New releases this week: Dub

Review: Ghost Dubs aka. Michael Fiedler returns to pile on the Pressure. Following recent acclaim-gatherer Damaged, this extension of the LP further serves to distend the dub, surveying and excavating fossil-rich terrains of soiled bass and coarse texture. Six reconstructed dub reformations, only two tracks, ';Chemical Version' and 'Wired Version', were previously available digitally; both introduce the record as warped yet unassuming undercuts, ripe for the meditating-to. 'Thin Dub' dissolves the mood into an echo-drenched texture; the track is marked by an up-down, contradistinct set of tuned impacts. 'Dub Craft', meanwhile, snatches the crown for most subby tune of the year.

Review: Initially released back in 2007 and now repressed for new audiences as well as enduring fans, Pitch Black's fourth album was possibly their best yet. Rude Mechanicals blends dance music and electronica with their signature mix of echoes, delays and deep basslines to brilliantly alluring effect. Kicking off with the lush 'South of the Line,' it progresses into tracks like the dub-heavy '1000 Mile Drift' and the high-energy 'Sonic Colonic.' 'Bird Soul' nods to Salmonella Dub's influence while 'Harmonia' delivers exquisite electronica. The title track features rapper KP addressing environmental destruction and things close with 'Please Leave Quietly'. Complex rhythms, warm bass and haunting melodies with sharp social commentary all make this a genre-busting bit of work.