Review: The undisputed king of reggae versions, Mato returns with his sixth series of dubbed out hip-hop covers. Far from the crass, crude mash-up culture, Mato's original instrumentation ensures a much more natural remix feel which, in some cases, sounds better than the original. Across the 10 track set we're treated a bouncy, sun-kissed take on Eve's "Gangsta Lovin", a tight skank-flexed take on The Beatnuts "Off The Books", a Vadim-style contemporary digi dub take on Nate Dogg's "Good Life" and a very authentic rendition of "Still Dre". Essential listening for both hip-hop and reggae heads.
Review: House of David Gang know their onions when it comes to funky reggae vibes, even though they come from Canada. The Jamaican spirit lives everywhere! Ed Solo's reggae mix is a smooth, swaggering blend of classic reggae, rocking guitar licks and laid back grooves. Picking up the pace, the Ed Solo and Stickybuds edit adds super tight drums and a dancefloor-heavy bassline to get those arms flailing and those bodies grooving. Two very different sounds from one classic track, if you're a reggae warrior, you can't miss this.
Review: Blackout Ja has teamed up with label boss Liondub for a dubby (no surprises there) double sided outing on an imprint which bears all the hallmarks of a classic UK label, with jungle, drum & bass and dub music intertwined the whole way. This respect for the history is apparent on Rize Again, as two loping, plodding cuts of funky, upbeat music come at you with the grace of a stoner and the enthusiasm of one too. The title track is lovely in its percussion and Blackout Ja has nailed the dancehall vibe on the vocal line - you won't forget this one.
Review: Given their long individual commitments to the dubwise cause, you'd expect a collaborative album from dub techno type Scott Monteith (AKA Deadbeat) and sometime Rhythm & Sound vocalist Paul St Hilaire to be a formidable proposition. And so it proves, as the duo apply their dub techno credentials to a more traditional dub framework on The Infinity Dub Sessions. St Hilaire is at his beguiling, soulful best riding Monteith's riddims, which veer from floor-friendly dub-house and dub-techno grooves (see "Little Darling" and "Rock of Creation"), to heady trips into more traditional dubwise territory (check the celebratory "Peace & Love" and tumbling "Hold On Strong"). Throughout, there's a loving authenticity that's extremely appealing.
