| This
album contains 12 tracks from a variety of
modern Dub artists as well as artists
incorporating the Dub vibe in their own kind
of music. A few names from the CD: Alpha And
Omega, Dub Funk Association, and a lot of
Internet Artists like Dubware, The
Interuptor, Dubclash and The Technician. The
CD is an interesting set of musical works.
It covers a wide spectrum of musical styles,
showing the tremendous influence that DUB
has on today's electronic music. A survey
currently kept on the Dubroom shows, many
people seem to have the opinion that the
best DUBs are created in the 1970's or the
1980's. Not all tracks on the album are DUB
in the strict sense of the word, but there
are also enough real DUBs present, as a
prove the style is not to be considered
dead.
"DUB the way it was. DUB the way it
is. DUB the way it could be..." And
surely, this is an interesting selection of
musical works that are DUB or inspired by
this beautiful art. The CD opens up with
"East of Bachus Marsh", by The
Technician. A cool Dub with nicely placed
reverb effects. Next is Alpha and Omega. Do
they need an introduction? Their
contribution is called Pure and Clean,
specially remixed for this album. A very
intense dub, completely in A&O style.
The Dub Funk Association is next: and Dub
Funk it is. A drum & bassline in the
style and sound of funk or r&b, combined
with a reggae skank and Dub effects. I have
heard worse attempts to combine DUB with
other music styles. The fourth track, Jah
Glory, by Messian Dread, was created for the
Dubster Connection from a bassline provided
by Vicious Vic. It's a rub a dub track with
a conscious message and spaced out effects.
Jah Glory has had airplay on BBC's Radio
One. Dub Funk Association comes with four
titles on the CD. "Natty Dread Kung
Fu" is track number 5. It's a highly
experimental track and comes with a lot of
movie sound effects. The Interuptor is next
with Return of Sleng Teng, a hard techno dub
style interpretation of what many say is the
first digital reggae bassline, the Sleng
Teng Riddim. After these two heavy
experimental tunes, Roots Of Dub Funk
returns to the Controls with Dubclash
(Return To The Controls). An extraordinary
track called Return To The Controls which
has been featured on the Dubroom Reggae Dub
Station for a long time. Dub the way it is.
Hard Back Youth follows, another track by
the Dub Funk Association, blending the Dub
vibe with other styles. Dubware is up next
with a roots reggae Dub track called Hot Get
Hotter. This is also an artist which has
been featured on the Dubroom Reggae Dub
Station. Cool Basslines and Hot effects. I
love the clavinet play on this one. Dubware
is follow by "Dub of the Sphinx",
an explosive Mutant Dub track by City Dread.
'City Dread' is the new brainchild of Dub
Funk Association creator Kelvin R and with
collaborative efforts of Stephen Samson, the
'Mantis', Tony Rich and Mateel they hope to
create densely rhythmic and percussive
tracks that are equally dubby to the Dub
Funk Association material but more 'dancefloor/leftfield'
it its production. Track number 11 is called
"Burn The Dub Down", by a duo
called Cabal. This track is another mutant
dub, featuring breakbeat style drumming, a
very low bass and highly distorted vocal and
guitar samples. The CD closes of with
"City Of Angels Dub", again by the
Dub Funk Association.
As said before, the CD is in Mid Price. A
limited edition vinyl album containing 6
tracks from the CD (including Jah Glory) is
also available.
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