Title
: FRESH PRODUCE
Artist
: LOVE GROCER
Label
: DUBHEAD
Format
: CD / LP
Tasty
new 'Fresh Produce' from The Love Grocer AKA The Crispy Horns who are probably
best known for their continuing employment as Zion Trains horn section. Fresh
Produce is a little more varied and experimental than the Grocers previous
'Rockin' With' album. Opening with the up-tempo Zion Trainesqe 'Waiting At
the Gate' the album continues with 'No Turning Back' & No Turning Dub featuring
Earl 16. These, my favourite tracks on the album have previously appeared
on a strictly limited edition 10" & always do the bizzness on the dub dance
floor. Earl rides the horns, congas and subtle acoustic guitars led groove
that provides the perfect platform for his vocal. "I think it's time we should
rise up".
Other
highlights include 'Under The Stars' which also features on New Breed Of Dub
3 (reviewed elsewhere on these pages). An uplifting mexicano flavoured tune
underpinned by some wicked horn solos from the Crispy's. Also the blissful
'Across the Valley' featuring, in turn wonderful solo turns from each horn
including trumpet, trombone, sax & flute over a truly sublime riddim. 'Fresh
Produce' closes with the wonderful 'A little Rain' that segues into 'A Little
Version'. This awesome 11 minute groove opened the "Rockin With" album in
it's original instrumental form, it was then reissued complete with Cheshire
Cats wonderfully restrained chatterering on a limited 10" and is now represented
to the digital domain that is CD for the first time.
Fresh
Produce is a great second album, which naturally progress's from their debut
with ease. For all fans of uplifting, horn led, forward thinking reggae vibes
this is simply a must.
Bimble
Artist
: LOVE GROCER
Title : ROCKING
WITH THE ...
Label : DUBHEAD
Format : LP /
CD
The long awaited album from the ‘The Love Grocer’ finally
hits the streets. The Free Radical Sounds Crew have been waiting on this album
ever since the pre-release seven inch single ‘Wood Of Life’ was pushed firmly
into our hands.
‘Rocking with the Love Grocer’ is one
tasty dub morsel from the hearts and minds of Dave Fullwood and Chris Petter.
Who between the two of them play the majority of the instrumentation as ‘The
Crispy Horns’ alongside the tenor sax of Jon Petter, Richard Doswell on flute,
Nelson on congos and Carlton on guitar.
What we have here is 12 tracks
of deeply emotive dub pieces cut in a modern digital style but with one foot
firmly in the reggae tradition of versioning.
The album opens with the lamenting
sway of ‘A Little Rain Must Fall’. We have been playing out the dub plate
promo of this for sometime now and this tune always gets a positive response
from the audience. Who usually recognize the old school vibes of putting a
dub tune mixed with the brass to the fore. The album then follows in a similar
vein flowing with an organic swagger and sophistication. ‘Water off a ducks
back’ is a great example of dub - fusion with latino guitar and resounding
trombone and trumpet, giving this album a truly global appeal.
The album was primarily recorded at the
Balafonic studios with additional production for the rest of the tracks at
the Concious Sounds studio courtesy of one Dougie Wardrop. This is an album
that can be thoroughly appreciated in both the horizontal or vertical position.
File Under Roots / Dub and Brass. Highly recommended.
‘Rocking With the Love Grocer’ is available
on CD and vinyl formats.
Top Tune : A Little
Rain Must Fall
It sure is raining in babylon
at the moment and the Love Grocer have just delivered a mournful hornlick
somewhere between Kleitma and the theme from ‘The Godfather’
Runner Up : Lignum
Vitae
Analogue burbling B-line
with a classical acoustic guitar backing. Climaxes in a resounding horn refrain,
spiritally charged with a determined riddim.
Artist : LOVE GROCER featuring CHESIRE CAT
Title : A LITTLE RAIN MUST FALL
/ A LITTLE VERSION / 40 DAYS /40 NIGHTS
Label : DUBHEAD
Format : TEN INCH SINGLE
A four track ten inch e.p.
featuring all new works from the Love Grocer crew. The A side has reworking’s
of tunes from their superb debut album ‘Rocking With’ . These previously instrumental
tunes have the addition of Cheshire Cat on vocals ( known previously for his
solo work and with Leftfield among others ). The cat rides Love Grocers sublime
riddims to full effect inna gruff J.A. toaster style. Making this release
simply unmissable.
The flip side has two versions
of a new riddim. A riddim that is more akin to the album release I.E slow
paced - horn driven - sweet and soulful melodies backed up by deep bass, Spanish
style guitar work and a subtle yet heavy dropping riddim. ’40 Days’ features
a nice counterpoint of clarinet lines and short precise solos from each of
the horns. 40 Nights is built upon the same riddim and is expectedly more
of a stripped back, dubbed up affair. Bringing the riddim to the fore, losing
the guitars and effecting up the Crispy Horns hooks and lines.
In this e.p. Love Grocer
bring us a platter where both sides can be played out with the Cheshire Cat
mixes being great for in the thick of the dance. Reserving 40 Nights for the
later ‘deep in dub sets. 10/10 Shine On.
Artists
: LOVE GROCER with Earl 16 / MUNGOS HIFI feat Brother Culture
Titles : No
Turning Back / No Turning Dub /Ing
/ Dubbing
Label
: DUBHEAD
Format : TEN INCH SINGLE
Continuing
Dubheads series of split 10 inchers. Love Grocer AKA The Crispy Horns AKA
Zion Trains horn section step forward with 'No Turning Back' voiced superbly
by Earl 16. A head nodding highly infectious riddim keeps your feet moving
while Earl appeals that "It is time to rise up". After only 3 listens this
is already a Bimble fave. Flip the thing over for 'Ing' from Dubheads latest
signing 'Mungos Hifi'. Capitalising on their success's on the 'A Dubbers Guide'
album & not forgetting the wonderful Wickedness 10", The Mungos bring us 'Ing'
lifted from their newly released debut album, reviewed elsewhere on this page.
I'm not particularly taken by the lyrics on this track as the appeal of a
set of rhymes based on a series of lines ending in 'Ing' wears thin very quickly.
Even that though doesn't detract too much from the seriously rocking riddim
which comes into it's own on the heavily effects laden dub version. B
Credit Cards:
Title
: MUNGOS HIFI MEETS BROTHER CULTURE
Artist
: MUNGOS HIFI
Label
: DUBHEAD
Format
: CD /
LP
Debut
album release from Scotland's Mungos Hifi who are definitely the leading light
of Dubhead's recent signings. Presented in collaboration with sing jay toaster
Brother Culture who for the most part provides solid chatterering throughout
this release.
Highlights include
the wonderful 'Wickedness', which I loved when it came out on its original
10" form & is reviewed elsewhere in these pages. Also the dancehall vibed
tributes of 'Reggae Music Lover', the uplifting 'Flagpole Dub'& the deep sub
driving 'Truth' & 'Truthful Dub' which will have your dub dance floor instantly
getting on down. The album closes with the awesome 'Jah Come To I', which
featured on the 'A Dubbers Guide' album. A deep sub driven wonderful close
to this excellent debut album. Bimble
Artist
: MESSENJAH IN DUB
Title : LIGHTNING STRIKE
Label
: DUBHEAD
Format : CD
One of my personal favourite releases on the Dubhead
label in recent times. Having a particular weakness for both heavy weight
dubs and horn sections this album was always going to get me. Recorded at
Conscious Sounds studio, this is an ‘ in house ’ production. With Dougie ‘Conscious
Sounds’ Wardrop on bass and keyboards, Prento the studio engineer playing
Bass, Keyboards and Melodica . Plus Hughie Izachaar on guitar and the crispy
horn section to the fore. This is true millennium style heavy weight sound
business. Top Tune : Lightning Rock ( Horns Cut ) An alternate cut to the
riddim previously available on seven inch vinyl only ( then with vocals ).
It’s the CD remix that for once takes the preverbal biscuit. A top grade heavenly
horns cut, backed by a moderate paced but weighty one drop riddim. Which for
this writer pushes all the right buttons. AAHHHH !!! Runner Up : Bow Down
A killer re-rinse of this massively popular riddim previously put out as a
Hughie Izachaar seven inch single. Get the single for the full vocal treatment.
Then follow it with this speaker beater, no holds barred, masterful re-version.
Play it out in the last hour and watch them leap and weep.
Artists : MUNGO HIFI /BUSH CHEMISTS
Titles
: WICKEDNESS / WICKED VERSION
DUB
FIRE BLAZING / KING DAVIDS HOUSE DUB
Label
: DUBHEAD
Format
: TEN INCH E.P
A shared 10"
EP with each artist taking on a side .
This
the debut from Dubheads latest signing ‘Mungo Hifi’ ( watch out for them on
the forthcoming ‘A Dubbers Guide’ album ). provides us with two cuts of their
‘Wickedness’ tune. Vocalist Brother Culture delivers a message on the subject
of ridding the world of it’s wickedness ( which seems especially poignant
today 12/09/01 with all recent happens in the U.S.) The version mixes back
the vocal and brings forward the skanking one drop riddim and mixes it up
in a strident and fine style. Both the vocal and the dub of ‘Wickedness’ are
current personal favourites, which I’ll be rinsing for a long time to come.
The
Bush Chemists
side features
exclusive mixes of two tracks lifted from their newly
released ‘Dub Fire Blazing’ album. The track ‘Dub Fire Blazing’ is an upful
medium paced stepper with deep sound system friendly Sub bass and a subtle
hook from the Crispy Horns. ‘King David’s House Dub’ is a harder and more
up tempo affair, good for when your dance is jumping.
This EP all in all is a
great marriage of two quality dub acts which will receive plenty of play -
out exposure from the Free Radical Sound System Crew.
Artist : THE TRUTH
Title
: I'N I A DEAL WITH ROOTS
Label : GOOD TIMES / DUBHEAD
Format : CD
Long time Kiss FM D.J
and producer Joey Jay and collaborator Daddae conspired together in 1997
to bring this album to the attention of the music buying public.
This is Century 21st post - modernist
dub, capturing the flavours of old school early Jamaican releases from the
likes of Channel One and Studio One but with the added dimensions of the
mighty Soul 2 Soul riddims. This is a serious and well crafted studio project
and one from whom we must be due another release soon.
‘Stickley Roots’ is a binghi drum
driven, deep roots reggae tune that opens up this richly recorded album.
A blend of dub, poetry and contemporary beats. ‘The Misteries’ is a spoken
narrative by Kofi questioning the western perceptions of Africa’s rich cultural
and spiritual history. Its message is reinforced by the ‘No sleep Dub cut’,
that follows later in the album.
Other tracks that stand out
include ‘Like a Fish out of Water’. A wicked dub fazed blues work out that
deserves to be an underground classic. Also ‘Read Your Bible’ Where the
conscious vocals of Simba come forward with a roots reality lyric. This
is followed by a Radical reworking of the classic and longtime ‘Free Radical
Sounds’ crew favourite tune ‘The Truth’, re-mixed this time by Hull’s Fila
Brazilia inna hard Drum and Bass stylee. Almost unrecognisable from the
original except for the liberal use of the ‘Mystic Revealation Of Rastifari’
sample "Ever since I was a youth, I’ve always been searching for the truth".
A perfect tune for those cross over sets. Selectors should try following
this with the original vocal cut and then step back and watch your dancefloor
weep.
All in all a class collaborative
album which will be marked down in history as top notch.
Top Tune : Read
up your Bible.
Rasta preaching Simba
in a sing jay style over a slow nyabingi drum and bass riddim, chantastic.
Runner Up : Like
a Fish Out Of Water
Cinematic mash up tune.
A serious science fiction dub over a predatory pounding backbeat.
Artist : URBAN DUB
Title : URBAN DUB
Label : DUBHEAD
Format : LP / CD
"Everwhere
we go people shine on, in this ya city"
Following on from the initial Communicate
EP on Basecone records comes the first album release from the North London
Digital-Dubsters Urban dub. This collective of like minded dub heads have
been recording and gigging over the last year and have been steadily raising
the profile of their reggae fused riddims.
Urban Dub sees fresh riddims
freed up from the steppers rhythms that have dominated the scene over the
last few years and is a mixture of Dub versions as well as more traditional
song based approaches. All of which flirts boldly within the realms of dancefloor
expermentation.
'This City' features the vocals of
MTC and the Saxophone of Marjorie urging us to spread light and positivity.
Tracks such as 'The Ghost Train Rides Again' sees the eerie extended mix
of Niyabingi rhythms and sonic sourcery. As a nightime journey into the
unknown unfolds hypnoticly and shows that trance is not the sole domain
of the flouro - techno mob. 'Dragon Dub' has a tight steppers feel combined
with a rootical horn riff that sees a fusion of drum and bass and deeply
rootical styles. 'Dubhed Convention' A weirded out piece with its sci- fi
leanings and lo-fi sonics Is Urban Dub, delving into the digital toolbox
and constructing an industrial strength bass thang. 'Underwater' is a blissed
out aquatic ambient sax excercise deep and dubalicious.
Urban Dub is released on both
fourteen track C.D format as well as a special dubplate vinyl mix for dechnicians
everywhere.
Top Tune : Ghost
Train rides Again
Yoiks
a nightride into the unknown inna techno - bingi fusion this tune demands
a dancefloor re-mix.
Runner-up : War
A heartfelt demand to
stop the violence. Are we listening out there ?
DUBHEAD SEVEN INCH'S
Hydrophonics / Messenjah - Dubhead 001
Hydroponics’ ‘Let The Light Shine’
is a late night deep in dubsical affair with melodica flourishes, Top
Tune. Messenjahs - Tug Of War. Is another slice of deep in dubness only
this time set to steppers style riddim with nice horn licks. Play out
both sides.
Twilight Circus / Dubclash - Dubhead
002
Twilights ‘Dub Voyage’ is
a very subsonic affair with the echo chamber tuned to the max. Dubclash
- Set A New Course. Nice steppers, a definete dancefloor filler.
Love Grocer / Music Family - Dubhead 003
Dubheads
third outing into seven inch / pre release terrority features two projects
centered around the talents of the 'Crispy Horns'. Love Grocer bring us their
sublime 'Wood Of Life'. Music Family is the crispy horns dub project in collaboration
with Dougie 'Consciuos Sounds' Wardrop. Here they bring us the anthemic 'Firing
The Phasers' which relates not to the Star Trek variety but to the prefered
effect unit favoured by the 'Conscious Sounds' production house.
