Dub 297 Items

Mute BEAT’s live performances from 1988-1989 are compiled in this double live album. Featuring recordings from their North American tour, including performances at N.Y.'s Sob's and collaborations with legends like Gladstone "Gladdy" Anderson and Roland Alphonso, this album showcases the unique groove and live dub mix that can’t be captured in studio recordings.

On the 50th anniversary of the band's inception at an event in Harlem, NY to commemorate Malcolm X's birthday on 19 May 1968, influential spoken word artists, poets and commentators The Last Poets are set to make a glorious and relevant return with their first album in over 20 years, 'Understand What Black Is'.
Produced by Ben Lamdin (Nostaglia 77) and Brighton legend Prince Fatty, whose speciality is traditional reggae and dub production's, 'Understand What Black Is' is a ten-track album which speaks of a revolutionary struggle defined by both race and identity, that has never sounded more relevant. Released on Studio Rockers, there will also be an accompanying single featuring remixes of the title track "Understand What Black Is" by Mala (South London collective Digital Mystikz) and UK Dance music innovators Dego and Kaidi.
Since the initial line-up of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain and Felipe Luciano formed in East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets have produced under various guises over the subsequent years. However, it was their seminal output, namely 1970's 'The Last Poets' under both Umar bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole that secured their legacy, becoming one of the most important influences in early hip hop.
Throughout the last 20 years, the band have remained largely on hiatus. But their influence could still be felt with their tracks being sampled by The Notorious B.I.G, NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.Dre and Snoop Dogg. Umar has recorded various solo albums and featured on Common and Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'The Corner'. Abiodun appeared on the Red Hot Organization's album, Stolen Moments which was named "Album of the Year" by Time. He also conducts weekly open house poetry readings, where he constructively critiques upcoming poets, helping to nurture them. He has also conducted classes at Columbia University, where he teaches creative writing.
The inauguration of Donald Trump as US President in 2016 inspired Hassan and Oyewole to resurrect the group to create a brand new record, modern and edgy, and deeply relevant and reflective of our times.
Tracks on 'Understand What Black Is' include 'How Many Bullets', which bridles with defiance as Oyewole works through a litany of injustices suffered by black people in the US: " You've Tried
To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'What I Want To See' describes a utopia - a refuge from hurt and those who'd make "our vision blurred, and our faith obscure", whilst the title track 'Understand What Black Is' aims to transcend ethnicity: "understand what black is….It's the source from which all things come...black is a hero, not a villain."
The album even takes reference from Prince's 2003 album of instrumentals, 'News', which Hassan drew comparisons from with his own childhood experiences: "That poem took me about a year to write….I just kept writing and writing but not getting too far and then I heard that album and the musicianship was amazing. I was left wondering if it was jazz, classical, rock or maybe something new but all those images that I write about came to me from listening to that album. I loved Prince in that movie Purple Rain because my father was a talented musician but he was into brutalising Mama at times and in the movie there's a Jerome and my name is Jerome, so it was like he was telling my life story as well."
The album acts as a body of work between individual members each speaking of their own personal journeys, but feeding into the much larger narrative of struggle and oppression, alongside a fervent hunger for social change. These are struggles and tests of personal resolve that have directly shaped and moulded the bands' unique sound over the course of an impressive 50 years, and their powerful and influential commentary remains as relevant as ever.

KCT 3 marks a new chapter for The Hempolics showcasing their growth as musicians...

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

The third solo album of the Italian producer is released eight years after his previous At Song Embassy, Papine, Kingston 6, an album/documentary recorded and filmed in Jamaica back in 2015. Over this eight-year span, Baldini intensively toured through Europe, United States and Latin America, and worked as a producer for artists like Mellow Mood, L.A.B., Forelock, Noiseshaper, Imperial Sound Army, Dubblestandart, and for well- established reggae labels like Pressure Sounds and Echo Beach. Differently from his previous albums, in which Baldini’s approach was tightly linked to the tradition of Jamaican dub (and where his works focused on re-editing and re-purposing materials coming from different sources), the starting point for the beat-making of In The Shell was the writing of original music, a blank page on which to develop every single track. This time, the core of the production and song-writing is rooted in the creation of instrumental tracks in the studio; only at a later stage did Baldini look on the outside, establishing the necessary connections and collaborations for the entire album. The shared element among the songs in the record is the use of a palette of ethnic sounds and samples, recorded and archived by Paolo Baldini himself during his various trips to Africa, and on which he later carried out his unique electronic production and post-production work – the distinctive feature of his musical aesthetics. The personal and family ties that led the Italian producer to visit Sub-Saharan Africa, and especially Senegal, granted him an exclusive observation standpoint on day-to-day contexts which are usually not accessible to those who don’t have a key to participate in the family life of these communities, and allowed him to respectfully use this advantage to record original and unique samples.

Vibronics teams up with an army of top female Reggae & Dub artists to collaborate on the new album “Woman On A Mission 2” .. to celebrate the rise of women in the Reggae & Sound System Dub scene Vibronics invited Carroll Thompson, Sandra Cross, Marina P, Sisters in Dub, Sista Habesha, Empress Shema, Koko Vega, Vanya O & SoulSteppa into the Dub Cupboard Studio to create this epic double album of Vo-cals & Dubs for 2024. The album features fine vocal tracks & heavyweight instrumental Sound System style dub style tracks.

Vibronics is one of the most established names in UK Dub/Reggae music achieving millions of views on YouTube, millions of Spotify streams and many tens of thousands of vinyl record sales. Collaborators include Michael prophet, Macka B, Iration Steppas, Soom T, Aba-Shanti and more.

Meet some of the amazing artists involved in this album:

Carroll Thompson is the official ‘Queen Of Lovers Rock” - the biggest name in UK Reggae here showing her amazing versatility by singing a roots-reggae anthem for the Sound System generation

Sandra Cross is the award winning UK Reggae legend famous for her work with Mad Professor on the Ariwa Label

Marina P from Italy via Paris teams up with Vibronics following her success with Glasgow bass heavy beat legends Mungos HiFi.

Some Dub Stories is a hybrid project combining music and video: it is a live band of four musicians mixing the codes of a powerful dub with soaring melodies, harmonizing electronic and acoustic. The concert is closely linked to a video show that tells us the story of Obaba, the cosmic turtle, at the borders of multiple universes. Back on Earth in a post- apocalyptic atmosphere, Obaba delivers the story of her odyssey.The protagonists of this quartet on stage are: a multi-instrumentalist who juggles between Trumpet, Flugelhorn and Melodica, a Drummer, a Guitarist and finally a Bassist who also controls the machines! The public is then immersed in a unique sound and story, which renews the genre while filling the afficionados of Dub.The members of the group come from various formations having toured around the world: Hubris, Dub Silence, Lamuzgueule... A first album is coming soon and the group is receiving a warm welcome from professionals and are already supported by Take It Easy Agency & Alpine Records (labels). Regarding the live, NMB Booking signed the band in their roster in 2022 and the doors of Château Rouge (Live Venue and artists' residency) are open to them to prepare their first tour. The band is promised to scour the Dub scenes of France and Europe. Discover the stories of the cosmic turtle that comes to life under the pencil strokes of Lucas Roig, graphic artist. An astral journey to discover on stage.With its album « Chapter One » (which will be released during 2023) the Electro-Dub Live Band delivers an ambitious first opus combining a rhythmic Dub with deep bass. We discover a beautiful musicality as well as a professional production quality. The band’s sincere music with videos that echo problems of our time.Some Dub Stories creates a colored and powerful new kind of video- instrumental Dub with modern sounds in a style cut for contemporary music.

New compilation and long overdue next entry in the long running 'Jah Children Invasion' compilation series! This volume focuses on Wackies' foray into digital reggae, with a killer selection of tracks from the late '80s and early '90s. There are three previously unreleased tunes alongside seven others culled from prior rare and long out of print releases. In DKR style this comes in a 2 sided hand silkscreened jacket.

Fat Freddy's Drop present the ‘lock-in’ album, a sonic moment in time as the band jam conscious songs of freedom and hope for a generation. The studio session was captured at the iconic Michael Fowler Centre in the band’s hometown of Wellington, New Zealand during the pandemic lockdown. Devoid of audience, it’s a reflection of the surreal times that’s halted tour life 2020. The band re-located their Bays studio to the MFC and set up in a circle on the MFC stage for the recording, providing a unique space to jam slow burn classics such as ‘Soldier’, ‘Hope’ and ‘This Room’ as well as test drive ‘Avengers’ a brand new track in the making. The other tracks recorded are 'Special Edition', ‘Six-Eight', ‘OneFourteen’ and 'Trickle Down’ from ‘Special Edition Part 1’ the band’s most recent album. The crisp multi-track production was recorded by Western Audio, monster mix back at Bays studio by DJ Fitchie, Freddys beat master and producer. Mastering at Calyx studio in Berlin. The ‘lock-in’ session melds Freddys fastidious studio chops and love of freewheeling jams with a tautness that comes from 21 years in the business and a reputation as one of the finest live draws in the world.

"play ON MR. Music”, one of the legendary songs from the recording scene of the documentary film ‘roots Rock Reggae’, which fascinated reggae fans all over the world, is finally available on record! This is a compilation of recordings from the Black Ark Studios during the heyday of the maverick Lee Perry.

Dub like it used to be from the High Note and Gay Feet labels.
A selection of rocking rhythms from The Revolutionaries masterminded by Jamaica's finest female record producer, Mrs Sonia Pottinger, and mixed by Duke Reid's nephew, Errol Brown, chief engineer at the legendary Treasure Isle studio.

One can imagine these words echoing in the wizard's mind of teacher and keys and synth man Nathan Spicer just before conceiving this, his "never meant to be released" masterpiece dub experiment. He, along with the lions share of the members of his Seattle-based funk/afrobeat group, Polyrhythmics, render a profound dub album as majestic and dynamic as if the members each had simultaneously recieved this missive from on high. Was it King Plachacha himself that dubbed these funk squires as true knights of the coming Pleiades/Earth 4th dimensional consciousness ascension portal event? The music seems to indicate so. As soundsystem technicians/prophets who came before such as Tubby, Perry, Scientist, and Pablo, Rezin Tooth and engineer/bass player Jason Gray succeed in manifesting a sonic blueprint of this possible fourth dimensional realm where peace and enlightenment flow freely as the true currency of the universe. Fellow Funk parishoners in this holy temple of dub are Ben Bloom (strings), Grant Schroff (drums and symbols), Lalo Bello (percussion) Art Brown (reeds) Elijah Clark (horns). Yes, praise the lord, Spicer et al did heed the call and indeed dubbed themselves. And you are now holding in your hand the Chronicle of their efforts. Rezin Tooth lays their new album of contemplative dub upon dub's mighty altar as an expression of their reverence to this beguiling and communal Jamaican art form. With this offering, they take communion with dub's sacrament from the basements and sound systems of planet earth and tape-echo it back out to the Pleiades. -Lucky Brown

In the Afro×jazz×global Bass scene, Galliano's Constantine Weir adds a new dimension. And incredibly, Congo Natty is joining as a producer. Featuring lyrics inspired by Islamic mysticism, accompanied by robust electronic bass music that floods the auditory senses. Constantine Weir initially signed with Acid Jazz Records, helmed by Gilles Peterson, and rose to prominence in the 1990s with the acid jazz group Galliano. He has also collaborated with S'Express, Paul Weller, Pressure Drop, Amy Winehouse, Outside, Ocean Colour Scene, Congo Natty, as well as contributed to works by Japanese artists such as United Future Organization (U.F.O) and Hirosi Kamayatsu.

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.

Hybrid is a word used indiscriminately in our daily lives. This record isn't a hybrid; it's beyond hybrid, post-hybrid, so to speak. Does this phrase sound complicated to you, and are you never overly convinced by music theory and its caricatural aspect? Then forget what you’ve just read and listen to both sides of this record. You'll soon realise that these tracks are deliciously deft, drawing their essence from dub while leaving room for some skillful jazz writing. For those of you intrigued by melodies, the art of musique concrète or the exploration of dub music’s deviant angles, this record will easily find its place on your turntable.

The two sides of the record are cut with play, improvisation and effects, while leaving room for themes and ideas. If this record’s first chapter was born from a request to remix and pay homage to Jackie Mittoo, its themes tell another story. They have been declined and even reduced to an explosion point. The tracks are also driven by subtle details of musique concrète, giving the record the effect of an intimate musical production – but, above all, one of uncategorisable beauty.

In Androo’s case, this is hardly surprising. He is a craftsman who is unassailable in every respect, a poetic dynamiter and, for this reason, one of the most unpredictable musicians in Geneva (and beyond). His appetite for dynamite is perhaps an indication of his conception of music as, first and foremost, an experience. His highly personal and inventive tribute to figures from free jazz and contemporary music proves the point. But perhaps it is also an indication of his attachment to Jean-Luc Godard. You'd have to imagine Androo at his mixing desk without a pre-written script. The idea of editing infuses the record. The two sides are very much in this style and spirit: (un-)shot, meticulous, (ir-)reverent. In this respect, this record is a formidable proposition, and perhaps difficult to understand, but not striving to be understood.

Its combination of improvisation and composition is underpinned by a razor-sharp precision and dexterity that's hard to ignore, especially if you're curious about the art of sound mixing and the romantic accidents. It has a dexterity that transforms musical grids into romantic essays and sketches. A romanticism in which Androo takes us on a liberating musical experience that makes us forget the inertia of the ramping formatting of the record industry. In any case, this record is an invitation to (un-)think the category, and will delight any ear curious to wander into territories of intuition where the word hybrid no longer makes sense.

Text by Carl Åhnebrink

Taikokissie & DUB Passengers, led by Tokyo-based Lo-fi musician Taikokissie, whose previous album "slow Dance IN Suburbia" was well received, presents their second 10-inch release!! Hard jazz, improvisation played with skill and dubwise with deep effects that dive deep. A great masterpiece with the warmth of mellow raw sound that emerges in the darkness. Four songs and 28 minutes long, recommended for chill out along with gentle dancing. Includes download code.

A killer fusion of bass, poetry and social consciousness from the King Midas Sound vocalist.

Roger Robinson is one of the most versatile voices in the dub poetry scene today, seamlessly blending the power of the written word with the raw energy of the soundsystem.

Teaming up once again with Dub wizard Disrupt to conclude an album trilogy that began with “Dis Side Ah Town” and “Dog Heart City“, Robinson pulls a wide range of riddims straight from the Jahtari vaults to create “Heavy Vibes“, a killer fusion of bass, poetry, and social consciousness.

With a voice oscillating between soulful falsetto and deep poetry thunder Robinson’s verses hit as hard as the bass, challenging the listener to confront uncomfortable truths, while Disrupt’s richly textured, dub-heavy production ensures the music moves both body and mind. You’ll find yourself dancing, but more importantly, you’ll find yourself thinking.

Coming with stunning cover art by Kiki Hitomi and featuring deadly riddims by Tapes, Naram, Jura Soundsystem, Maffi and Bo Marley, “Heavy Vibes” balances the weight of oppression with a glimmer of hope – the belief that change is possible, that the beat goes on, and that through solidarity and art, new futures can be forged.

After their successful hits with their double EP “Ruang Waktu” & ‘’Fluktuasi’’, Rub of Rub came together to perform both EPs live, with new renditions of the songs. The live performance recorded will be released in 12” vinyl.

Hang Loose Baby for the first time available on Vinyl format. This is the first album by The Paps, dubbed on Black Vinyl, with remastered sound. Considered one of Indonesia’s influential reggae albums.

The earliest musical memories of young Prince Istari are of his mother beautifying the home with her piano playing. She would repeatedly play the tranquil pieces of Erik Satie. Skipping school and sitting in the sun, young Prince would listen to these catchy, calm compositions. In the first week of 2024, the older Prince Istari rediscovered himself and found a box containing his mother's old sheet music. He transferred them to his computer and began spinning dub versions from them. It became a tapestry. As his mother used to say: "To weave a net, one must first spin." The form of the pieces dictated the direction each would take. The heavy dub transforms here into a light weightiness until it dissolves into a pure piano piece accompanied by a synthesizer. However, the last piece is much older, from the time when Prince was still known as Istari Lasterfahrer. The ending includes a distorted recording of Huberta, Prince's mother, playing a Gnossienne by Satie. At the end, she turns the sheet music, and the record can be turned back to the beginning. In the essence of its material, this record rejects the Loudness War. The originality of the compositions guided the dub within their tracks, thereby imparting to each a form descriptive of its essence.

The Do No Hurry project is an EP born from the musical synergy between vocalist Tenah and riddim artisan Oddy. It intricately weaves the finest vintage digital sounds of 80s reggae into a contemporary, current, and incisive direction. This is evident not only in the artistic and musical choices but also in the thought-provoking themes explored. It embarks on a musical journey, characterized by the vibrant tones of synthesizers, drum machines, and lyrics that gracefully navigate the realms of depth and lightness. The project is unequivocally infused with dub techniques and sound effects, making it an exceptionally original and distinctive endeavor.