New Chapter of Dub

Aswad: Brinsley Dan (vocals, guitar, percussion); Tony Gad (vocals, keyboards, bass); Drummie Zeb (vocals, drums, percussion); Martin Augustine, John Kaipye, Jimmy "Senyan" Haynes (guitar); Michael "Bammie" Rose (saxophone); Eddie "T-T-T Tan Tan" (trumpet); Vin Gorden (trombone); Clifton "Bigga" Morrison (keyboards); Levi (percussion).
Spacey effects, rippling currents of sound, and disembodied echoing voices are the defining characteristics of Aswad's excellent NEW CHAPTER IN DUB. Otherworldly sounds and synthesized horns (which bear all the pleasing qualities of early-'80s analog synth sounds) coat the opening "Dub Fire." Aggressively echoed vocals spike "Flikaflame," and "Zion 1," giving the pieces an eerily sinister quality. "Truth" has a softly lilting quality that is largely propelled by Dummie Zeb's lazy drum-roll beat. "Tuffist" sounds like it may have been a horn-driven ska track in its former life. Crests of sound peel away on "Ghetto in the Sky," creating a psychedelic version of the Doppler effect. While there's more than enough on this disc to keep seasoned dub fans busy, NEW CHAPTER IN DUB bears a degree of accessibility that makes it appropriate for newcomers as well.