VARIOUS ARTISTS - STEP 4 I (PART 3)

VARIOUS ARTISTS - STEP 4 I (PART 3)
DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW

WWW, June 2009 - In part three of their excellent line of DUB compilations, the French based Original DUB Gathering goes outernational and gathers ten Ire DUB tunes from the Online DUB Underground.

Opening with an Ire and Upfull track by Online DUB Artist Meef Chaloin, Step 4 I Part Three sets the vibe. It's about Ireness, and Reggae can provide some crucial Ireness. There's not much dubbing going on in that first track, neither in the second track. The music, however is nice and sweet.

The third track brings a sudden change in the atmosphere. A whole host of samples, slowly a rhythm enters, the samples soaked in echo's: you thought there was no DUB going on?

When the DUB Activist meets Dr. TomTom, the DUB goes deeper and the rhythm becomes more energetic. JAH Billah's contribution to this excellent compilation, a collaboration with Ngaumo, brings some more peaceful vibes back in an interesting combination of electronic and analogue effects.

"Back To School" is another piece of Digital DUB Niceness. It's laid-back, has some interesting echoings and effects on the bass, where a rather odd placements of the chords completes the 6th track on the compilation. It's well placed before the explosion of digital sound we find in the tune after that. Which in it's turn is well placed before the energetic steppers by Barbes D and Toko Blaze.

The mix of track number nine, simply entitled "Dub Plate Style", builds up rather slow. The title is well put: you can imagine someone chanting over the riddim. There's not much happening, nice sound though.

In closure of this first full-length compilation album by the Original DUB Gathering Net Label, we find a track by the founders, a French DUB Collective named Ondubground. An upfull Dub with resemblances of the UK DUB act The Disciples here and there.

Niceness Galore!

PLAYLIST

01. Meef Chaloin - Lost Heroes
02. Scoop - Riddim Away
03. Drydeck - Mon Ame En Peine
04. Dub Activist featuring Dr. TomTom - Prison Dub
05. JAH Billah featuring Ngaumo - No TV Dub
06. Sartouk - Back To School
07. Kuro Loud Dub - Dance Ce Cas
08. Barbed D. featuring Toko Blaze - Spirit
09. Big Family - Dub Plate Style
10. Ondubground - Step 4 Yah

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MAD PROFESSOR - DUB ME CRAZY (CHAPTER ONE)

MAD PROFESSOR - DUB ME CRAZY (CHAPTER ONE)
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW

Mad Professor's more than excellent DUB series which started in the 1980's definitely opened up the Art of DUB to a wider audience while also putting himself among the small group of top DUB engineers.

This is the original album that started it all: Dub Me Crazy Part One. Plus two bonus tracks, that is.

Mad Professor, it can not be said enough, is one of the most creative and innovative DUB engineers, and he is so for decades in a row. His Ariwa Studio may have released a lot of crucial vocal singles and albums, but unlike many Jamaican Studio's in the 1980's, Ariwa never lost interest in DUB.

The DUB Me Crazy series definitely set the standard for DUB through-out the 1980's. It started in 1982 with this release. There are some serious DUB mixes on the album, which originally just contained 10 tracks due to the limitations on vinyl. This release has two bonus tracks, for some extra enjoyment. DUB Enjoyment to the max.

Mad Professor's superb DUB transformation of the excellent vocal parts which pop in throughout the entire album will take you into another Sound Dimension. The crucial work by the drummer and bass player are often the only points of reference as each and every effect device is utilized to the max.

The more you listen, the more you hear, the album will catch you and then grow on you: some might call it "crazy"...

VARIOUS ARTISTS - STEP 4 I (PART 2)

VARIOUS ARTISTS - STEP 4 I (PART 2)
DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW

WWW, June 2009 - From France, With DUB: Four Massive Steppers in the second compilation EP from the Original DUB Gathering Net Label. Get ready for some serious Drum and Bass niceness in 21st Century Style!
Truth be told: even though we're almost in the second decade of the new century, there are still people who claim that Digital Music cannot be, ah, well, eeh... music. This EP won't convince them otherwise, but they will be missing out on some serious good vibrations.
DUB Vibrations, that is.
Clearly inspired by UK DUB Acts like the Disciples, the French Label Original DUB Gathering knows how to find the right DUB acts in the country of France. Good Drum programming, crucial basslines and penetrating echoings galore!
PLAYLIST

1. Inadubstate - Serious Time
2. Ackboo - Botswana DUB
3. Dawa H-Fi - Steppa Story
4. Ondubground - No Comment

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VARIOUS ARTISTS - STEP 4 I (PART 1)

VARIOUS ARTISTS - STEP 4 I (PART 1)
DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW

WWW, June 2009 - Founded by the French DUB Collective Ondubground, Original DUB Gathering (ODG) stands for representing the DUB runnings inna France. ODG is a Sound System and a Net Label.

Step 4 I Part One is the first of a line of interesting compilations
The first release of the French Net Label Original DUB Gathering opens up with a massive steppers DUB. A crucial introduction to French DUB indeed, even though the title ("Russian Style") suggests otherwise.
The second track, a chilled-out DUB contrasts the opening tune in a good way. Number three, entitled "Sip Your Cup" is a Steppers Tune once again, allbeit a joyful one, at times almost jazzy.
In closing of this interesting EP, we get to know the people who started the Original DUB Gathering: Ondubground, coming with an energetic Steppers riddim. Nice one fe true!


PLAYLIST

1. Orange Dub - Russian Style
2. Dubious - Robbie Dub
3. Dawa Hi-Fi - Sip Your Cup
4. Ondubground - Da Blondub Club

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MAD PROFESSOR - THE AFRICAN CONNECTION (DUB ME CRAZY PART THREE)

MAD PROFESSOR - THE AFRICAN CONNECTION (DUB ME CRAZY PART THREE)
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW

In the third release of his now classic Dub Me Crazy Series, we capture the Mad Professor in his Ariwa laboratory, eeh, studio.

The year is 1983 and we're talking about twelve top tunes from a time wherein not many seemed to realize how DUB had more of a future than a past.

Who know the amount of albums and single DUB releases by the man behind Ariwa Studio's? The number is countless. Mad Professor's oeuvre is impressive in quality, but even more important: in quality. This album shows it once again...

Just imagine, a quarter of a century ago. The Internet was still under development by Darpa, digital technology was shunned by many and the CD was a novelty or not even yet...

This is the time, wherein the twelve tracks on this superb DUB album have been mixed. Mixed by hand, using a combination of analogue and digital equipment, everything connected in a weary that only a Mad Professor would invent.

Humor and seriousness are combined in a sugar-and-spice tradition of which the Mad Professor seems to have a patent. His humor is unprecedented and he stands on single heights when it comes to translating humor into mixing.

Definitely an addition to your respected collection of DUB Albums!

NEBLINA SOUND - JUNGLEMATIC (EP)

NEBLINA SOUND - JUNGLEMATIC (EP)
DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW

WWW, June 2009 - Traditional DUB meets contemporary styles in this 6-track EP by the Spanish-based Neblina Sound. Crucial, classic riddims are transformed into impressive works of mixing Art with a capital "A". Often, the music comes close to that of the DUB genius Mad Professor.

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AUGUSTUS PABLO AND HUGH MUNDELL REASONING IN THE HILLS

AUGUSTUS PABLO AND HUGH MUNDELL REASONING IN THE HILLS
DUBROOM VIDEO REVIEW

WWW, June 2009 - The year is 1978 and the project is huge: Hugh Mundell and Augustus Pablo join their strength and decide to produce an album. They get their inspiration in the hills, and this video follows them.

In the nine minute that the video lasts, we start with Hugh Mundell singing along with guitar. Then Augustus Pablo takes his melodica and the music continues. Shot in back and white, this rare and historical footage gives an interesting oversight in the Roots of Reggae.

Natural Roots, even for "the Prince of DUB", as we discover in the short interview -or better: reasoning- with Augustus Pablo that follows the two chants by Hugh Mundell.

Relax, and let this piece of true Roots give you a vibe...

VERSION BIG-FI: DUB COLLIDE HYBRIDIZE

VERSION BIG-FI - DUB COLLIDE HYBRIDIZE
DUBROOM MP3 ALBUM REVIEW

WWW, June 2009 - In part two of their "Collide Hybridize" double album, the UK based DUB collective take their riddims for a Double DUB tour. The result? Over 40 minutes of double layered echoings, weird transformations and other mystic studio productions.

When it comes to DUB, Version Big-Fi must be credited with not only an original approach, but also with a progressiveness which might very well turn out to be heralding a new style within the disciple or remixing Drum and Bass driven music.

In other words, Version Big-Fi take the technique called DUB to relatively unprecedented levels. We already saw the phenomenon of "mash-up's", online remixes and combinations of known tunes which the Version Big-fi definitely integrate in their works, but to simply point out to these "mash-up's" (sorry, didn't invent the name) wouldn't justify their art.

Art, even, with a capital "A".

Hear and Feel!

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