FFWD Weekly
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| CD Review by FFWD Staff SLY & ROBBIE • Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare have been reggae’s rock-solidest rhythm section for over a quarter century. • Howie B (is for blunted) continues the dub tradition by tweaking, twisting, warping, frying and generally doing crazy things with the talents of the riddim twins. Sly and Robbie have been playing some of the deepest rhythms since their fist days in the tenement yards, and in their years with their session band, The Aggrovators, they are credited with inventing the drum and basslines that laid the foundations of dub. In fact, back in the day, dub was actually referred to as "drum & bass." These riddims were the bedrock for the sonic exploration of producers like King Tubby, Prince Jammy, Scientist, Bill Laswell and, most recently, the blunted boy wonder Howie B. Starting off with the nearly 10-minute hardsteppin’ militant dub of "Into Battle," Howie brings his sound together with that of Sly & Robbie’s to create some pretty thumpin’ tunes. "Drilling For Oil" is almost trancey. "High Voltage Syndrome" and "Major Magic" could have been on Howie’s blissful Music For Babies, and the breakbeat of "Fatigue Chic" and the house of "Stripped To The Bone" seem right at home next to more traditional tracks like "Ballistic Squeeze" or "Zen Concrete." Unlike some dub albums, this one is a little more adventurous in the variety of sounds (including Howie’s trademark buttmeaty acid squelches) because it uses much more than just the classic reggae styles. Sly knows drums, Robbie knows bass, and Howie knows how to make it all sound delightfully demented. Definitely a must buy for any dub aficionado, Howie B fan or those who enjoy the Dubmission series on Quango. 4/5 |
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