VA - Sub Signals Volume 1 [Interchill - Nov2006]

[blueOrb]

Title – Sub Signals Vol. 1

Label - Interchill, Canada

Format – CD

Genre – Dub, Downtempo Electronic

Release Date - Nov2006

 

Tracklist –

 

01. The Kakatsitsi Drummers and Greg Hunter - Gbehee (A New Path) (6:00)

02. High Tone - Replay (6:02)

03. Ashtech - Earth Orbit (4:34)

04. Sub Oslo - Prisoner Of Dub (2:36)

05. Mauxuam - Jahnesh (4:36)

06. Dub Alchemist - MF Rainbow (6:22)

07. Zion Train - Free Heart (4:14)

08. Dubadelic - Secrets Of The Lost Dubplates (5:49)

09. Noiseshaper - Walls Of Silence (Gaudi Dub Remix) (3:58)

10. Creation Rebel - Space Movement - Section Two (4:02)

11. Manasseh - I-Wah (7:48)

12. Almamegretta - Insane Abduction (3:16)

 

After releasing the massive dub compilation "Dissolving Clouds" in 2005 which still runs in my music system, Interchill Records run by Andrew Ross-Collins hailing from Canada give us their next dubby installment compiled and mixed by the master of dub "Gaudi" who needs no introduction here. I’ve had very high expectations from this compilation, each of which have been fulfilled to the max. The package comes with a warning "WOOFER ADVISORY - EXPLICIT BASS". I am sure my speakers are in for a low frequency hammering.

 

Starting the compilation is "Gbehee (A New Path)" by "Greg Hunter" with "Kakatsitsi" who are drummers from Ghana, a mild dub track with excellent drum percussion that keeps evolving slowly but steadily, I call this pure bass therapy. Flowing smoothly into the next track "Replay" by "Hightone" from France, listeners are greeted by insane psychedelic dub in extra large doses; I must have heard this track at least around 50 times by now, a very intelligent dub masterpiece with an fx'ed rasta vocal sample that is going to leave you gasping for more.

 

Getting our heads deeper into the woofer we have "Ashtech" which is a project by the former bass player of "Almamegretta" a Italian dub band who even contribute the last track on the compilation, once again the primary focus is on the bassline which is layered by highly psychedelic rootsy dub. The bass carries us steadily without noticing into the next track "Prisoner of Dub" by "Sub Oslo" from Texas. My head feels heavy with low frequencies vibrations already. Next track by "Mauxuam" the hard to find globe trotter and the best thing that could happen to dub music numbs my senses with spacy synths that gurgle around ones chakras.

 

Notching the tempo just a little we have "MF Rainbow" by "Dub Alchemist" which is a project by Gaudi just cannot disappoint anyone with its phat and groovy sound that instantly pulls one into the dub orbit. Next item on the sonic therapy menu is "Zion Train who are dub veterans give us a non hectic straight up shot of a dub cocktail flavoured with Rasta vocal samples and tribal percussion that leaves one with a surreal mental buzz.

 

"Dubadelic" who are described as "A loose gang of WordSound artist" on discogs present crawling dub groove with a complementing dark atmosphere. Next is a remix to "Noiseshaper - Walls of Silence" by "Gaudi" himself, featuring a voluptuous bassline that justifies the cover warning. As we approach the end of the compilation one is welcomed with nothing but astonishment in the form of live dub by "Creation Rebel" who are very well known in the UK for their contemporary electronic sound. Giving us our final few shots of dub is "Manasseh" who is well know for his fantastic tracks released on earlier Interchill compilations.

 

Winding up is "Insane Abduction" by "Almamegretta" a dub band based in Italy who have crafted a absolute stunner with excellent drumming with a jazzy twist.

 

Interchill and Gaudi have cooked us a true dub masterpiece that intricately combines acoustic and earthen musical elements with digital grooves while featuring some of the biggest names from the worldwide dub collective. The production and mastering on "Sub Signals" is simply marvelous, I can’t even imagine how nice and powerful this is going to sound on a large sound system. Beware!!! "Sub Signals" is coming to a speaker near you; any attempts to escape the bass will prove futile!

 

Links -

http://www.interchill.com/

[KakoOlalaJwal]

Interchill are widening their range of explored directions (if it were still possible, ha !) with setting up a serie dedicated to the realm of dub.. And they entrusted Gaudi with getting the first volume ready. I must say, after having experienced a stunning show on NYE's at the Existence festival in Spain that I was convinced they made the right choice. And I think I wasn't mistaken, the compilation is a rich selection featuring amazing musicians.. They are :

 

 

01. Kakatsitsi, Master Drummers from Ghana & Greg Hunter ::: Gbehee (A New Path)

02. High Tone ::: Replay

03. Ashtech ::: Earth Orbit

04. Sub Oslo ::: Prisoner Of Dub

05. Mauxuam ::: Jahnesh

06. Dub Alchemist ::: MF Rainbow

07. Zion Train ::: Free Heart

08. Dubadelic ::: Secret Of The Lost Dubplates

09. Noiseshaper ::: Walls Of Silence [Gaudi Dub Remix]

10. Creation Rebel ::: Space Movement – Section Two

11. Manasseh ::: I-Wah

12. Almamegretta ::: Insane Abduction

 

 

Let's give the woOfers some "raison d'être" !

 

 

01- The opener is a meeting between Greg Hunter and drummers from Ghana. The result is a peaceful piece of dub, very subtle and driven by a slow and massive 4:4 kick-drum structure.. There is a feeling of out flow, we're swimming in a river of bass.. Welcome to the Sub Signals !

 

02-Gaudi picked up Replay that was released in 2000 on their second album Opus Incertum. It's good to get such a "connection" as High Tone is a quite famous "live-dub" band in France. They use to perform live in concert halls and (big ) rock festivals, and to deliver quite uptempo "drum'n'basstic" stuff on stage. Really cool people, they also have two deejays available for pot-pourri dub to breakbeat via whatever, hehe. The track reflects this "live" characteristic with a quite twisted ambiance and phat driving bass.

 

03-Andrea Nicoletti who is multi-talented musician, and will release an album with Gaudi's help on the production, delivers here somehow heavy but optimistic piece of dub. The bassline is just great and you get the typical delayed atmosphere with the U.K. scene touch' (reminds me of some Dub Syndicate in a way). A very promising foretaste of the album !

 

04- Sub Oslo, is another live-dub band, from Texas (which is something very comforting, hey !). The track is driven by a nice dialogue between the bass and the guitar greatly performed here, and it has a strong hypnotic atmosphere. It is about 10 years old, and I have to thank Gaudi for the discovery !

 

05- Next comes Mauxuam's Jahnesh, a nice pun for a nice track ! We're suggested some twisted dubbed out elements, with some subtle winks to the hindu friendly God, and an efficient heavy ambience that matches the "concept" behind the track title.. Good one !

 

06- We now have the pleasure to get Gaudi own's material under the Dub Alchemist nickname. He serves us a constanly twirling synth bass flirting with some breakbeat stuff, until the track gets into a fast steady and "weird" dub moment that will surely bring some dancers into a deep state of trance ! Wicked !

 

07- After the very fresh stuff, time for a salute to veterans Zion Train and some kind of teaser for the upcoming album, five years after their last release, that will be entitled ‘Live as One’. The track could be somehow "minimal dub" hehe, with an efficient bassline holds some always twirling rhythmic elements, punctuated by easy goin' percussions and some short vocal sample. Pretty good !

 

08- The greatly entitled 'Secrets of the Lost Dubplates' is made by mythic figure Bill Laswell together with drummer Ted Parsons and The Eye. Another oldie but goldie driven by a fantastic slow and steady bassline. The ambience is let's say deep, hehe, nice all-purpose word, isn't it ? But I guess you'll know what I mean when listening to it.

 

09- Still in the "salute" mood, we're now offered a remix by Gaudi of Noiseshaper's "Wall of Silence" extracted from their great album released by the (also great) label Echo Beach.. This looks like a virtuous circle and the remix sounds nothing but boom ba da dub ! Super ambience filled with good vibes and in the same time intriguing elements..

 

10- The typical snare roll launches this cosmic piece of dub that is older than me, and has been released the year I was born !! Therefore Gaudi is teaching me here how this jamaican music i love so much could be spiced up back in the end of the 70's.. And what can I say, to me it just sounds so fresh !

 

11- Being a big fan of Nick's tracks on compilations and his album featuring the Equalizer, i was pretty happy to get the chance to hear a new track ! And once more, it does it !! Great piece of electrodub, driven by an efficient bassline and some 4:4 kick-drum. Easy dancin' material !

 

12- To conclude the compilation Gaudi brings us to the country where he was born via the music of the italian band Almamegretta.. The track takes off slowly and gets into something, as the title suggests : insane ! Hehe very trippy stuff held by a steady bassline, that ends smoothly.. The train is gone !

 

 

 

Ffffffew.. this is dense ! Explicit bass indeed. And, once again, I can only praise Interchill crew and Mr. G for the great work. The artwork is quite pertinent too, well done Tristan Brotherton. What can I add.. Dub diggerz MUST give it a listen absolutely ! Serious starter for the serie, I'm really curious for what's next !