The idea of bands forming for the express purpose of making dub reggae is strange and a little ironic. But, what started out as a cheap way for Jamaican producers to recycle rhythm tracks has turned into a certifiable art form, helping to inspire hip-hop and drum’n’bass in the process. The veteran London duo of Dougie Wardrop and Paul Davey, however, concern themselves with good ol’ fashioned dub. Their sound isn’t all that much different from what King Tubby and Lee Perry did 30 years ago, but they’ve added just enough digital elements to stave off redundancy.
On their first ROIR release in a decade, Wardrop and Davey wisely steer clear of the post-reggae experimentation of Adrian Sherwood, Bill Laswell, and Mad Professor. They use drum machines, synthesizers; and, crucially, digital effects, but all of these are mated to traditional rocksteady rhythms. And, while all-too-electronic drum sounds and bright digital synths conspired to nearly ruin dub in the 1980s and ’90s, Bush Chemists use their technology largely to replicate organic sounds. When the drum machines are cheesy, as with the handclaps and dimwitted tom fills on “Dark Dub”, it’s intentional. More impressive is the Chemists’ ability to program complex hi-hat patterns like those on “Oriental Style” and “Flying Cymbal”. Furthermore, live bongos and guitar help keep it real.
Even with spacey analog tones, the synth-heavy tracks on Raw Raw Dub are the least engaging. “Symphony of Dub”‘s popping echo effects, for example, are undercut by the fey string-synth that weaves in and out of the mix. “New Stylee” is built around goofy, vaguely Oriental vibes that get old even after three minutes.
Raw Raw Dub is most successful when it complements classic sounds with the mind-bending possibilities of the digital age. The live horns on “East of Jaro” and melodica on “Heartical Dub” give way to dizzying loops and deep reverb. The album doesn’t hit its stride until the explosion of metallic noise that users in “Rubber Dub”, a dark, double-time concoction. From there, it’s an eardrum-tickling, speaker-testing extravaganza. “Raw Raw Dub” actually helps illustrate how dub helped inspire drum’n’bass, floating effortlessly between the two forms. “Lift Me”, one of only two vocal tracks, is one of the album’s most melodic. Still, with all the banging, zooming, and ricocheting, it’s far from a radio track.
It takes a hardcore (or stoned) listener to not get bored with an hour’s worth of dub. Bush Chemists know that, making Raw Raw Dub an exercise in economy. None of the 15 cuts hang around for too long. And, for all the heavy effects, it’s the solid basslines and subtle variations that hold your attention.