Search - Red Earth Collective :: Red Earth Dub

The new CD release from the Red Earth label follows up the highly praised One More Reason, described by Uncut Magazine as "One of the finest slices of a Anglo Caribbean fusion since The Specials in their prime." Exuding atmospheric sonic and filmic qualities, Red Earth Dub pays homage to the analogue rather than the digital, in a style that is reminiscent of classic 1970s Jamaican productions, yet with a refreshing and exciting contemporary edge that evidences influences from dubstep to Afrobeat, underpinned by deep reggae grooves and dynamic flurries of jazz improvisation. Add into the mix mind bending sonic manipulation, as well as tantalising and twisted snippets of vocals (plus a bonus Afrobeat/dub workout of Felas classic "Africa"), and you have a serene listening experience that provides a sumptuous musical backdrop to life. Red Earth Dub highlights the labels long-running relationship with dub producer and engineer Manasseh, who has been working closely with Idris Rahman and Robin Hopcraft - aka Soothsayers Horns - the musicians and minds behind Soothsayers acclaimed recordings and live projects. The album also makes use of classy instrumental skills from The Red Earth Collectives live band, including noted jazz keyboard virtuoso, Zoe Rahman. The result is an album of fresh material, alongside previously unreleased remixes and scintillating dub versions of tracks from earlier Soothsayers albums. A reminder of the Red Earth Collectives recent collaboration with roots vocal legend Johnny Clarke comes in the form of Bad Boys Dub and Cant Live Without It, the latter an instrumental version of the track "Music" where the bassline of Clarkes classic "Peace And Love In The Ghetto" is used as a trampoline for the Soothsayers Horns weaving jazz interplay. We Better Dub is a beautifully played and produced slice of jazzy dub with silky keyboard and guitar textures, offset by a strident horn arrangement and a deeply lazy bassline. The song is a reworking of an early production by top ranking US hip-hop/pop outfit, Outkast. Hard Times Dub is a heavy dub-stepping reggae groove with proud Aswad-esque horns and a lush string arrangement. It is followed by Benin City Dub, where West African bata drums awake the spirit of the Orishas. Vocal snippets from Roots Manuvas Ricky Ranking feature on "Never Give Up Dub", a version of a track from Soothsayers acclaimed "Tangled Roots" album. Dubirie and River Effra Dub highlight Manassehs respect for the production legacy of Jamaican greats, such as Bunny Lee and Lee Scratch Perry.