DUB DYNASTY - THUNDERING
MANTIS
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW
WWW, September 2014 - Digital download, vinyl,
CD, or a combination: the formats vary, the source does not. That source being
the UK DUB Twins Alpha and Omega with a brand new release on their Steppas
Records label. Nine vocal tracks featuring a world wide group of singers
alongside their DUB counterpart carrying the unmistakable Alpha and Omega sound.
Dub Dynasty is Alpha and Omega and Alpha
Steppa: yes, the next generation. Son and nephew, to be exact.
With that out of the way, let's talk about the
music. Thundering is the right word for the floor-shaking bass sound that we're
used to when it comes to AO productions. This double vinyl release doesn't lack
any of it. The real interesting part of Thundering Mantis is the fact that not
just do we have a whole range of vocalists ranging from a more meditative
eastern style talk to heartical singing (Prince David), there is an equal amount
of producers who lent some of their material to Alpha and Omega.
This is a musical release that's, well, kind of
obligatory when you are into the more heavy side of Sound System DUB. Whether
you're into digital download, CD or just plain vinyl for that bass sound the
choice is yours.
Whatever you do: support the independent DUB
movement with your purchase, it's so much needed.
RAS KITCHEN AND ASANTE AMEN -
ONE PERFECT LOVE DUB/RASTAMAN CAMP FIRE DUB
DUBROOM NET LABEL RELEASE
WWW, September 2014 - The second "virtual
seven inch" featuring Ras Kitchen has a much deeper Roots and Culture vibe
than the first one. Two
heavy Roots Dub tracks, each having their very own distinctive vibe and
approach. What both track have in common is the superb vocal singing of Asante
Amen, Horns from Mad Professor's Ariwa studio and Messian Dread's Dubwise
mixing.
Together, the two different tracks show the
versatility and wideness of variety possible within Roots Reggae (Dub). In a
way, it's also a statement concerning the use of "real instruments"
versus programmed music. There is no "versus", there is just one
thing: the rhythm of Roots Reggae as a means of communication. Playing and
producing is one thing, knowing yourself and Reggae music is quite another.
One track has the (played) drums from Roots
Radics drummer Style Scott, the other has a programmed Drum rhythm from Mad
Professor's Ariwa studio. One track has a digital filter on the bass, the other
track has a virtual analog. One track has a piano and guitar playing just the
riddim where all the echo's and other effects do their thing, where the riddim
or skank section at the other track features a lot of play with guitar wah's and
an organ bubble.
Both tracks feature the vocals of Ras Kitchen
and the very, very talented and skilled singer Asante Amen. Both men
"happen" to be Rastaman, and a Rastaman comes with reasoning and with
a meditation or a message if you will. Food for thought.
In one track, you'll hear Assante Amen chanting
and praying for equal rights and justice which "happens" to be the
state of reign when Babylon is finally downstroyed and the Most High rules
visible for all mankind. Yes, this is when Righteousness will Cover the Earth as
the Book of Life tells us. This fire is blazing in the hearts of all true
Rastaman, and if you want to make the parallel between the Rasta Food that Ras
Kitchen is cooking and explaining in the track and the reasoning Asante Amen
gives as a Rasta Food for thought, you've made the same parallel as Messian
Dread when he made this Dub.
In the other track, there is much more a
dialogue between Ras Mokko and Asante Amen. Together, they chant down racism and
point out to the One Love, the One Perfect Love that enables people of all color
to come together. We do not want no division along racial lines and lies, so
that we are all equal and there is no one race superior and another inferior.
This is what the Rastaman works on on a global scale, this is the message to the
world and not just from the two vocalist but equally from the producer of this
free release.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - UNITED AS ONE
DUBROOM MP3 ALBUM REVIEW
WWW, September 20 2014 - Something brewing in
the Mediterranean: The Maltese Net Label Dub Key and it's Cyprus based
Dubophonic counterpart joined strength with a solid and varied (DUB) Roots
Reggae release as a result. Music with a message, music with a soul and general
conscious vibes. Can't refuse this one.
They've been anticipating this release with an
excellent promo mix that could be download only a hundred times. That is, until
the day of the actual album release and -not completely coincidental- the day of
this review as well. Over here at the Dubroom we've anticipated with the
inclusion of the very same promo mix in a podcast
released yesterday and a determination to publish the first review of this more
than excellent album for the online massive.
Why?
You've guessed it: this is not just another
musical release. In fact, where the two Mediterranean Net Labels continually
work on increasing their quantity and quality, this release drops the two
heavyweights together with a musical explosion as result. Remember: when the
music hits, you feel no pain but you do feel the positive vibes of this
collaboration. "United As One" sets an example for this time, wherein
we do no longer need to "kill soundboys" but rather say "One
Love", especially in the Sound System culture with which both Dub Key and
Dubophonic have their connections.
Both labels have singers and players of
instruments, engineers and producers and they've been voicing, playing and
mixing each other's work. The album that came out on this September 20 2014
carries 16 mixes of four riddims. Vocals and Dubs follow each other as each
riddim is presented in a truly different form. Truly sixteen different tracks,
that you really want to play from the top to the very last drop. Unless you're a
(online) selector in which case you will find that the track will be very fit
for a different sequence in your own DJ set.
This is niceness, this is a must download. The
only problem you face is this: from which website are you going to download it?
From DUB KEY
or DUBOPHONIC?
MUSIC FOR THE ROOTS AND DUB MASSIVE
RADIO DUBROOM 2014 CHAPTER 8
WWW, September 2014 - One hour and twenty
minutes of not just pure niceness, because some of it can only be heard at this
podcast and yet other selections are not yet released or released only on vinyl.
This is a special selection that you just cannot afford to miss out.
The set starts with a track from the recently
released Heavyweight Dubwise Selection LP, followed by a fine track with
to-the-point lyrics from the Irie-On-Air Net Label. From the Original Dub
Gathering another fine track with ditto Dub, followed by a track that can/could
only be downloaded hundred times. This is a track about an upcoming duo-release
from the Dubophonic and Dub Key Net Labels.
The segment that follows contain two tracks
from STEPPAS.com's Dub Dynasty and two from Moa Anbessa, recently reviewed in
the Dubroom. All tracks with their Dub version, of course. Of course! There's
one excellent Dub from the Dub Reservoir Net Label in the segment, too.
The show closes with a Discomix by Horseman and
Dillinger, one by Seamus Ikonya which is on You Tube and a Discomix featuring
Kojak at the microphone stand. That track has -just like the previous one- a Dub
one the recently released Heavyweight Dubwise LP and is currently unreleased.
Hear it here!
PLAYLIST
01. Messian Dread - Loving Dubwise (Free
Download)
02. Echo & Reverb All-Stars - Tres Caravelas (Free
Download)
03. Echo & Reverb All-Stars - Christopher Colonus (Free
Download)
04. Fu Step- Holidays (Free
Download)
05. Fu Steps - Holidays Dubwise (Free
Download)
06. Red Star Martyrs - Roots Rock Rebel (Discomix) (More
Info)
07. Moa Anbessa and Prince David - Watch Dem (Vinyl
Release)
08. Dubwise (Vinyl Release)
09. Dub Dynasty and Prince David - Evil Fe Bun (Vinyl
Pre-Release)
10. Dubwise (Vinyl
Pre-Release)
11. Dub Dynasty and Ngoni - We Got Jah (Vinyl
Pre-Release)
12. Dubwise (Vinyl
Pre-Release)
13. Barbes D and Emanouel - King Of Dub (Free
Download)
14. Moa Anbessa and Jules I - Jah Calling (Vinyl
Release)
15. Dubwise (Vinyl Release)
16. Horseman and Dillinger - Dangerous and Famous (Discomix) (Free
Download)
17. Seamus Ikonya - Babylon System (Unreleased Discomix) (Video)
18. Kojak - Prevail (Unreleased Discomix)
MAKING DUB WITH COMPUTERS CHAPTER
31: FIVE WAYS TO START A DUB AND A FINAL VERSION
STUDIO DUBROOM TUTORIAL
WWW, September 18 2014 - You're a selector
on a tight budget, whether financially or timely. In any case, you have to
browse quickly through the available catalogue of Dub tracks. Or perhaps you're
a Dub collector and you're looking for that next addition. Whatever the case,
I'm sure you'll agree that when you're looking for or listening to new music,
the first let's say 20 seconds are pretty decisive.
That's what we're going to address in this
final chapter of the Version Excursion into the basics of Dub mixing.
I've prepared five different ways to start a
Dub, using the riddim we've made for this tutorial. All four effect devices are
used, just like in the previous chapters. Here they are, with a small
explanation:
Variation A:
1. Drum Roll
2. Skanks
3. Bass drops in
4. Drums drop in
When you start with a Drum roll, then cut the
Drums to let only the Skanks play, cut the Skanks with echo and start the Bass
during the Echo with the Drums entering later, you create a tension. You tend to
get impatient to hear the drum and bass.
This is just one way of doing it. However, it
is a rather classic method that you most certainly will hear back in many
classic Dub tracks.
Variation B:
1. Drum Roll
2. Bass Drops In
3. Horns Drop In and Out
4. Pucking/Clavinet Drop in and out
5. Skanks Drop In and Out
Starting with a Drum Roll, then cutting the
Drums while only the Bass plays and the rest of the instruments are quickly
(un)muted at strategic points.
It creates yet another vibe of tension, as you want to hear the Drum and the
Bass.
Variation C:
1. Pucking/Clavinet only Wet through Pre-Aux 4
2. Bass Drum Drops In and Out
3. Bass Drops In
4. Drums Drop In
Running the pucking Guitar and the Clavinet
through the Aux 4 Pre out to the Reverb, with the bass drum hitting once or
twice before the bass line drops in, is a more spaced-out vibe.
It's not so much to create a tension, it's more a spaced out thing.
You know...
Variation D:
1. Drum Roll
2. Bass, Skanks, Horns Drop in With Space Echo
3. Skanks are muted directly
4. Horns (un)muted Strategically
Because of the many 16th notes played in the
Horn Them, just (un)muting the channel at (no so) random will give an instant
Dub vibe that will catch those that love their "Dubbing With Horns".
Know when to (un)mute and you can create special echo's. For more information
see the Tutorial at studio.dubroom.org
Variation E:
All channels open Aux 3 (Space Echo)
1. Drum Roll
2. Drum and Bass
3. Skanks (un)muted
4. Horns (un)muted
5. Pucking Guitar and Clavine (un)muted)
The Space Echo is so spacey, that in itself
feeding the device by merely (un)muting channels does give a Dub vibe. When you
have trained yourself in knowing where to find the strategic places to (un)mute,
you're pretty close to creating a reasonable Dub in one take.
CRUCIAL ALPHONSO - VISIONARY CREATION
DUBROOM MP3 ALBUM REVIEW
WWW, September 2014 - True Original Sound
System Style: six titles all with two versions. Pumping steppers riddims, some
played by the mighty King Earthquake (UK) and all created in Crucial Alphonso's
Belgian Studio. When you like your digital, when you like your steppers, when
you need your bass, just download this free release by that Maltese DUB
KEY Net Label.
Crucial Alphonso grew up with Reggae. His
father a Reggae DJ, his own voicing at Sound Systems and ability to create his
own electronic devices, it was only a matter of time before he would start
releasing his own production. As said, as done. Twelve outstanding pieces of
digital niceness that yuou can play soft but preferable loud with a lot of bass.
ONDUBGROUND AND JAHKO LION - CHAPTER ONE
(EP)
DUBROOM MP3 ALBUM REVIEW
WWW, September 2014 - French (DUB) Reggae band
OnDubGround with five tracks featuring Jamaican singer Jahko Lion. Both showing
their versatility as Jahko rides laid-back, Ire riddims and heavy steppers with
the same ease as they are played into the multitrack recorder.
In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty.
Someone said it sometime and it could very well be said about anyone looking for
conscious (DUB) Reggae and not knowing about the enormous wealth of music from
the online Net Labels. Thanks to the Internet, the world wide Roots Massive
connects and produces collaborations that were only available for the industrial
and commercial boys and girls.
MAKING DUB WITH COMPUTERS CHAPTER
30: USING EQ WITH SPACE ECHO AND REVERB
STUDIO DUBROOM TUTORIAL
WWW, September 16 2014 - It's often said how
in Dub, the mixing board turns into an instrument at the hand of the engineer.
Like a keyboard player touches the keys, the guitar player the strings. True,
true, true. Pressing the mute buttons, using the sliders, and not just on the
mixing board. The effect devices are not safe from the hands of the Dub
engineer.
During my live performances when I dub a band
live, it happens that I have to use the PA of the hall. As I count the drops of
sweat on the head of the engineer as I'm telling him how I am going to use his
mixing board, I hear him think: "there goes my setting". When I
continue to tell him how I want the delay and other effects routed back to the
mixing board via a channel input, I see him watch the aux-out buttons while in
his head he hears the feedback. Yes, the mixing board becomes an instrument.
Where an engineer usually fine-tunes his mix
and explodes whenever someone wants to change anything, a Dub engineer
continually changes these settings. No, just by (un)muting channels and not just
by knowing where to drop what kind of echo and how to transform the echo feed
with EQ like we did in the previous chapters. Here's another general guideline:
whatever you can change with EQ, change it!
In this next video, it's not just the simple
Dub delay with it's EQ and the reverb. Remember, we've added a Space Echo at Aux
3. That's what we're going to use now and we are going to use the EQ settings of
the reverb as well. Before you press play, though, just a little bit more info
about the "Space Echo".
There are many soft- and hardware devices
similar to the Space Echo. Even free VST effects that are perfect to use, but
that's for another place. In a way, you can look at the Space echo as a
combination of Delay, Reverb and EQ. Where I use a separate EQ with my Dub delay
and layer it with reverb from the mixing board, the Space echo does all that in
one device.
Watch as the "decay" (length) buttons
and the EQ on the blue devices change. The blue device at top is the Reverb at
aux 2, the blue device below the mixing board is the Space Echo. Read the extra
information as you watch just how EQ and other things are used:
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