Another dub post from ART58Koen...
One of the more obscure Island sub labels was Quango.
Set up in 1995, after Chris Blackwell heard a mix tape by Los Angeles DJ Bruno Guez, it was supposed to be ‘kind of lifestyle music’ and ‘global groove-oriented’, releasing all sorts of music: ambient, down-tempo, world, reggae, and more, it went all over the place.
I have a few Quango compilation CDs and most are a mixed bunch, but a few really stand out, despite me discovering them a few years after their release.
1996’s
Dubmission consisted of 10 classic Island dub tracks (Sly & Robbie,
Black Uhuru, Linton Kwei Johnson, Aswad, etc.) from the 70s and 80s put
together by a dude called Tomas/Umoja of the Hi-Fi Soundsystem. Dreadful cover-art,
minuscule printed info (but without any liner notes!) didn’t make it
very attractive I guess, but it remains a solid dub collection.
One year later a follow up was released, Dubmission 2: The Remixes with a much more attractive cover AND liner notes (again printed as tiny as possible, why??).
Anyway, these 10 newly recorded ‘re-dubs’ of 6(!) Dubmission tracks feature a wide range of echo-soaked variety, so much that 3 versions of the same Black Uhuru dub track (Boof N Baff N Biff) sound completely different!
Other versions border on Drum N’ Bass, a genre I never learned to appreciate, but here works quite well.
When playing it (really!) loud paint starts flaking of the walls which for some reason my wife disapproves of…
Both
CDs are discontinued, only available second hand and Dubmission 1 I
have never even seen in any music blog for download (unlike 2).
A few
years ago I got Dubmission 2 and only last week an old friend gave me
the first one, so I’ve made a brand new 320 kbps rip of both CDs + 600
dpi scans of the covers, etc. which will enable you to read the liner
notes without the aid of a microscope!
To make it a bit more complete I’ve added a Pre-Dubmission selection featuring the original vocal tracks.
How to get this 3 Disc Dubmission special?
Easy peasy! Just answer Koen's question down below in the comments.
Koen sez:
ReplyDeleteJust let us know an example of a remix/dub which you consider just as good as the original track or perhaps even better!
I and I Survive the dub of Slavery Days
DeleteAswan’s Dub Fire
DeleteI'm partial to the dub of Burning Spear's "Marcus Say Jah No Dead", which was renamed "Jah Boto" on the "Living Dub, Vol. 1" album.
ReplyDeleteNice one!
DeleteNot sure if any are better than Police and Thieves, but can't get enough of the sequence of dubs and alternative versions on Arcology :
ReplyDeleteJunior Murvin– Police & Thieves
Glen DaCosta– Magic Touch
Jah Lion– Soldier And Police War
The Upsetters– Grumblin' Dub
Junior Murvin– Bad Weed (Previously Unreleased Alternate Mix)
Having said that the whole 3 cds are just knockout.
Those are classics for sure Nobby!
DeleteI DO like dub!! ..but, not really knowledgeable enough to answer the question!!! : (
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm the same as Steve here, I had some 7" singles recently that had dub or versions on B side, often nothing to do with the A side.
DeleteMy problem is that I rarely know what the original non-dub track was like to begin with.
DeleteNow that's a serious problem!
DeleteIt doesn't have to be dub, any kind of remix which you consider more interesting than the original is fine too.
DeleteThere are a lot of 80s acts I collect 12 inch remixes and extended versions of - Level 42 have had some really good ones. Later extended versions are often ruined by that metronomic 4/4 beat.
DeleteSometimes, even if you know the original non-dub track, the dub track is often unrecognizable. Take for instance Black Uhuru's 'The Dub Factor' (a long time favorite of mine), which is a dub of their album 'Chill Out', but the dub songs don't even sound close to the original non-dub tracks.
DeleteThose are often the most interesting!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused, just a simple boy at heart ! I answered but no link appears, any help appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThis is what you've posted - the link is to a screen cap of the blog comments dashboard.
DeleteI have known comments to not appear, so it can happen, although I have no idea why this should happen. Submit the comment again is all I can suggest, if it's not in the list below. Did you refresh the page? - that might be the answer.
https://workupload.com/file/XvfcEuXgrkp
Thanks for the help. Let's try again ! I and I Survive the dub of Slavery Days isw one of my faves. Also, here's a link to a good article about one of the pioneers of dub
Deletehttps://www.factmag.com/2015/05/19/king-tubby-beginners-guide-dub-reggae/
Well, that seems to have posted OK. And welcome DaG!
DeleteSorry DaG, you must think I'm mad.
DeleteI read your posts as wondering where your comment had gone, when you wanted the link to the music.
The usual thing here is that a question is asked and then the files posted when we've got a few replies and a bit of a conversation going.
Sorry again!
Steve,
DeleteThanks for the explanation. it's a great idea to get words flowing.
I nicked the idea from Farq over on th' Isle of Foam...although he doesn't seem to do it these days.
Deletehttps://falsememoryfoam.blogspot.com/
"Private Life (Dub)" by Grace Jones. Eight minutes of Grace with Sly and Robbie, on an inspired remake of a Pretenders' song.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/3xEUtEE8Bsw
Excellent choice!
DeleteI can see there's still plenty of DUBterest here among the faithful MajorsHole followers, wonderful. This needs to be rewarded of course, so here are the rips of the 2 offical CDs, my pre-dub collection AND 3 epubs giving you the ins & outs on dub & more:
ReplyDeleteLloyd Bradley: Bass Culture When Reggae Was King
Michael E Veal: Dub - Soundscapes and Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae
Paul Sullivan: Remixology - Tracing the Dub Diaspora
https://mega.nz/file/CdtnVADB#s_bU2mK9jdum2SieNDVPfnSnQvICzoE2pXnS4Y_yNx0
Wow, thanks! I've only read the Michael Veal book.
DeleteYou're welcome, hope you like the music as well.
DeleteMany thanks - my dub education continues!
DeleteThanks, Art, for the Dub bonanza!
DeleteKeep on Dubbin'!
Delete