Almost exactly a year ago I professed to find the album "Reconciliation" by Ras I Mothep shamelessly good, even though it consists exclusively of rather brutal SteppersDub offered. Well lies with "Orbital Dub System" (Subsquad) the next album of the Sound Systems from Aix-en-Provence, and again I have to listen in fascination. The simplest digital productions, pure rhythm, endless bass and otherwise 4-to-the-floor. Where's the sophistication? where the art Where's the good taste? I don't know, and I can't think about it because my head is full of bass and digital thump. Seriously: It's not easy to write a differentiated review about the music of Ras I Mothep, but on the other hand they are Dubs from the south of France too beguiling to pass up. Let's put it this way: The rich sound of Dub can also be broken down to very simple basics: syncopated beats, bass, effects. That's exactly what "Orbital Dub System". The secret lies in the arrangement of the beats, which follows a secret formula: it is directly intertwined with the metabolic processes in the human brain and creates involuntary compulsion. Forced to listen to the next track. The obsessive compulsive is aware that he is being tied to this muscle against his will. A terrible fate. So think carefully before checking out the album.
Categories
Ras I Mothep: Orbital Dub System
One Response to “Ras I Mothep: Orbital Dub System"
I had to read what I wrote about “Reconciliation” again. Lo and behold, my comment wasn't that bad at all. At least I have conceded that I can definitely follow when I'm in a certain shape on the day.
You warned us and suggested that we think carefully about whether we really want to play the album. Well, I'm not good at thinking, so I just did it again. I listened and found again that I can at least understand why this kind of Dub cannot completely withdraw. For the first three Dubversions, I even noticed a few very nice instrumental gimmicks beyond the normal monotonous steppe. I hear Indian percussions, a - for my taste - very pleasant synthesizer atmosphere and otherwise very nice little sound games and digital effects, up to sounds that sound or feel like a real xylophone or something similar. So far I'm still very happy to come and go with you. But already with "Earth" it's actually already over with my "daily form". Doesn't have to be the case with everyone, but what the "SynthieGeige" delivers really repels me, both in terms of the "melody" and the sound. In "Moon" the "percussion" is also too monotonous for me. "Jupiter" has - let's call it - a few aspects that I really like and basically I find them in most of them DubTunes a few little things that keep me from dismissing the album outright. Even “Pluton” still has – for me – one or two things to offer in the first half, before it becomes a real “bouncer” towards the enddub" becomes. That's really nice and monotonous and probably only for fans who only really get into top form with maximum boredom. But monotonous is and remains the keyword for me, especially when it comes to the bass. I deliberately don't write anything about BassLine here, because that seems to be the case with SteppersDub, as before, not playing the slightest role. Also very monotonous, unimaginative and actually completely on the "DubTheme” past, I find the faint whine of the programmed “drums”. In addition to all the small disadvantages I have listed so far, what makes it even more difficult is that this music can only be heard at home under very specific circumstances. Either on headphones or
somewhere in the middle of nowhere where you're far and wide all alone. Well and of course also and mainly in the sound system! Otherwise you get really into trouble with the neighbors and possibly even problems with the architect. It could very well be that the building fabric is crumbling under these basses.
Sophistication, art and good taste ?
Well as reggae and DubOf course, as a connoisseur, I have to draw the conclusion that I am left very hungry. It's still not enough for me if only my pants flap while listening to music and my stomach feels as if someone is trampling on it.
So long …………… .. lemmi