddim break at around 3:30.
Then it goes on with the really really nice riddim until about 3:45 and what the trumpet then delivers
is the culmination for me. Unfortunately she plays this part a little too short, because for me it could take forever.
The whole "Metro" could Dub I always start all over again or never stop.
Yes, on the other hand, “Fiolina” falls off a bit. The first notes made me think of a new episode
reminiscent of “The 7th Sense” ;-) but in the end the riddim was very successful. The drums aren't just beautiful here
crisp but on the whole disc. Apart from the briefly programmed part of "Downtown". It's a drum sound that I don't really need. Still, the riddim is great and the piano (keyboard) plays some very pleasant improvisations.
"DJ Style" sounds completely remote. But that's exactly why it's my thing. Somehow I feel like I'm in a hammock on some veranda, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, shortly after I licked a poison dart frog ;-)
I would “file” “Beat Away” under a solid standard. If it splashes past me a bit, I have to admit.
But “Landscape” is exactly my riddim again. The riddim advances impulsively and with giant strides, also here carried discreetly by the keyboard and the trumpet is perfectly complemented by the trombone.
"Mixed Up" also fits. Not necessarily the best bassline I know, but I really like the vocals. In addition, the sound of the throttled trumpet, which now and then sprinkles a little melody here.
Well and the “Take Five Dub“Of course, it's the top hammer for me too Dub. The only thing that is "crystal clear" here is the trumpet!
Otherwise it sounds as if your cassette has already been lying in the dripping gutter and all the tones have been swept up with a broom. But hey, that's it man !!! And because it comes out so well, Schoolyard sounds Dub almost exactly like that.
The use of drum and bass on “Still Echo” is another example of when I think of riddim with a lever arm, so long and strong
like the Golden Gate Bridge, speak. And again this distinctive trumpet - bursting with self-confidence! And again and again this nice dry accented riddim from the keyboard. I'm still fully involved!
The bassline on "Break A Road" is the only one that I know. With the best will in the world, I can't figure out where I know them from.
In any case, this is where most of the effects are involved and this is where most of the “spinning around” is before a beautiful, crystal-clear trumpet plays the tattoo for this album. And the wonderfully dry drums are emphasized again by the mixer,
which drove the entire album forward and ensured a constantly grooving beat. This is particularly noticeable in Part 2
from "Break A Road".
In summary, I would say that I am particularly impressed by the strong torque in the interaction of drum and bass
and that mainly the trumpet but occasionally also the trombone provides very pleasant melodies and small improvisations.
I actually didn't notice a riddim guitar either, but the keyboard has such a charming sound that the riddim guitar could easily be left out.

"Why don't you use japanese DubRecords? Mutch Cheeper Mutch Better !!! Would you might say dat again? “…………………… .. lemmi

;-)

I don't really tolerate praise, because afterwards I usually don’t like shit …… but I have to admit that it’s good for me when I can contribute to the amusement every now and then.

“Scientists found out …… .. but then went back in” ………………. lemmi

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