MUSIC MONDAY: “Dubwise: An Essential Dub Reggae Collection” (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Threads: @stlmarlonwest IG: stlmarlonwest Bluesky: @marlonweststl.bsky.socialSpotify: marlonwest)

Happy Music Monday! It’s your groove pathfinder, Marlon, back with another musical offering.

While reggae and dancehall are well-known when it comes to Jamaican music, not everyone may be in tune with its more electronically-minded cousin, dub reggae, and the sound system culture that accompanies it.

Dub music grew out of reggae in the 1960s and 1970s. The songs largely consisted of heavily-edited remixes of existing records, created by removing the vocal sections and placing increased focus on the rhythm section, or riddim.

Audio effects like reverb and delay would then be applied, often quite generously, and vocal snippets and other instruments from the original song (and other songs) can be worked into the track by means of dubbing or sampling. The term ‘dubbing‘ has also come to mean emphasizing the bass and the drums.

Included in this collection are works of influential figures including Lee Scratch Perry, Osbourne Ruddock (better known as “King Tubby”), and Hopeton Overton Brown (aka “Scientist”) and many others.

The influence of Dub can be heard across many genres of music, including rock, hip hop, techno, ambient, house music, trip hop and others

This collection features classic works and tracks across the decades. Hope you all enjoy this essential collection of Dub Reggae.

Until next month, stay safe, sane, and kind.