| From
time to time Lush Records gives us an
excursion in the world of DUB under the name
"a.k.a. DUB". Part one, released
in October 1997 was received very well as I
believe. I have found it in various
collections. This new addition can give you
a good insight in what's happening at the
moment in the DUB-scene. In the three
decades that DUB exists now, it has surely
grown from a mixing technique for spicing up
the B-sides of reggae singles to a whole
style in itself and AKA dub is a document to
prove it.
A style of music even, as DUB doesn't
necessarily have to be connected with reggae
anymore. I say this, because not every track
on a.k.a. DUB 2 can be considered reggae.
That's too bad, but there's also a lot of
cool material left on this album. A
suprising track from a German band called
the Vision for example. Or some tracks from
the Zion Train Skool that are pretty good as
well. And it's nice also to see a track from
Netherlands based Twilight Circus with his
sound similar to Phase Selector Sound.
Another very nice one is the Hydrophonics
track "Fighting", based on a
Johnny Osbourne sample. The final track,
Vibronics' "Jahlight Jahlove" is
also beautiful!. The female vocals on a
dreamy, almost trippy mix sounds in my head
long after the song is finished.
Some tracks however, do not really appeal
to me although they can appeal to people
that usually listen to house or techno. I
already said not all tracks on this CD are
to be considered reggae. I think that is a
minor point. So I don't understand why
Brooklyn based "Roots Control"
names his track "Forward Roots" as
to me this leans more on electronic music
than on roots music. But it is part of the
evolution of Dub: from the roots there are
many branches. Another branch I do not find
really appealing is the "Shaka meets
Mad Professor inna Techno Style"
(Deliverance Dub, Hughie Izachaar) That's
why I don't give it two stars.
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