Various aspects of the influence of DUB
Messian Dread | Drachten, Fryslan Netherlands | 08/12/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"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."
This is some irie dub
Ben | NYC | 04/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"whatever messian dread says about this album, he is surely downplaying it out of modesty. this is sick!! all the dubs on "roots of dub funk" are crucial, they are mostly very original and funky. messian dread is great and i recommend checking him out at www.dubroom.org, where you can download some of his tracks for free or purchase his albums directly. 5 stars"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1