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"KING SIZE DUB CHAPTER SEVEN"

Most modern dub just doesn't do it for me. Ditto most straightforwarddance floor music. Put the two together and it shouldn't fare too muchbetter, right? Well, strangely enough, I'm pleasantly surprised howmuch I've been nodding my head while this disc spins.
Germany's EchoBeach present the 7th chapter of their "King Size Dub" compilation with11 cuts, over half of which are remixes. Most of these tracks have thesame sort of digital sheen and rhythms that betray the analogue dub ofthe '70s, which I usually prefer, but I don't think that's what they'regoing for here. The subtitle advises 'file under logical dubgression'so they're obviously looking to push the parameters of dub. There's abalance of styles from classic to modern day dabblings in house andtechno. Submission and Pre Fade Listening both utilize Tikiman, myfavorite contemporary dub vocalist. The former, elegantly remixed bysometime Orb member Thomas Fehlman, features my man at the mostanimated I've ever heard him while in the latter he casually goes withthe flow of a thick, nine minute plus techno pulse. Sounds From TheGround work in the the warmth of reggae brass for hire Crispy Horns.Rockers Hifi, State of Emergency and Seeed rock more of a classic bassgroove, Seeed especially so with horns, organ, sonic vortex, 3 piecevocal and way down low end. The remaining tracks by Earl 16,Walkner.Möstl, Tosca, Dubblestandard, Waveform (a far too obviousBeastie Boys sample!) and G-Corp range from good to dull, none that Ihave to skip but none as snappy as the aforementioned. My generallydismissive attitude towards modern dub has been altered quite a bit.

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