Dub 265 Items

This album was inspired by the music coming out of Jamaica in the mid 1970s, in particular the use of drum machines by Lee Perry and Aston Family Man Barrett (and Sly Stone in the USA) but also the instrumentals and dubs by Keith Hudson and Im & Count Ossie etc. Searching out, buying and listening to those records had a deep and profound effect on me and became a big influence on me as a musician, which continues to this day.
All instruments, recording and mixing by Nat Birchall

"Congo" by Nkrumah is a hypnotic slice of deep roots by Nkrumah aka Toronto's Kwame Salmon. The city that was home to Johnny Osbourne, Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo and countless other Reggae legends has produced another artist following this great lineage, a singer with a voice unlike anyone else. Originally released in miniscule quantities as a self produced dubplate/lathe cut, the 45 caused a sensation among Djs and sound system operators world wide. This official release features a different mix with an extended version and a spare, mesmerizing Dub version by Toronto's Heavy Manners crew reminiscent of late 90s/early 2000s Rhythm and Sound releases.

A truly exceptional song showcasing the pinnacle of Jack Ruby's productions, "Black Slavery Days" by The Skulls stands out as a remarkable gem that gained significant popularity in the Ochi Rios sound system scene. The lead singer of The Skulls, Tony Thomas, penned all their tunes, bringing his experience from singing with the original Justin Hinds & the Dominos group. This piece is a manifestation of pure 70's roots music in all its glorious essence.

Sol Power Sound is back in a big way with a reissue and remix EP from the legendary Nigerian Ju-Ju king, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey. The double A-side EP features 'Eyi Yato' a tune from 1981 that captures Chief Commander and his band at their absolute funkiest, with a driving drum and bass groove, wah-wah guitar, and signature call-and-response vocals. Remixers include the legendary dub producer Mad Professor, the disco don Eddie C, and the Sol Power All-Stars themselves.

The Sol Power All-Stars keep things organic with chugging drums, heavy analog synth bass and sequences, as well as Daniel Meinecke’s additional keys and solos. The Canadian disco don Eddie C goes a little electro and a little acid with his analog bass-heavy flip. Like a good dub should, Mad Professor’s version accentuates the drum and bass groove and drenches everything in vintage sounding Mad Professor delay, reverb, and filtered dub-sauce, live and direct from his classic mixing desk. Alongside an extended edit of the original, the Eyi Yato EP is sure to find a permanent spot in DJ record bags around the world.

TRS Records unveils the next instalment of our Harry J reissues, shining a spotlight on the timeless classic "Callie Weed." The debate over who the lead singer is has been resolved, confirming that Jackie Bernard from the group Kingstonians is, in fact, the soulful voice driving this iconic song. Teaming up with Bernard, are friends Telford "Tilly" Nelson and Leroy Sibbles who contribute unique background vocals that effortlessly enhance Bernard's emotive delivery. Coming together to provide the instrumental backdrop was the Soul Syndicate band, enhancing the composition's depth. Reflecting on the creation of "Callie Weed," Telford Nelson vividly recalls auditioning the song on his guitar for producer Harry J in 1975. Before the official recording, Harry J reached out to Leroy Sibbles (who had just returned from living abroad in Canada) in hope to enrich the track with his distinctive backing vocals. This collaborative effort resulted in a dynamic blend, showcasing the different vocals and musical elements. It's important to note that the record was initially attributed to the 'Heptones Expression,' likely for marketing reasons. However, in reality it was Telford Nelson's composition from the beginning. As the only member of the actual Heptones involved in this recording, Leroy Sibbles contributed by providing a subtle touch of backing vocals, even though Nelson's harmonies takes precedence in the final vocal mix following Jackie Bernard's lead. Remarkably, on the Dub side, Telford's vocals are isolated in the mix, resulting in a clear and distinct presence.

A mixtape of Studio One 12" singles, including some very rare stuff. All recorded from vinyl.

'Africa' is the first release by Jamaican born singer Robert Dallas on Dub & Sound International, known for his releases on Roots Garden and Jamtone. Here he delivers one of his strongest vocal works, with lovely harmonies and the the theme of returning home to Africa, while B-side dub amplifies the rhythm and has electrifying energy that's perfect for the sound system. Dub & Sound International, a Finnish label, is quickly making a name for itself in reggae circles with its signature roots reggae sound and here again label boss Jaakko Penttinen handled the mixing in the best old school style. Stay tuned for more equally infectious releases later this year.

Kheper Wax is the second solo album of Imhotep, artist known for have being the sound architecht of IAM, a very popular hip hop group from Marseille (South of France) in the 90’s and the early 00’s.

The 100% instrumental album is a blend of Dub and Trip-Hop, infused with oriental music samples.

It was self-released by the artist in 2013 and since, the album price has increased a lot on Internet.

Another inferno is ignited by the legendary producer Jack Ruby in the next installment of the reissue series. Once again, featuring the iconic Tyrone Taylor with "Birds of a Feather," whose vocals soar above a foundation of pure roots reggae, originally recorded in 1976. The heat doesn't stop there, as for the first time on 7-inch vinyl, we unleash the fury of "Death Before Dishonour," an instrumental by Jack Ruby's militant Black Disciples backing band with seriously blazing horns that leave an undeniable mark. This is the first time ever that "Birds of a Feather" and its instrumental counterpart are paired together.

Two major players of the international dub scene unite on stage! O.B.F x Iration Steppas is the electrifying live show that brings together Iration Steppas, vanguard of dub and pillar of the UK sound system scene and O.B.F, the most warrior and prolific sound to come out of France. Mentor and disciple link up to deliver a performance that pushes dub music to new levels!

The live show accompanies the release of 'Revelation Time', Iration Steppas & O.B.F’s joint album that’s due to drop April 2024 on Dubquake Records; a project that has been in the pipeline for near a decade building up to a huge hype amongst dub-heads. An album that questions the human condition & future of mother earth, a trip into raw dub music led by the two most innovative sounds.

Uncompromising undiluted dub, designed to be heard & felt with the same level of madness with which it was crafted in the studio. And that's exactly the plan: bring the analogue console, effect racks and dub sirens to the center of the stage, live mix the tracks off of 'Revelation Time', pass the mic through the echo unit and shell down the place in low frequencies. A unique live dub show offered by Mark Iration & Rico O.B.F at the controls, Dennis Rootical on bass and vocals by Mark!

The first in a series of mini compilations exploring instrumental Dub versions of sought after and long out of print titles from the world of Reggae, Disco, Boogie and House. Many of these versions still contain vocals, snippets here and there drenched in delay or reverb, a style you’ll recognise from many of the Jura Soundsystem edits on the label. The late Glen Adams & Finesse open proceedings with their Island Disco cover of Marvin Gaye’s classic, followed on the A2 by a super rare UK Boogie/Brit Funk mix of Tippa Irie’s ‘Panic Panic’ (shouts to Tippa for personally helping to push through the license) and the A side closes with the 80’s leaning ‘Yes I Do’ from Belgium’s Special Occasion. The first half of the B side comes from Carol Williams with the Special Club Dub mix of ‘Can’t Get Away’, originally a one sided promo only 10” from 1983 complete with spoken word intro from Carol thanking New York’s Metro DJs for their support of the song. The LP closes with a Jura Soundsystem Dubby Edit of La Palace De Beaute’s ‘Sin’ pulling back on the vocal and going heavy on the delay.

Knifeplay’s sophomore full-length, and first ever studio album Animal Drowning is a sprawling landscape of shoegaze and lofty slowcore. The album finds the band in a blend of folk instruments, walls of distortion, orchestral strings and delicate vocals, all carefully organized by Philadelphia engineer/producer Jeff Zeigler, known for his work with Nothing, Kurt Vile, and more. Though their sonic palette is vast, Knifeplay craft a cohesive aesthetic to carry frontman Tj Strohmer’s thematically heavy songwriting, which touches on loss of all kinds against the backdrop of a nihilistic world. These songs cry out with urgency no matter their ever-varied tempo and dynamic, each painting a unique vignette of tragedy. Yet the band’s dense, meticulously composed instrumentation exudes beauty, creating a lightness to balance the subject matter. With Animal Drowning, Knifeplay goes deeper into the sonic experimentation and brutally honest lyricism so beloved on their early bedroom recordings, creating an enrapturing experience that deftly builds on previous work.

Peak 1987 all time, top tier digital reggae. Killer one-away rhythm and awesome militant vocal from Hopeton Lindo. One of our all time favorite politically conscious reggae tunes, still relevant today. Better still, this release is taken straight from the original master tape and is nearly a full minute longer than the original release, wherein Hopeton drops a bit of our favorite dancehall vernacular. Real hardcore DKR heads will know when they hear it.

Here's the inaugural release in a new series from the archives of the late great engineer & producer Philip Smart. Philip's resume is impeccable - early friend and collaborator of Augustus Pablo, radio host and dj, first apprentice of King Tubby, and founder, producer and engineer at one of the major reggae studios of New York City history, Hc&f. Many years back our brother label Goldshop did a series of 45 reissues of the dancehall classics from Philip's Eclipse label. We always wanted to go deeper, but time moves fast, and unfortunately, Philip left us in 2014. But everything in due course, and now with his estate we've gone thru the archives to assemble a fantastic series of releases. This first release is a must - produced by Philip during his time as engineer at Tubby's studio, this is an awesome rockers style take on the moody Paragons classic. The flip features a classic blueprint mid 70s Tubby's style dub, HPF in effect with the first Prince, Philip Smart at the helm. Originally released thru Brooklyn's legendary Keith's record shop back around the time it was recorded.

Reissue from 1989, amazing leftfield Lovers Rock featuring extended dub version - emotional love bomb. Re-mastered and restored.

Twin Cities duo Feel Free Hi Fi return to their in-house imprint Digital Sting with their first full length entitled “I was so far in I was out.” After two prior EP's and collaborations with Equiknoxx and Duppy Gun Feel Free Hi Fi deliver 8 new tracks of their distinct but eclectic digital dub. Amalgamating many of the sounds, sonics, and aesthetics of prior releases into these eight percussive instrumentals. The industrial dub and weirdo dancehall remain but the focus is further refined while also exploring environmental and cinematic sounds to create often dark and heavy versions that are as singular as they are collective, as introverted as they are expansive.
The records come in double sided silk-screened printed custom DJ Jackets, with Obi Strip style stickers and hand stamped white labels created and printed by Digital Sting.

Leisure DubandArmaniousreturn to follow up their debut release ‘Weekend Waiting’ (one of Gilles Peterson’s records of the year in 2021). It’s electronic late night soul on the A side with a heavy baseline mix made for sound systems on the B side. Pressed on a dinked 7 inch.

Chapter 4 als Limitierte Green LP!

Alek Lee is back on Antinote to release his debut LP ‘You’. Covering 16 songs and crafted in theproducer’s studio over the past few 4 years, the Tel Avivian has swapped the misty aura of his first two EPs for a smoked out haze. ‘You’ effortlessly blends digi-dub, boogie, and yacht rock to create a washed out, dub-pop sound befitting of its place of recording sat at the edge of the desert and the sea. If Lee’s earlier works were defined by brooding downtempo beats with kids television vocal samples sprinkled amongst them, then the album hears the producer open himself up to the process of the singer-songwriter, getting behind the microphone and optimistically speaking words of his own.

But perhaps that may be put too bluntly. Fankly, Lee fluidly moves between crooning, whispers, gasps all the way to full on ballad style singing effortlessly and with ease. His newly develop vocal experiments are too supported by an impressive array of collaborators which can be found in the LP’s liner notes. These collaborations also help to mix far-flung musical styles into the LP. For instance, take Kol Hayom featuring Keren Ilan. It’s a laid-back tune that would sit comfortably beside Rita Lee tropicália. Or Love To Puff You Baby featuring $hkuru, which upends Donna Summer’s bodily groove into a heady bop.‘You’ is a testament to Alek Lee’s prolific exploration of his own brand of dub: shimmering off-beat guitars, low-fidelity beats and deep grooves. Oh and always a melodica line found somewhere amongst it.

South African Warrick Sony is a ground breaking composer who was behind the Kalahari Surfers project which now gets a vital spotlight courtesy of Emotional Rescue. This compilation shows how effortlessly eclectic his sound was - from jive rhythms to jazz, tabla to political speeches and much more in between. A Hindu pacifist who was once conscripted into the South African Defense Force, he founded this group as a way out getting his ides out there, calling on other musicians as and when he needed them. It was the first radical white anti-apartheid pop in South Africa and as this vital collection shows it explored polyrhythms, slow motorik, dub sound collage and even a goofy cover of Nancy Sinatra.

Repressed due to high demand… ltd 200 with blue artwork sleeve

Noted reggae vocalist Barry Biggs comes under the Emotional Rescue microscope here with celebrated LA digger Patrick Billard aka DJ Duckcomb remixing one of his cuts. First up is the original version of 'Illusion' which has big pianos over the clean digital dub. The soaring vocal is obscured by plenty of lush effects and melodies. After a version twists and contorts the original, the DJ Duckcomb Discomix slows things down and ups the dazzling disco vibes but keeps the dub dubby bottom end to ensure plenty of dance floor impact. This is a classy one as ever from this label.

Killer combination roots tune from these two legends. Released in 1986, but the music sounds more in a 1980-81 Roots Radics style. Backed with hard dub version.

We've been overdue to let off a modern gem from the Wackie's vaults, so here we go. Another of our favorite 12 Tribes related artists, the late great Judah Eskender Tafari, on a hard and moody but uplifting digital stepper straight from the Bronx. B-side features a great ghostly raw rhythm version from Bullwackie.

All killer no filler 10 track compilation of peak late 80s digital tunes from Park Heights' most productive period. Pure fire produced between Jamaica and New York City. Featuring two previously unreleased tunes and the rest reissued for the first time.

Ten great tracks from Park Height's productive late '80s period, where Mr. Francis produced a lot of great early digital reggae both in Jamaica and right here in NYC. We've selected eight great never before reissued tracks from the catalog, plus two previously unreleased gems. As always, housed in a fresh jacket with the vibes of the time.

Years ago we were lucky enough to get an incredible and uncredited Acetate with a deep instrumental cut of Satta Massagana , long story short after few weeks we got it the plate totally cracked and became unplayable. We managed to send the plate to Rome at Vinyl restoration who made a little miracle and somehow fixed it well enough for us to export a digital crackling recording of it to keep in our archives. Few years later , we played the noisy recording to the great musicians from Dig This Way All Stars and we decided it was absolutely the case to attempt a modern remake of it. Thats how Abeng , Sere and Monz made the structure of the Riddim , than Rootikal Horns handled the Trombone and Sax version , Nicola Gallo did the Organ part and Jonny De Ambassador played the percussions! The final touch is done by Yakka who mixed a couple wicked dubwises of it and Pressure Mastering that made it sounds proper! The 45rpm is pressed in 250 black copies.