This Week

Review: The always onpoint Echo Beach serve up a long overdue second edition of their Reggae Germany Downtown compilation. Some eighteen tracks deep, Echo Beach give a true representation of the Dub scene in Germany, pairing veteran artists like Felix Wolter (Dubvisionist, TVS), Seeed, and the Senior Allstars with rising talents such as Aldubb, Brain Theft, aDUBta, Symbiz sound and Chazzy Wezar (the son of Matthias Arfmann). Reggae Germany Downtown takes dub as it's starting point and veers in various musical directions so expect sub heavy dubstep (the Giotto remix of "Let There Be Dub" from Aldubb" is a highlight) downbeat skank, rude electronics and dancehall torch songs. Germany is Dubland"!

Review: Anyone can knock up a screaming wobbler, but to give it funk and enduring appeal is another thing all together. Suffice to say Nasha Experience member Squarewave has nailed that tricky task on "Home Alone". The seesaw bass cuts through with menace yet seeps like a filthy liquid. "Rising Sun" lollops with much more of a traditional digidub flavour. "Restricted Area" returns to the darker side of the dance. More confrontational than "Home Alone" but not without its cheeky sonic spirit, it's aggy without being unnecessarily icy. "The Heist" brings us to a dramatic, cinematic climax with a great orchestral sample and awesome pranged out sighs and shuffles.