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Slum In Dub was one of the seminal dub albums of the late 70's. The rhythms were mainly lifted from Gregory Isaacs self-produced and superb Cool Ruler album; even though some of them can be heard on Linval Thompson produced sets. Lively rockers rhythms with a meaning. I must admit they do favour Linval's style of producing. It wouldn't surprise me if Gregory bought or was given several of the rhythms from Linval.

For some reason I was dead certain that the engineer was Prince Jammy. But when checking on the cover there was no mentioning of him. It turns out that the second copy I had was from a slightly newer issue with that specific information added on the back. The mixing is dynamic. Pulsating. Bombastic. The crashing spring reverb is pushed well forward in the mix getting almost as much focus as the drum and bass work-outs. As unmistakeable is the vibes of the King Tubby's studio. The bass is deep and booming whilst the cymbals come through criss. The occasional fragment of the late Gregory gently breezes into the mix. It's truly beautiful.

The slum depicted on the cover art is subtle but harsh. I'm thinking it's a slum in the UK rather than JA. The album was released on Burning Vibrations.

»Welcome to the Keyman dub session part one! Dr. Alimantado in the mix!«

For some reason I never checked for Alimantado's releases after his first two albums on Greensleeves. There is no really acceptable reason for this as he produced fantastic on his own imprint. It was not too long ago when I bought his 12" with »Wonderful Time« that I felt I had neglected his catalogue for too long and had to check his 80's material closer. A dub mix to »Wonderful Time« is included on this set -- the first dub album of a five part series spanning from the 80's well into the end of the 90's. The rhythm of »Wonderful Time«, here called »In the Kingdom of Dub« is brilliant reworking of one of Yabby You's deepest songs here presented in that sparse 80's roots vibe. Kette drum jus' a talk pon 'top. You can almost hear the voice of Jesus Dread chant somewhere in the distance »Open the gate, let us repatriate. Judgment is coming 'pon the land.«

There's a noticeable influence of Mad Professor's mixing technique on Dr. Alimantado. Perhaps it would be even more apparent on the following efforts where gimmicks tend to detract from the often very strong productions. The influences from Mad Professor on this set are strictly positive though, resulting in the strongest part of the series.

When it comes to the cover art I don't know what to say. There's something particular about it (and the following two parts of the series too!). It has that highly idiosyncratic style that one only can find in reggae. The composition is unexpected and highly unconventional. Still it works great even over 25 years later.

Guerilla Dub. I'm envisioning a rhythm section dressed in camouflage. Bushmaster in one hand and a drumstick in the other. Machete in one arma and a bass in the other. Revolutionaries. Aggrovators. Rockers. Rhydem!

The imagery is further cemented with titles such as »P.L.A« (militancy as I would seh!) and »SWAPO«. »Garvey Dub« is a brilliant version of Jimmy Riley's »Majority Rule« and the song following is an equally great dub to the same artists »Nyah-Bingi«. Mixed in are some tough rockers and steppers often splashed with higher region horn arrangements. The vocals are scarce and far inbetween in the mix. This isn't an album to be taken lightly. It's barbwire in a vinyl footlong. Mind your earth shoes when you a throw an ital step.

As a side note ... doesn't the guy on the cover look like the late great James Brown?

The album was released on Burning Sounds with mixes done by Ossie Hibbert, productions by Bunny Lee and rhythms provided by the Aggrovators and Revolutionaries.

January the 5th in 1978 five men were murdered by the JDF at the Green Bay Military Range. The men had been promised work and when arriving at the military range the men were executed by a military force. One of the murdered was Glenroy Richards who recorded the legendary »Wicked Can't Run Away« for Glen Brown. The rhythm would later be known as Green Bay Killing.

I've yet to hear a Linval dub album that isn't good. Green Bay Dub is a brilliant album with some really hard and criss mixing. The drum and bass are in focus with the drums being even a bit more in to the fore. It's a lively mix. The rhythms are rockers. You can't really fault it. Most of the songs are from Linvals If I Follow My Heart LP even though there are some other vocalists getting dubbed such as Al Campell on »Skillfull Dub« (indeed, just listen to the percussion) or »Back A Wall Dub« which is the dub to his »Jah Is My Light« (both songs are from his album Diamonds ... I'll have to scan that one too some day).

One thing that really grasped my attention is the title of the second song, »Jungo in Dub«. Linval was the first person to bring Junjo into the scene and this was just before he broke through with Barrington. Is this merely a name check or had he anything to do with the production of the rhythm? None the less it's a brilliant rhythm that sounds sweet but when you crank up the volume and the bass in particular you can just hear how this is hardcore Kingston vibes.

This is a truly beautiful late 70's dub set and one of Linvals more inspired albums. Which really says a lot about the quality.

The album was released on Burning Rockers in 1979. Backing is by the Revolutionaries. I have no clue who engineered it and I do not dare guess either.

What I find interesting about Red Cloud is that they débuted with this dub album in 1984 and then five years later released their first vocal LP.

The opening track »I Can See The Light« is over a typical UK styled tough roots rhythm with a funky bassline. Since there's some vocals in it (singing the title of the song) I can only assume there's a vocal cut out there some were or at least hiding on a dusty master somewhere. Which is a pity because it sounds brilliant. »Check Out Your Mind« which follows is a funk jam and I'm thinking it was this song that had turned me off the LP some years ago when hearing it for the first time. The song is good but breaks off too much from the general vibe of the album. Songs such as »Babylon Fall« and »Brixton Version« feature heavy rhythms whilst songs such as »Sweet Lady Dub« are deeper love arrangements.

Red Cloud In Dub is a really worthwhile set even if not being one of the crucial UK dub albums of the era.

The album was released on the Vista related Echo imprint. Productions are by the for me unknown F.L. Seivright. It features some smashing cover art though.