At the beginning of the year the Munich label Oneness Records celebrated its tenth anniversary with a nice sampler ("10 Years"). Now the party is ondubbt: Umberto Echo, "Oneness in Dub" (Oneness Records). Umberto has a home game here and generously helps himself to the rhythm buffet. Oneness of course served up exquisite, modern roots, often with exquisite vocal artists on top: Luciano, Junior Kelly, Morgan Heritage, Sizzla, Jahcoustix, Sara Lugo, Iba Mahr or Mark Wonder. Sounds like a feast. So the plate is packed full of 12 tracks and then: Somehow the salt is missing. Naturally dubbt Umberto Echo to the fullest, garnished, arranged, sorted and mixed, but the taste explosion does not happen. Super dense, crisp productions and DubBing like something out of a school book is obviously not enough to make it exciting Dubs to bring forth. In addition, what the Dub-Albums by Umberto Echo have always identified: Stylistic diversity. On "The Name of the Dub" and "Elevator Dubs “ he used a variety of sources. Each track has a different sound, that almost became the trademark of the Munich resident. Now we are experiencing the exact opposite: 21 completely homogeneous Modern Roots productions. Productions that work perfectly as a backing behind a good singer, but remain strangely pale on their own. Even the remake of Perry's “Golden Locks” collapses when the melody and vocals fade away. This shows a phenomenon that is also applicable to current Dub from Jamaica (see review of Alborosie's “Freedom Dub"): The productions lack intensity. I cannot analyze it in more detail. To put it simply and in general terms, Jamaican recordings seem to me, just like the productions of Oneness, to flow smoothly and easily, while European ones Dub-Productions are heavy and magical and seem to have their own intense dramaturgy. Maybe in the end it's just a matter of taste that everyone has to decide for themselves. I have made a decision in this regard, which is why Umberto Echo, whom I adore, has no chance with this album. I look forward to your contradiction.
3 Responses to “Umberto Echo: Oneness in Dub"
I am completely d´accord. Well crafted, but unfortunately also smooth and a little boring ... the Dub-Dramaturgy, the sound adventure and a certain disrespect for the vocal version is missing. Dub is just more than nicely placed echoes and reverbs.
First of all a Happy New Year everyone DubFans and all those who are OK too ;-)
Unfortunately I have to disappoint you again Rene´. I have no contradiction to please you. I zapped the disc and just couldn't find a good groove. Dub is not just reverb and echo but also echo and reverb (Huh?). No that's just nonsense but Dub always has to be crunchy and unfriendly to the point of inedible for “the common people”. My arrogance towards you DubKostVerächtern has not weakened over New Year's Eve 2017. (Sorry). In short, “Oneness in Dub“Sounds too serious to me.
Ain't crazy enough for me! AND !!!!! ... without researching who recorded the riddims and especially the basslines, I lean out of the window and say: It was definitely not a Jamaican!
Ok, I wouldn't be the Lemmi if I didn't have a few more objections. On the one hand, there would be the exception to the rule! For example this super hot one DubDisc by Elijah meets Raging Fyah mixed by Joe Ariwa can be heard in the gtkriz playlist. You notice (at least I can tell) that Raging Fyah can play really well and that Joe Ariwa has all the good genes of his father in him. I also like the voice of the singer from Raging Fyah but so far they have been too R-Kelly or Whitney Housten for me
Applied strategy and pretended that the music was all about the vocals. In my words: The great music by Raging Fyah was flushed into the toilet with an exaggeratedly loud vocal track. In the DubYou can hear them playing the disc and nobody yells around. GORGEOUS !!!
Generally speaking:
European Dubs often use old original basslines from Jamaica and bring everything to the start in terms of technology that is available and even that which is not yet available. They can therefore hardly be surpassed in terms of sonority and oomph. Jamaican DubThere is probably a lack of technology and, above all, sound tinkerers who can muster the enthusiasm necessary to produce music that only generates costs but no profit. Hence my disdain for all those who share my enthusiasm for reggae and Dub do not share. All these “taugenixe” are to blame that my heroes cannot live from their work. (;-)).
So, 2018 is getting off to a good start. By and large, we still agree ;-)
"It no good fe stay inna whiteman country too long" ……………………… lemmi
I really need to go to the couch.
Now I have the “Oneness in Dub“Skipped again and found it not that bad at all.
Well, I never found her "bad" anyway, but that she doesn't groove at all, that's rubbish!
“I don't like Dub, I love IT !!! “…………………… .. lemmi