The Iration Steppers are currently the most famous sound system in the world. The sessions by Mark Iration and Dennis Rootical are among the highlights of the major sound system festivals. Their almost brutalist sound at deafening volume is indeed an intense experience. An experience that can hardly be reproduced at home on the sofa at moderate volume. The productions are a bit too under-complex for that. For some time now the Steppers have been touring the world with the Frenchman Rico and his sound system OBF and mixing various things together Dub-Events. Rico and Mark first met in 2004, became friends and decided to start a long-term collaboration. The result of this collaboration, which has become an album, is now available: “Revelation Time” (Dubquack). “We locked ourselves in the studio, writing lyrics, cooking up riddims, perfecting our production recipes, secret techniques and octopus mixes,” is how Rico describes the creation of the album. The result is 16 impressive tracks, intense, monstrous and brutal. Interestingly, none of the tracks do without vocals - what a Dub-Sound system is extremely unusual. Maybe they themselves noticed that the riddims are hardly instrumental Dubalbum is good. However, one has to object that the vocals are not always able to compensate for this deficiency. Apart from the anthem “Love Sound System”, which combines beautiful lyrics with a really catchy melody, the rest of the “songs” remain pretty bland. Even though Mark, Dennis and Rico say they are already in... Dub-Year 4000, the album sounds a bit yesterday. Instead of relying on massiveness and bass impact on every track, careful songwriting and/or differentiated production and inspired mixing would have been advisable. So the only option left is to play the tracks in a sound system in order to “feel” their actual quality. But who has that at home?
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OBF & Iration Steppers: Revelation Time
2 replies to “OBF & Iration Steppers: Revelation Time”
It's actually too bombastic for me, as the Nyabinghi drums in the intro are lost in shreds of synths and the rhythm stomps along monotonously. You describe it quite accurately with undercomplex.
And to be honest, I like that kind of thing Dub not even really as a sound system event. I find it dull, it takes away all the magic from me and I'm always miles away from a trance with this sound, even in dancehall.
I also more or less completely miss the basslines that I love so much on this release.
I'm much more at home with Linval Thompson, Roberto Sanchez, the Roots Architects, "Familyman" and the like.
After three tunes I've had enough of this one!
Needless to say, this is not my favoriteDubs are. I found Iration Steppers to be too “under-complex” even during “Bomb The Bass” times. Why is that the kind of Dub I can explain it very well, which is best received in the sound system, but I'm afraid my explanation would be a bit too inhumane and maybe that's me DubConnoisseur too self-conscious to take a more relaxed view of it. As far as I'm concerned, they should have fun with it and as I've already mentioned, I can do it until the Achilles tendon almost tears. That's exactly what happened to me before!
It only really breaks through in top sports like badminton ;-) This has also happened to me, which is why I can judge the difference between “almost” and completely ripped very well.
I'm leaving...
But just because I can do it doesn't mean I'm fulfilled DubDreams. I don't say all but most of them SteppaDubs come with mega bass oomph but almost always without a bias line. Here too, the quality, the virtuosity and the magic of the bass lines lag far behind the quantity of the “gravitational waves” in the form of bass booms. And the individual perception of the “complexion” of the songs is – how could it be otherwise – quite different. For René, the “anthem” – “Love Soundsystem” is like the only one DubTune that was in the sun enough to develop a healthy complexion, while I couldn't or didn't want to resist a certain charm of the "Earthman Style". As a precaution, I put it in one of my favorites lists so that I don't completely forget it. Looking at it that way, there are already two DubTunes here on the album that can't be quite so bad if at least some of the creme de la creme of the intergalactic DubCannaisseurs have also found something good.
Now don't laugh at me or think I'm megalomaniacal!
I'm serious ;-) ………… well, whoever believes it…..
Ok, I don't know why but I have to do this too DubI can't banish it completely and forever, but I don't feel any urge to hear this album again either.
“Now I am standing in the rain in vain, Loraine, hoping to see you again Loraine” ……………………………. lemmi