Artist : THE ROOTSMAN
Title : THE FINAL FRONTIER
- THE ROOTSMAN REMIXED
Label : THIRD EYE
MUSIC
Format : CD/LP
The Final Frontier
is the lastest instalment in The Rootsmans occasional series of remix albums.
This time we're treated to his music being remixed by among others Oochi,
The Disciples and Zion Train.
All tracks here are reworkings of songs lifted from the last Rootsman album
52 Days To Timbuktu .
Most of the afore-mentioned albums tracks are given a going over with some
receiving the attention of two or even three different remixers.
Highlights include the albums opener Bad Boy Buisiness
(reality mix) A radical reworking of the previously jungilist stormer.
Remixed here by Strongpoint it's given a more
soulful feel and features a lovely vocal by (ex unique 3) Karin Minott.
An element that brings to mind some of Reprazents'
more thoughtful moments.
The Final Frontier
also features no less than three different re-versions of an original bimble
favourite Mother of nature. I particuarly like
both the 'The Universal mix' by Oochi and what
I'll call The Disciples' 'Secret Bonus mix'.
Both Versions have an excellent future-dub feel with The Disciples
plotting a more traditional/rootsical course, while Oochi
makes for the hills with an impressive steppers/almost hardstep version.
Both
The Final Frontier and The Rootsman
in general are best summed up by quoting a sample
used within Nigel Parkers wonderful stripped
Hip-Hop reworking of the track Cheb ragga ,
"Musicians today see music as a field that is wide open for study, for devotion
and for the desire to be able to play anything". Need I say more.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Artist : THE ROOTSMAN
Title : 52 DAYS TO
TIMBUKTO
Label : THIRD EYE
MUSIC
Format : CD
I've long been impressed by the Rootsman's uniqueness. Rootsman is a fusionist,
blending style, beats and cultures from the world's faraway places, mixed
up with his own brand of digital stylee beats.
D.J's: drop Mother Of Nature at the right
moment and you'll have your dancefloor reaching for the stars. For home
listeners, 52 Days... as a whole works wonderfully,
though personally I would have preferred the reworked versions to be tacked-on
the end rather than immediately after the previous versions. To my mind,
this disturbs the flow. Having said that, I would never change Aghat
from
it's closing section on the album as it serves as '52 Days's' nine-and-a-half-minute
finale. A truly hypnotic piece which builds for a full three minute's
before the sublime bassline finally drops in. A totally captivating tune.
Other personel highlights include : Tribute To Hassni a floating, thought-provoking,
transcendental affair. Also Balkan Blues a tune that'll have the spliffheads
pinned to the floor in a hazy, sunshine, smoksical way. And lastly, I
couldn't ignore the breakbeat culture that is Bad Boy Business
,
a total departure for this album, being a junglist, drum-and-bass stylee
thang complete with rolling b-lines. An instant floor-filler, for sure.
To sum up, I'd say 52 Days To Timbuktu gives you a sense of the wide-open
spaces on this planet. The Rootsman
is producing music for the mind, body and soul of the highest order. So
if there's any justice in this world, we'll be hearing this album everywhere.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Artist : JACKIE MITTOO
Title
: DISCO JACK
Label
: PRESSURE SOUNDS
Format
: Seven Inch Single
Jackie Mittoo's name would go down in history even if his only claim to
fame had been that he was a founding member of The Skatellites (the ground-
breaking sixties ska group). After the break up of The Skatellites, though,
Jackie moved on.
Even a cursory glance back at reggae's history will show the name 'Jackie
Mittoo' cropping up again and again, through Studio One's
birth,
the subsequent development of rocksteady and on into the eventual emergence
of reggae itself. Jackie performed on and/or arranged hundreds of sides
working with all the big names.
This single finds Jackie back in the days when he was working for Bunny
Lee and it's Bunny that gets the production credit. Disco Jack is a
beautiful, slightly melancholic instrumental featuring the classic Mittoo
Hammond sound and it's Jackie's
Hammond lines that make this one so special. The B-side has a version
where most of the organ lines have been dubbed out and although it still
more than works, a lot of the soul and feeling is missing and it's the
A-side that I'll be playing out.
Disco Jack is another spot-on selection by Pressure Sounds who can always
be relied upon to unearth hard-to-find classic 'roots' tunes. To sum
up, I'd say that in a world where so much music has become mere pedestrian,
this is one of those tunes that stands head-and-shoulders above the
rest. D.J's, toasters, singers, players and listeners all should...
CHECK
THIS.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Artist : JNR MURVIN / WINSTON FERGUS
Title
: WISEMAN / VERSION / PRAISE H.I.M / JAMBOREE DUB
Label
: DUBWISE PRODUCTIONS
Format
: 10" VINYL E.P
The
first thing that hits you about this four track 10" E.P is the timelessness
and enduring quality of Murvins voice. After all it's been well over
twenty years since his first international hit 'Police and Thieves'
(with Lee Perry). Yet still from the opening bars of'Wiseman', Jnr's
unmistakeable falsetto tones ring out with crystal-clear quality.
The rhythm is another quality Rootsical-UK Stepper from Chris Jay
and the Dubwise
crew. The rhythm is perfectly moulded to Jnrs voicings and places
them deep within a modern Dubwise setting.
This
E.P's double A side features the talents of Winston Fergus on a tune
entitled Praise H.I.M. Fergus is another quality roots singer whose
career stretches back to the early seventies. Those of you already
familar Dubwise's previous releases will have caught Winston before.
Most notably on Ganja Defenders .
A tale of busts and tribulation. This time Fergus sings praises to
H.I.M within a beautiful, gentle thought provoking piece. One for
the big (Bass)bins.
Lastly comes 'Jamboree Dub'
Praise H.I.M's rhythm cut. A rocking dub work-out. That at times almost
skips up into a mellow drum and bass thang. Due to it's expert use
of doubling up the FX on the snare and hi-hats. This brings us to
a nice forward looking close to an excellent E.P.
Sound-Systems watchout for these killer cuts.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Click
here for our interview with Dubwise Records
Artist : JAH FREE / VIBRONICS
Title
: OUTERNATIONAL DUB CONVENTION VOL 1
Label : UNIVERSAL EGG
Format
: CD/LP
Here it is then the long awaited Dub Convention album between The
Mighty Jah Free and a relative new name for you to remember, a man
by the name of Vibronics.
Outernational is split equally down the middle providing each selector
eight tunes to convince you of their worth. Reminiscent of the old
J.A soundclash vibe.
First up is Jah Free, opening the batting with a new version of
Rod of Correction. A personal fave and nice to have another cut
of this massive Dubplate tune. Next is a mighty subsonic piece entitled
'Dub One Another'. Expect to hear this one at Shaka, Aba-Shanti
and all other self respecting Dub dances. Jah Free's set continues
onwards and upwards in this super-sub-sonic high quality vein. Then
closes with 'We Are Dub'. A tune featured in this years UK Dub Cup
which provides Jah Free's inning's with a fitting infa-structure
bending, subterranean, floor-shaking close.
Vibronics
set opens with another excellent version of 'Jah Light Jah Love'.
Vibronics tunes comprise, of lots of sound scope experimentation,
within a deep in dubsical terrain. If Jah Free is our saturday night
stepper then Steve Vibronics is the helmsman that steers us through
the depths and Dubs of the all night session.
Vibronics dancewise dubstyle's ensure that even when your taking
a breather from the floor, perhaps to roll the odd preverbal. Even
then you wont be able to stop your head nodding and your toes tapping.
Early favourite's from Vibronics set include Brimstone and Fire
a tune thats upbeat without being in your face. Also equally good
are both versions of this CD's closing tune entitled Shaka The King
/Dub Version. These feature an awe inspiring live B-line to live
for.
Outernational Dub Convention with it's deeply infectious b-lines
and Steppers rhythm's makes this a deeply subsonic and truly satisfying
affair.
Jah Free and Vibronics, May your light shine on.
One Love
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
CHECKOUT
OUR NEW INTERVIEW WITH JAH FREE
CHECKOUT
OUR NEW INTERVIEW WITH VIBRONICS
Artist : VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title
: RASTAFARI TEACHINGS
Label
: REGGAE ON TOP
Format
: CD/LP
The full title for this one is 'Rastafari Teachings, Various Artists,
Vocals And Dub Showcase, Part Two'. Which in itself tells you quite
a lot. It highlights the work of Hughie Izachaar, Pablo Gad, Barry
Issac, Levi Judah, Eli Emmanuel and Tony Roots.
This is the latest compilation from 'Reggae on Top', one of the
UK's foremost providers of quality roots. 'Rastafari Teachings'
bears all the hallmarks of a traditional 'roots reggae' album,
but with the added bonus of digital-age quality recordings. Nevertheless,
this album's focus is very much on the traditional side of things,
and I don't think you'll find anything here to offend purists.
Rastafari Teachings is moulded in the tradition of classic-conscious
steppers-style reggae-and-dub. Each track is followed by it's
dub counterpart - which (in this case) works very well, putting
you in mind of a dance where you'll often hear first the vocal
and then the dub.
So
to the track breakdown :-
1.'Hola Zion' by Tony Roots. Whose's vocal style reminds me of
'The Twinkle Brothers'. The tune has a summer-vibes/outdoors-in-the-sun
feel.
2.'Zion Dub'. A version which is particularly suited to the sound-system
play-out.
3.'History' by Pablo Gad. Which takes the beat up a pace into
a pure stepper's rhythm.
4.'History Dub'. DJ's: this is an ideal cut to pull your audience
up onto the floor.
5.'The King of Kings Shall Reign Forever' : Barry Issac. A fine
reworking of this tradional psalm from Barry 'Reggae On Top' Issac.
6.'King Of Kings Dub'. One that's fast become a particular favouite
with this writer. It has a beautiful introduction and is the most
radically reworked version of all the dubs featured on this album.
7.'Rising Of The Sun' by Levi Judah. Features a lyric full of
optimism and a happy, uplifting warm-summer feel. It puts you
in mind of outdoor skanking with the sun beating down. A perfect
festival playout and an ideal summer tune.
8.'Rising
Of The Dub'. Features beautiful guitar and tabla's interacting
within a lovely Dubpiece. This one is also fast becoming a personal
fave.
9.'Move' by Hughie Izachaar. A tale of police oppression & harassment.
10. Moving Dub : A rocking dub 'version'. This one will get your
head nodding, your toes tapping & your fingers rolling.
11. Mash Down Babylon : Eli Emmanuel. A tale of warning to all
Babylonia
12. Mash Down Dub. The version on this one is a storming 'steppers'
delight. An ideal tune to close this fine compilation LP.
Rastafari Teachings features performances by some of the UK's
great roots-reggae singers. The dubplates are admirable in themselves
for their subtlety and restraint. And are not too over-the-top
in there reworkings. All are very nicely done indeed. If you want
to be put into a good mood, stick on this album and it'll soon
have ya skipping and skanking to your hearts content.
I'll
leave you with H.I.M Haile Selasse's famous quote which adorns
this album's front cover and best sums up it's lyrical message.
Peace and Love...
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
"UNTIL THE COLOUR OF A MAN'S SKIN IS OF NO MORE SIGNIFICANCE
THAN THE COLOUR OF HIS EYES.
EVERYWHERE IS WAR
UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE FIRST & SECOUND CLASS CITIZEN OF ANY NATION.
EVERYWHERE THERE IS WAR.
I & I AFRICANS WILL FIGHT IF NECESSARY
I & I IS SURE OF VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL
JAH LIVE !
Title
: ROUGH TIMES / VERSION / CAN'T TAKE NO MORE / GANJA DEFENDERS
Artist
: WINSTON FERGUS
Label
: DUBWISE PRODUCTIONS
Format
: 10" Vinyl ep
'Rough
Times', the opening track on this four track EP features a collaboration
between Dubwise's tune-smith Chris Jay and veteren roots singer
Winston Fergus. Winston has been releasing roots records since
at least the mid-seventies. He sings with a sweet voice of vulnerability
and his lyric on this one deals with the pressures of living in
a capitalist society. 
"One day
the gas bill comes, next day the light bill comes, tomorrow the
water rates is on my doorstep". The instrumentaion on this vocal
version is tight, restained and laid-back - making this head-noddingly
good digital roots.
Following
'Rough Times' is 'Rough Version'. This one delivers a heavyweight
'steppers/dub' straight to the head of all bill collectors.
'Rough Version' a personal fave from this EP features lots of
floor-shaking sub-bassism. A truly radical dub which is virtually
unrecognisable from the vocal cut.
The flip side provides 'Can't Take No More' A UK digital dub
remixed by 'The Disciples' in a truly heavyweight style. This
will be a favourite at our all-nite sessions, being a late night,
deep-in-dub provider. For fans of stepping dub styles this one
is a must.
The closing track on this excellent ep is 'Ganja Defenders'
another vocal cut featuring the talents of Winston Fergus. In
this one he defends the good ganja in the courtroom. It deals
in a gentle way with the hassles of the 'dub-bust'. This one
makes us smile every time. The dub of this cut can be found
on the 'Dubwise' seven-inch entitled 'Babylon Pressure'.
To sum up 'Dubwise Productions' are a fairly young label that
are already providing high quality dub tunes which any self
respecting dub head will not be able to resist.
Get 'em while they're hot.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Click here for our interview with Dubwise
Records
Artist
: CHRIS JAY
Title
: BABYLON PRESSURE
Label
: DUBWISE PRODUCTIONS
Format
: Seven Inch Single
There
are no vocals on this seven inch single. This is a strictly
dubwise affair. Babylon Pressure uses a melodic rhythm which
makes for a heavy 'steppers' tune. It features nice break downs
and lots of far-out parametric swishing. The A side is another
late-nite deep-in-dub affair which starts off deep and subsonic
and then proceeds to build upon these solid foundations. 'Babylon
Pressure' is sometimes haunting, always melodic and backed up
by a stomping rhythm cut.
The flipside entitled 'Pressure Version', on the other hand,
is much more of an uplifting cut featuring fine digital horns
and skanking guitar riffs. If I were to play out both of these
sides one after the other, I'd take the more uplifting 'Pressure
Version' first and follow it with the more haunting 'Babylon
Pressure'. This is a tune that really does fly and it'll be
receiving lots of playouts from yours truly. And I can't say
no better than that now, can I?
Peace and Love
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Click
here for our interview with Dubwise Productions
Artist : VIBRONICS
Title
: JAH LIGHT JAH LOVE
Label
: DEEP ROOT RECORDS
released
: Out Now
'Jah Light Jah Love' is release Number 002 for Deep Root Records
and is released simultaneously with 001.'Deep Root' has been
set up by Zion Train and Universal Egg as a seven inch dub
plate specialist.
The single's main hook is a loop of the lyric "jah light
jah love" which gives the tune both its title and a hypnotic
trance-like edge. The backing is mainly digital, but with
a warm rootsical feel, complete with melodica and deep 303
bass drums.
The double A-side version is a late-night, deep-in-dub affair,
ideal for those long all-nighters, where you can really
explore the depths of the dub.
In
a genre so often dominated by the male of the species, it's
refreshing to hear this record's female lead vocals. Am
I wrong? or is there not nearly enough female-led Dub /
Roots / Reggae ?! If anyone out there is "'aving it" in
a female stylee, I'd love to hear from ya.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
CHECKOUT
OUR NEW INTERVIEW WITH VIBRONICS
Artist
: JAH FREE
Title
: ROD OF CORRECTION
Label
: DEEP ROOT RECORDS
'Rod
Of Correction', Jah Free's new single, is release 001 for
Deep Root Records and is released simultaneously with 002.
Deep Root Records is a new label set up by Zion Train
and Universal Egg as a seven inch dubplate specialist.
'Rod Of Correction' features a message of consciousness,
complemented by fine digital horns. The tune as a whole
has an uplifting and jubilant feel.
The double A side has an excellent dubbed-up version with
the vocals either stripped out completly or sent ricocheting
round the ratmoshere. The only slight dampener to this
excellent version is it could have been a little longer,
still why not get two copies and string both sides together
for your very own massive version. A future Free Radical
Sound System favourite, for sure.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
CHECKOUT
OUR NEW INTERVIEW WITH JAH FREE
Artist
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title
: MASHING UP CREATION
Label
: DUBMISSION RECORDS
Format
: CD
Wickedly
warped out dubs from those dubmission wierdos.
Artist
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title
: DUBBED ON PLANET SKUNK
Label
: DUBMISSION RECORDS
Format
: CD-(Ten Artists)
Picture
this you're partaking in some of the finest Skunk fueled
ready rolled that money can buy and you need an album
to accompany you on your trip. This is that album.
Artist
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title
: DUBBED ON PLANET SKUNK Sampler)
Label
: DUBMISSION RECORDS
Format
: 12 Inch Vinyl
Four
Track Sampler 12" vinyl of the above title.
Artist
: ETHEREALITES
Title
: UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Label
: DUBMISSION RECORDS
Format
: 12 inch Vinyl
Massive
deep in dub subsonic sessions.
Artist
DUB SYNDICATE/ETHEREALITES
Title
: MORE HASH THAN CASH
Label
: DUBMISSION RECORDS
Format
: Seven Inch Single
Wicked
new instrumental mix of the classic Dub Syndicate
tune "Snippers In The Street". Accompanied on
the flip side by nice slice of Skunk Dub from
The Etherealites. An F.R.S fave Platter.
Artist
: Various
Title
: Step Foward 1 & 2
Label
: Dubwise Productions
Format
: Zine
Ruff
Roots Zine from the london posse that recently
brought you "Wise man" featuring none other
than Jnr Murvin.
Issue one has the full story of how this collaboration
came about and is probably the most indepth
article on the man called JNR Murvin. Issue
Two is twice the price and at least four times
as thick. It has articles on Dr Alimantado,
Jah Shaka, Conscious Sounds, The Disciples,
Gussie P, Digidub and more. Plus at the back
of the mag is stashed 30 plus pages stacked
full of reviews of all the latest and revive
releases currently available. This alone is
well worth the entry price. Grab one now while
you still can.
Artist
: JUDITH & THE RADIX ALLSTARS
Title
: SUCH IS LIFE
Label
: R.D.K HIFI
Format
: Seven Inch Single
My
favourite release of recent times. A radical
new reworking of the classic 70's Lord Creator
/ Lee Perry tune. Judiths sweet soulful approach
to the vocal makes this beautifully spine
chilling masterpiece. (Stop Press) Also available
is homeless a wicked toasted style recut to
this awesome rhythm. Its flip side features
a a heavier steppers / soundsystem style cut.
Both of these plates really are a must.
