Messian Dread - MessenJAH Dub

Messian Dread - MessenJAH Dub
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



At the time this is written (July 2002), Messian Dread has released 5 full albums. He is known to be a popular online DUB artist with a regular appearance in the various Dub and Reggae charts on MP3.com. MESSENJAH DUB, Messian's 3rd album is thus far his only album with only DUB tracks. Originally released in 2000, the album has been updated in 2002 with new tracks and a better quality audio. Also the cover art has been updated. Only the front drawing remained the same.

The album starts off with a remastered version of APOCALYPSE DUB, a very long and intense DUB in A One Drop Style. Some consider this to be one of Messian Dread's best DUB tracks. The second track is also a long one: it's the extended DUB mix from the conscious track "Wolves". Mystically mixed backing vocals, a tight rub a dub style drum and bass line, majestic horns, it's all there. After this, we go back into a One Drop Style with a track called Lion DUB. The mix starts of with Messian Dread calling upon the Name of the Most High, which is answered by the roar of a Lion, symbolizing the Lion of Judah of course. Listen to the heavy phasers and reverbs on the Drums! Track number 4, Jah Glory, is another great track in a rub a dub style: It has been released on TANTY RECORD's ROOTS OF DUB FUNK 2 (CD and Vinyl). Even BBC's RADIO 1 has played it. There's a fat, deep bass in it, played by Vicious Vic. Back to One Drop in the fifth track with a DUB called DUB RIGHTEOUS. This track had a wonderful review in MP3 MAGAZINE: "And righteous dub it is indeed. With a surprisingly heavy bass for MP3 and a nice spacious feel to the production, this is definitely the one the horizontal people should check out. You know who you are." After this, Rub A Dub again: Great song's call DUB with you. Heavily reverbed snare drums, freaked out echo's on the vocals, and a rock solid bassline. There is enough lyrics in this DUB track for a righteous meditation. The next track, number 7, is also in a rub a dub style and it has the same title as one of a Pablo Moses tune: DUBBING Is A Must. It starts off as an instrumental, but then the tape slows down, gets a rewind and the track starts again with backing vocals singing the title of the tune. There are a lot of very subtle effects in the mix, which you can only hear after you've listened to it a couple of times. The 8th tune on the album is a heavy duty steppers under the name "Hardcore Dub". The bass is low, and has a lot of tones which the human ear can't hear, but when played loud enough the body can feel it! This one is not for the weak hearts, because the mix is wild, too! Next is another steppers DUB, simply named In A Drum And Bass Style. It contains organs in a haunted style, a solid bassline and heavily phased horns. Track number ten is also based on a Steppers Rhythm. The drums are heavily phased and there are a lot of almost hypnotizing echo's in it. The last five tracks on the album are part of a series of experiments: They are all recorded live with Messian Dread mixing about 6 channels in just one take. The experimentals start of with A Handful of Dub, a super tight rub a dub riddim with keyboard played by SURE DREAD. The echo's are cutting like a razor blade while the drum and the bass rock solid. DUB Blaster is next, a lot slower and monotonous. Slowly, the echo's are built up until a moment comes in which Messian shows a piece of fast movement in which many different echo's come after each other. The third experiment is "DUB TIL DAYLIGHT". It was mixed after a long and tiring day of working in a professional studio getting tracks together for Sure Dread and mixing music. The bassline is aggressive and militant, and the echo's are mystical. After this comes "Throw Mi Corn Dubwize", again with keyboards by Sure Dread. It's more laid back and has some nice delays on the drums. This track also concludes a series of experiment Messian Dread has performed in 1999 at the University of Bristol, UK. Apart from these DUB's, Messian has also given some lessons about DUB to students on that university. MESSENJAH DUB closes of with experiment number 5: it was recorded while Messian Dread tested out his new mixing board with a simple riddim. The track starts of with some wild synthesizer sounds, then the drum and the bass enter the mix and they play a for while, meeting all kinds of different effects and echo's from other instruments.

15 tracks of stricktly DUB, with a lot of variety in the different riddims: a lot of Rub A Dub style tracks, but also Roots (Steppers, One Drops) and some experimentals as a bonus. Some tracks are upfull, others more laid back. Some DUBS are very intense, others subtle. But each and every track is DUBBED from the top to the very last drop.