My Latest Volume for #DuskDubs - DD0230
This week, we hand over the controls
for a 'Bass Weight' Special. And there's no one better than our very own
Original Gidman. Over the course of the last 2 years, Gids has been at the very
forefront of Dusk Dubs, nothing gets past him, and has affectionately become to
be known as the Oracle. He lives and breathes this stuff. His tastes are
widespread, but this particular bass weight arena is one that we all love. It's
difficult to sum up what Gids means to the team, to the Dusk Dubs ethos in
general and even further afield. Just from what you see on face value surpasses
anything we could ever ask for, but behind the scenes, he is a grafter, a
mentor, a walking encylopedea of sound, and a constant steady noise for the
rest of us when all hell breaks loose. Top man, and top selections as always,
we proudly present, our own Original Gidman.
Here are some words from the man himself....
It’s great to be back, and there’s nothing I like more than
digging through my vinyl vaults inspired by a producer, a label, a vibe, a
movement and this time is no exception. Taking my lead from the phrase which
would appear on the infamous club ‘DMZ’ flyers – “come meditate on bass
weight”, which you would see plastered to lamp posts and advertising boards
throughout South London in 2005 and beyond. At this time DMZ were considered to
be one of the most influential “Dubstep” nights along with FWD – Yep that’s
right I used that commonly derided term ‘Dubstep’…. but PLEASE, don’t be put
off.
For me, out of this ‘Dubstep’ scene came the most
refreshing, experimental and emotionally charged bass heavy rhythms, coupled
with neck snapping beats I had heard in a long time, and it is this
‘Bass-Weighted’ influence that I am representing today – beats that hit you
like a meditative metronome.
Of course this is no way an attempt to provide some kind of
comprehensive list, but to offer my own personal favourites from that period
that have maintained their impact throughout the last ten years, along with a
few earlier selections that influenced that vibe. To attempt to represent
through the Dusk Dubs looking glass, the different vibes and styles which grew
and developed, and to re-address the idea that “Dubstep” was simply spotty
young kids from South London creating disposable ‘wobble bass’ or ‘WUB’ as some would say……
Welcome to my world of ‘Dusk Dubs Bass Weight’…. (N.B. If
you can, please listen on a decent set of headphones or with a good amp and sub
- it’s essential)
Tracklisting
1) Jah Shaka – Verse 1 – Produced by Jah Shaka aka The Zulu
Warrior, this track is taken from the
1982 ‘Commandments Of Dub’ LP, the first
of a series of ten (highly recommended) all released under his own label
Jah Shaka Music. Sample spotters will recognise the classic ‘quack/squeek’
sound at the beginning of the track which has been sample by classic jungle
riddims such as XLR8 - Dub Plate (Simply Rolling) (1993), Good, 2Bad &
Hugly - Got To Release. (1993) Renegade – Terrorist (1994) and numerous Congo
Natty / X Project tunes.
2) Scientist – Seconds Away – Featured on his classic 1980
‘Heavyweight Dub Champion’ album on Greensleeves. Produced at Channel One
Recording Studio and mixed a King Tubby's Studio…. the dub heritage is clearly
on show and one can almost physically feel those trademark Scientist
"into-oblivion" echo effects as the protégé of King Tubby takes
Barrington Levy vocals from ‘Many Changes in Life’ and drops them through his
echo chamber, backed by the amazing riddims of his studio players, the Roots
Radics Band.
3) Tippa Irie – Meaning Of Dub – This explanation of Dub can
be found on the ‘Meaning Of Dub’ compilation on Stones Throw Records which was
released last year. Produced by the Dub Club aka Tom Chasteen – the legendary
Los Angeles club promotor and producer, and featuring the UK’s own, Brixton born Tippa Irie, the
lyrics offer up an explanation of Dub and why we love it…. As Tippa sings in a
call & response fashion … “What do we love… that sweet reggae music called
dub”.
4) King Tubby – King Tubby The Ruler – Taken from the
infamous ‘King Tubby's Studio Vs Channel One In Dub’ which was produced in the
1970’s (exact date unknown). The album was produced by Bunny Lee and mixed by
King Tubby, Scientist and Crucial Bunny. The track takes Clarence Reid’s
1969 classic ‘Nobody
but You Babe’ and gives it the Tubby treatment, twisting it through his
12-channel, custom-built MCI mixing desk. EQing it with his own custom built
parametric EQ … known locally as the "big knob" – this dial would
allow Tubby to introduce a dramatic narrowing sweep of any signal, such as the
horns etc, until the sound disappeared into a thin squeal……. Classic.
5) Smith & Mighty – Brain Scan – Unbelievably, first
released back in 1985 on demo by Rob Smith, together with writing/production
partners Ray Mighty and Peter D Rose and later released by the Japanese label
Angel's Egg records in 2003, this amazing Bristol production has all the
elements, hip hop, dub reggae all twisted through there industrial echo
chamber, particularly reminiscent of the programming you would later hear in
rave and jungle productions of the early nineties. What I love about this track
is that bouncing bass tone, some say reminiscent or influenced by the electro
era, which contributes to that twisting rhythm and vibe which I believe to be a
major influence in the bass weight ethos…in fact the connection comes full
circle, as Rob Smith would later produce for seminal dubstep labels such as
Bristol’s Punch Drunk and Tectonic labels between 2007 and 2009.
6) Koncrete Roots – Warehouse Dub – Taken from the 2014
self-released album ‘Dub ina Midlands’ by one man outfit Koncrete Roots aka
Thomas Kenney from Leicestershire, England. His style has been described as a
deeply rooted dub sound with a modern day steppa twist and this is clearly
apparent in ‘Warehouse Dub’ . Its opens with a sample explaining the
multi-cultural nature of reggae/dub, a steppers rhythm breaks out including echoed vocals, a skanky breakdown,
followed by a mutated Sleng Teng riddim. This is a clear example of how dubstep
has developed and incorporated dub/reggae in a contemporary UK way and so
continues to do so…..
7) Rhythm & Sound featuring Tikiman – What A Mistry–
Released in 1997 on Basic Channel’s sub label Burial Mix Records by the
legendary Rhythm & Sound outfit aka Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald. It
is in no doubt how influential and ahead of the game the Basic Channel sound
was including the run of 10 inches via Burial Mix which emphasized the
dub-reggae aesthetic within a techno framework. This sound would certainly go
on to influence the deeper side of dubstep and parallels can be drawn,
particularly from later labels such as Mala’s Deep Medi Musik.
8) Quest – Smooth Skin – It is a Deep Medi Musik release we
go to next. Released in 2010 from Antisocial collective member Quest aka Darren
Henry. This track at the time was a change in BPM for Mala’s imprint, instead
of the usual 140bpm ‘Smooth Skin’ was a slower 94bpm bathed in glorious synth
washes over constantly shuffling percussion….. followed by a weighty dose of
sub-bass about half way through…. Love this.
9) Jack Sparrow – Good Old Days – Hailing from Leeds in the
UK, Ryan Gath aka Jack Sparrow also released this on Mala’s Deep Medi Musik.
imprint in 2012. Involved in the dubstep scene since 2006 with releases on
labels such as Contagious, Earwax and Tectonic, he moves away from his usual
darker, heavier soundsystem productions and instead creates a more laidback,
meditative and blissful vibe for ‘Good
Old Days’. Samples of oldschool jazz
float blissfully over a classic “Bass Weight” riddim – one for the smokers….
10) LV – CCTV (Featuring Dandelion) – Released on Kode9’s
immensely successful Hyperdub label back in 2008, featuring soundsystem
vocalist Dandelion. LV combines the organic warmth of reggae and horns, with
squelching analogue synths over a 2 step rhythm, all resulting in a rolling
dread-filled paranoid atmosphere – Stunning…. Check the lyrics….
11) V.I.V.E.K. – Feel It – One of my favourite producers
from this era, V.I.V.E.K. aka Vivek Sharda out of London released this Double
Pack 12” on Deep Medi Musik in 2010. As the sample throughout states, this
track is all about ‘Frequencies’ …”Many
soundsytem play very loud bass, but we would like to play very deep that people
can still stand in front of the speaker… it doesn’t hurt… People do respond to
that bottom frequency.” What follows is a ‘Bass Weight’ classic, with one of
the most chest thumping sub sonic bass and infectious rolling Tablas
combinations I’ve ever heard. Should come with a Government Bass Warning !!
12) Fat Freddys Drop – Cays Crays (Digital Mystikz Version)
- As you might have guessed from my previous volumes, I’m a hug fan of Fat
Freddys Drop aka the "Seven Headed Soul Monster". So back in October
2006 when the band released the ‘Dub Versions’ 12Inch, featuring remixes by
Blood & Fire vs. Deep Sounds, Kalbata and of course this track, it was a
buy on sight purchase and still is to this day. Remixed by Mala under his and
Coki’s alias ‘Digital Mystikz’, this version was an anthem back in the day in
all the best dubstep clubs and of course in particular at DMZ. With those
soulful vocals by Joe Dukie, echoed and twisted
and combined with Mala’s additional melodica instrumentation, this
version is pure vibes and is one of only a few dubstep tunes that offers the
chance for a good ol’ sing-a-long…. Vibes !!
13) Pinch – Get Up feat Yolanda (LV Disco Remix) – Released
on Pinch’s Bristol based Tectonic label back in 2009. This remix by LV can only
be found on the CD release, and turns what was already an anthem into a
stunning “bass-weight” stepper. Featuring the glorious vocal talents of Yolanda
Quartey, LV seem to amplify every soulful ounce of the original…. very
reminiscent of Grace Jones’ Compass Point productions by the legends Sly &
Robbie…..
14) Silkie – Jazz Dub – Although released on a 12” Double
Pack in 2013 on Deep Medi Musik, this track along with the other 5 productions
were apparently rescued from Solomon Rose aka Silkie’s computer hard drive (The
exact date of production never released) and for that, I’m very thankful.
As a member of the Anti Social Collective alongside Quest,
Harry Craze, Razor Rekta , Jay 5ive and later on Mizz Beats , Silkie has
consistently pushed at those boundaries of the dubstep genre. From the early
days and his introduction to the club FWD around 2002, he has been instrumental
in developing the then new infused electronica called ‘Forward Music’.
Promoting the Anti Social mantra of pushing boundaries and experimentation, the
track ‘Jazz Dub’ takes a standard jazz lick along side a 4/4 drum pattern and
creates a weighty meditative fusion – a style of which like so many of my
favourite dubstep productions foster… “less is definitely more”.
15) Grace Jones – Love You To Life (Mala /Digital Mystikz
Remix) – Originally released as a very limited Record Store Day special back in
2010 on the Wall Of Sound label, it got repressed due to high demand. At the
time it was Digital Mystikz first release in two years and what a release it
was. Taking on the legend that is Grace Jones and putting her through the South
London ‘DMZ’ echo chamber, Mala builds a skanking rhythm which rides a serious
weighty bassline while adding elements, until around half way he drops the
rhythm track to leave Jones’s glorious vocal on top of that bass…. “Calling All
The Guards” – Watch ya subs on this one…..
16) Skream – Dutch Flowers – Released in October 2006, this
b-side featured on Skream’s classic “Tapped/Dutch Flowers” 12” and was one of
two releases that preceded his first long-player for Tempa Recordings –
“Skream!”. Mastered at the legendary ‘Transition Mastering’ Studios in South
East London, this ‘1 note’.. ska infused skank-out featuring a balearic guitar
sample, lush Detroit synth pads, a sub bass to die for and of course those
rousing reggae horns all make this in to a perfect summer stepper….
17) Loefah – Root – Finally, I end with one of the legends
and bass pioneers of the “bass-weight” scene. Loefah along with Mala and Coki –
not only run the DMZ club night but released classic 12’s from that period
under the DMZ record label. Back in 2005, Root was DMZ’s 6th release and is a
perfect example of Loefah’s experimentation with the darker side of bass
science. Beginning with a classic sample of Sir Coxsone Dodd, the owner of
Jamaica’s legendary Studio One, telling how he came up with the idea to release
his own records, with additional samples of Alton Ellis stating “Not For
Publication" and "Dubplate" ….. the track develops over
neck-snapping beats until an earth shattering modulating bassline drops….. as
one review at the time stated “Not to be listened too whilst operating heavy
machinery!”…..