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Youthie & Macca Dread: Gecko Tones

Youthie and Macca Dread are setting new standards with their new album “Gecko Tones(Youthie Records) seamlessly picked up where they left off with “The Roots Explorers”, which in turn picked up where the two had previously left off with “Nomad Skank”. This continuity should not be misunderstood as stagnation. The multi-instrumentalist Youthie and the riddim maker Macca Dread simply continue their collaboration at the same high level. The 44 tracks on the three albums could have been created in a single extended session. I already suspect it: my words cannot be read without a slight criticism, as there is often a general expectation that everything must constantly develop and improve. But for us friends of Dub one thing is clear: good things remain. And you really have to give credit to the two French guys: what they do is really, really good. A change could jeopardize this status of perfection. That's why I'm grateful that Macca Dread produced just as powerful rhythms for "Gecko Tones" as they did for the previous albums and that Youthie delivers their instrumental playing in a way that couldn't be more congenial. In every note you can hear that Juliette Bourdeix aka Youthie, who was classically trained on the trumpet, has not only mastered her craft, but has internalized reggae to the core. Your trumpet, occasionally also a flute or accordion, does not play bluntly over the rhythms - as is often heard on reggae instrumental albums - but WITH them. Youthie feels the vibe of reggae in a way that only a true lover of the genre can, weaving her playing with the beats into an inseparable unit. Youthie and Macca Dread have created true instrumental “songs” in which rhythms and lead instruments complement each other perfectly and interact with each other. The result is completely coherent instrumental pieces that you don't hear too often in reggae. It's also clever how Youthie changes instruments from track to track, thus providing a lot of variety. It also evokes musical styles from different cultures, which makes the listening experience of the album a little journey that takes us primarily to Eastern Europe in the Balkans. She always finds beautiful melodies that shape her pieces and make them unique. But Youthie's music couldn't work its magic without Macca Dread's absolutely brilliant productions. He also manages to compose varied tracks, which he records entirely in analogue form himself and produces them in a dynamic, crisp sound. Anyone who still complains about the fact that there is no “real” Dub-Mix should stand in the corner and be ashamed.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

7 replies to “Youthie & Macca Dread: Gecko Tones”

I also always think Youthie and Macca Dread are nice.
However, I still can't manage a whole album in one go, as there is often too much "whistle" and "blowing" for me. Her use of the accordion in her works is also very refreshing. For me it has a lot more power than the melodica!
Each piece is unique but is exactly right. I like all types of flutes and almost all other wind instruments, but here too the dose can be toxic for me.
So I have to divide it up a bit.
The rhythm carpet was once again woven very tight and fluffy by Macca Dread.
(Why is there no “right” one? DubMix? …..! I wasn't complaining, just asking ;-) ……. )

So long…………… lemmi

Let me speak briefly from the corner where I stand ashamed. Of course there would be Dub-Mixes of the tracks with a little less bells and more riddim are really, really nice - but Youthie sometimes releases them as EPs.

However, it is clear that Youthie and Macca Dread are beyond any musical doubt. Greatest production anywhere, so to speak… no contest.

I just listened to the entire album in one go and agree with René's assessment.
But for me it would be nice to have a “real” one Dubversion of the album, where the mixes are perhaps even more reduced and the very musical Youthie game is thinned out a bit (i.e. where tracks are temporarily faded out and faded in again), because Lemmi's objection that he couldn't play the album in one go Listen, I can understand...
And really fat ones Dub-Effects like reverb, reverb and delay or occasionally playing around with filters (à la Mad Professor) could definitely make the whole thing a little more psychedelic and mystical... Just to my taste.

How beautiful my little perfect world could be if it were also worthwhile for the artists to publish the work ("with author") as a double - or even triple - LP. Both the beautiful instrumental versions and the ones we especially love DubYou could also press it onto 4 discs if necessary. Everything has already been done, if I'm not mistaken.
I especially thought about it again because the cover also makes me feel really weak. In my house it is usual for the covers whose content is currently playing to sit or stand on a kind of throne right at the front. And this cover would fit in perfectly with the many other beautiful covers. Very beautiful, almost spiritual cover! I think such a small image on the computer, which will almost certainly be blurry when enlarged, simply doesn't convey enough appreciation. I want to touch something like that and not just click on it with a mouse.

I just mean ……………………… lemmi (I’ll be away, skiing on the green meadow “somewhere” in Austria ……. )

Not just the cover Philipp!!!

I also think the music is really great. Even if it comes from the UK,
I feel like I've been transported to deepest India, but that's probably what the title "DubSahara” doesn’t quite get there. Regardless, the music sounds the way I like it best. Taken off and definitely not from EuroSpace. Strange and yet very familiar….
Just like it is at BandCamp. PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC!

Very good tip! ……………………….. lemmi

For most people, this may be superfluous information, but maybe there are more oddballs like me who like to keep things simple, like in the old days, when you still had your life in your own hands and where everything wasn't there yet was dictated digitally.
In any case, I would be happy if lemmi would tell me that these and two other complete Youthie albums are currently available to buy exclusively and at a very nice price from irie records GmbH Münster.
Big up also to Youthie for making it possible, at least for me, to be able to hold her musical treasures in my hands.

Give Thanks and Praise for the “analog business” …………………. lemmi

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