In
the mid-1990 's, the Internet gave birth to
a complete new generation and even type of
artist: the Online Artist Community.
Producers and artists put their music on
websites such as the Internet Underground
Music Archive and MP3.com. Listeners and
selectors download the music and forward the
vibe. MP3 Portals such as the Dubroom
provide another angle of this
"Cyber-Culture".
Needles to say that the Online Community
also has an impact on the music itself.
Online Collectives of every thinkable kind
surely give music another dimension. If only
because Cyberspace transcends the physical
distances between talented like-minded
people.
Take Unity Riddim Sessions Volume One,
for example.
Take producer JAH Servant, known from the
VERSIONIST.com Riddim Community. He likes to
hang around at places like the Caribbean
Gospel Club and is a member of S.T.A.R.
Network. His makes some very nice riddims in
his studio, just waiting for a vocalist to
come around.
Online, this is possible. JAH Servant had
already made some name at VERSIONIST.com and
his riddims found their way to the vocalists
at the Caribbean Gospel Club. The final
recordings were taken to STAR Network's Mark
Ragsdale, who handled the rest. Another
"Unity Session" was born...
Unity Riddim Sessions Volume One is a
humble beginning in many ways.
The CD is released through S.T.A.R.
Network. In this network you can find people
like Yabby You's Webmaster and also
DUBROOM.com's Messian Dread. Or vocalists,
such as Zema and Wayne Stoddard. And
producers, such as JAH Servant.
STAR's Mark Ragsdale (JAH Mark) is happy
with this first touchable release coming out
of this network, which he so graciously
holds together.
For JAH Servant, it's a next step as
well. He made quite a name at the
VERSIONIST.com Riddim Community, where
producers develop and display their talents
to very critical audience. But his tight and
dubby riddims could withstand the criticism.
Psalm S150 DJ, couldn't be less happy
with this gem as well. This is obviously the
CD of his dreams! And why not? After all, he
has a special relationship with the
participants as he watched the project come
into existence at a place he runs online.
He introduces the music in the liner
notes. The liner notes reveal how JAH
Servant and the vocalists came together in a
group he formed on the Internet. PS150DJ is
a Christian from the Caribbean and besides
selecting music, he runs the Caribbean
Gospel Group.
URS1 is first and foremost a typical DJ
album. It's a "Riddim Album". Four
fundamental musical tracks, voiced by a
variety of singers and some dubby versions.
JAH Servant provided the four different
riddims on which the vocalists sing and
chant completely different melodies and
lyrics. Although every track has his own
vibe because of the different vocals, you
must be able to stand 5 or 6 tracks in a row
with the same drum and bassline. Or use the
program function on your player to make your
own selection every time.
There are some very nice tunes on the
album. My favorites are Audrey Gordon's
"Hide Away" and the subsequent
Dub. JAH Servant's riddims are all very
danceable. The DUB Versions are very clean
and unfortunately don't break loose, but the
riddims are tight.
When you want to support independent
collaborations of online artists, go to the
STAR Website and get this CD. Because it's
the humble beginning of something that could
become very interesting.
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