Back in stock: Dub

Review: The story behind this one is that Vivian Yabby You Jackson once put together a tape that had been labeled The Best Of Patrick Andy but had never been put it out. On it was three unreleased tunes, one unreleased dub, and stereo mixes of several previously mono-only singles. For whatever reason it now sees the light of day and we're glad about it - this forms a fine tribute to a top singer and a legendary producer with some timeless dub. The horns pan, the rhythm tracks are heavy, the studio trickery is impressive throughout.

Review: Legendary UK outlet Greensleeves Records has joined forces with Roots Defenders of Notting Hill Carnival for this deep dive into the work of Channel One Sound System. Down in The Dub Vaults is promised to be a one time only and limited edition pressing of some serious roots and dubs gems that have been dug out of the vaults by the crucial selector that is Mikey Dread. These have all, at some point over the year's been deployed at maximum volume through the unique and hand built Channel sound system. The likes of Wailing Souls, Michael Prophet, Linval Thompson and Hugh Mundell all more all feature.

Review: Dylan Brownsword strips things right down to the elements for this exceptional exploration into dub techno influenced drum & bass. Stark futurism that smoulders at its coldest and will have you shivering at its hottest, vibes range from the shimmering Basic Channel style reflections of 'B1' to the more autonomically minded swagger of 'B3'. Trembling with echoes of his powerful techno work in the past, across this whole collection DB1 keeps one foot in the dance, one foot in the stars throughout.

Review: Clash, first released in 1977, was one of a series of definitive reggae albums to highlight the eminence of the soundclash, in which two reggae or dancehall crews rig up opposing soundsystems in a face-to-face musical standoff. Fashioning this album after the competitive form, Dillinger's sparring partner in this case is 'Trinity' aka Wade Brammer, who was active during the 1970s and 80s. Trinity as Dillinger is best known for deejaying over reggae and dancehall numbers; Clash albums became very popular at the tail-end of the 1970s and into the next decade, with singers and deejays alike competing for status, track by track.

Review: Jay Wobble is the former bassist with Public Image Ltd of course, but is also a visionary in his own right. This new album finds him revisiting some old ground: it takes him back to influential PiL 1979 album Metal Box, which he wholly reinvents with a load of new and sophisticated dub takes with all new and mind expanding production. Alongside the original tunes are two bonus cuts which are new versions of originals from the first ever PiL album. It adds up to a timelsss fusion of new and old indie and dub from this masterful guitarist.

Review: For the very first time on vinyl comes Presents The Light Programme, Jah Wobble's extraordinary 1997 descent into downtempo and beat science. Released on his now-defunct 30 Hertz label, The Light Programme showcased an excellent cast of musicians, including Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit, Wire's Clive Bell, conga player Neville Murray, guitarist and synthesist Mark Ferda and the harpist Zi-lan Liao. The Light Programme is an intensely effulgent but at times vitreous record, with Wobble seemingly embracing the worldbeat vogue of the time with a keen, albeit naive fervour. When the tracks aren't so clear cut or obviously mixed, things get more interesting; 'One In 7' is the oddball of choice here.

Review: This album is the sonic distillation of a compelling backstory. Chancing on a vault of archived recordings by iconic reggae producer Bunny Striker Lee, modern dub producer and next-gen icon Prince Fatty (Mile Pelanconi) jumped at the chance to remix the versions in his own image, passing the tracks down to the modern listener (and the spirited torch of Lee's dub zeitgeist in the process). Fatty is said to have fed the audio into the analog realm for a true remixing; feeding each recording through a carefully built audio analog system similar to that used by King Tubby. The result is a crisp, modern dub masterwork, which Fatty himself acknowledging the songs' status as classics, but nonetheless admitting, "it's nicer and fresher to hear a new structure..."

Review: Ronnie Lion is one half of Ambient Warrior and this is his debut solo outing. It finds him paying homage to Spanish Town, which is the capital of St Catherine in Jamaica and that is apparent from the off with its lush Spanish guitar notes fluttering over the face of the dubbed-out low ends and shiny digital chords. Lead guitarist Sean Wilkinson pays plenty of the guitar and the rhythm section has Ronnie himself on bass while Horseman is on drums to bring a heavy foundation. Up to the intricate and memorable hooks add the colour and charm and elements of Bossa Nova and Flamenco guitar also help add extra layers to this fine debut.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Isle Of Jura propel their Instrumental Dubs series further forward with a second release. Capturing the etheric essence of the 'version' and ready-making it for the present day, the nominal series welcomes contributions and reissues from new and old producers alike. This time around, we're met with a slow, George Kerr-produced cut from 1984, 'If You Want My Lovin', followed by a Brit-funk-esque instrumental from Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, originally released on the Philly World label. The A-side closes with the 'Sweeter' instrumental mix of boogie bomb 'Loving Sweet Devotion' by Idiater Edwards; then comes the B-side with that indelible Mad Professor flavour, bucking the dub trend with a syncretic of dub, freestyle and disco; and finally, we end on a touch of next-gen psydub bubbling up from The Underwater World (of Jah Cousteau, that is).

Review: Pressure Sounds' latest release takes us back to 1976 and "Wall Of Jerusalem", a soulful reggae album by The Prophets that included production from both Yabby You (the band's lynchpin and lead vocalist) and dub mixer King Tubby. The album is something of a roots classic, with Yabby You's seductive, soul-fired vocal numbers being joined by delay-laden heavy dub revisions by King Tubby. You'll find the original set on LP 1, with the second being dedicated to alternate versions, previously unreleased tracks recorded in the same period, and alternate dubs that have lain dormant in Yabby You's archives for the best part of 40 years.