Twilight Circus Dub Sound System "Dub Voyage" M Records CD 190 2000 (43:31)
Acetate (4:28)
Dub Voyage (3:29)
Heavy (4:51)
Wareika (4:23)
Depth Charge (4:36)
Fast (4:07)
Blaster (3:20)
K2000 (3:30)
Slicer (4:14)
Silver (3:34)
Massive (2:58)
Produced, performed and mixed by Ryan Moore.
The first time I saw Ryan Moore perform live as Twilight Circus I knew I would end up collecting everything from him for the rest of his career. Four years and five albums down the road "Dub Voyage" brings us to the seventh Twilight Circus full length. Here Moore, also bass player and drummer for the Legendary Pink Dots, is entirely solo holed up at his home studio in the Netherlands as well as The Miller Block in Canada with the bare essentials: bass guitars, drums, synths and a mixing desk. There aren't any big surprises here really, which is fine, just 11 more solid tracks of some of the finest dub being committed to tape in years. The sound is of the usual deep analogue bass and drum groove accentuated with organ, synth and melodica melodies all bathed in a kaleidoscope of swirling effects. Moore plays everything himself so the feel is very full, real and "live". The title track makes great use of bell tones and a squelchy synth line. "Wareika" is an obvious tribute to the late great Augustus Pablo, founding father of dub. "Fast" is aptly named for it's upbeat tempo partly powered by handheld percussion. Moore has apparently acquired a K2000 synth judging by the track of that name and it's a standout due to it's extra crunchy rhythm. The bass line to "Slicer" is smooth as silk. "Massive" features beautifully subtle interplay between snare fills and echo chambered melody. "Dub Voyage", like all of Twilight Circus' music, simultaneously pays homage to the classic dub of the '70s while moving forward into the next millennium. If you're a fan of dub - real dub - you never get sick of it and always want more. That's me and that's Twilight Circus. Kick back and relax as these sounds take you on a cruise through all the Caribbean islands in the comfort of your own private headspace ...
Twilight Circus
Dub Sound System
M Records
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via Riouxs Records.