The Groove Thief

DU3normal’s latest EP, Meetology, explores the range of steppers dub. “Long Walk” features Zsofia Derts’ melodic vocals laid on a softer riddim, before “Golden Fist” turns more towards dubstep with a fierce vocal from Clinton Sly and some heavy bass. Instrumental closer “Pure” then strikes a balance between these two extremes: light effects dance atop a deep groove, echoes lead to a driving beat, and out emerges DU3normal’s unique take on modern dub music. Available free from LibreCommeLair, and other great tracks are available on Soundcloud.

Gravitas Recordings has unleashed a massively diverse compilation, loaded up with dubs, remixes, and bass-laden original tracks. While there is a lot of variety, the album still flows together nicely. Highlights include: Wolf-e-Wolf’s remix of The Black Seeds’ “Strugglers,” which balances heavy bass-lines with the soulful vocals and horns; ZoiNoiZ’s “Green Dub” rides an especially thick rhythm section amidst echoes and reverb, while “Honey & Jam” explores the Middle East atop a sweet groove; “Hypnotic (Redubbed)” is an on-point effort per usual from Govinda, with funky meeting spacey on some exotic party island; beloved dubsters Dubsalon and DU3Normal are respectively featured on the epic dubxplorations of “Properly Rolled” and the funkily upbeat dub-robot jam “Midnight Skank.” Other nice tracks come courtesy of Sounduo and Dubbing Sun, before RUN DMT blasts off with a banging reggae-gone-drumstep remix of Cutty Rank’s “Limb By Limb.” Totally free download and a high level of production throughout:

DuBioLin JaM creates innovative unique dub music.  The genre itself began as a creative musical exploration into the components and pieces of reggae music, using analog equipment to break music down and build it back up again into a new creation.  The European violinist takes choice dub riddims, including a recent collaboration with DU3normal (please read my recent Plug EP review), and adds echo-laden Gypsy-styled electric violin atop the dark and heavy beats.  The juxtaposition of sounds is dynamic, haunting in ways that dub alone cannot be, proving that the melodica is not the only eclectic melody source that works within the dub framework.  This is some really interesting musical fusion, Dry and Heavy’s “Radical Organ” is a particular gem, and all nine tracks up on Soundcloud so far are well-crafted:

DU3normal’s Plug EP presents stylish classic-inspired dub, but just like his name there’s more than there appears to these smoothly-layered productions.  The drums rumble in, the synths emerge from the haze, and melodicas dance atop the beat, resulting in that perfect synthesis of heavy and light.  The pitch and echo effects of “morning again” show excellent use of space, while “you make me feel” steadily plods forward through the dubscape.  The sparsest track here is “night train,” meaning that opener “riding” is the most optimistic with its upbeat melody and higher bpm.  The Early Grey EP is equally solid and deserving of your time, particularly “shadow stepper,” as DU3normal has clearly mastered his craft.  King Tubby would undoubtedly be proud: