Dubquake レコード& CD

Review: Charlie P hails from the less than glamorous Southend-On-Sea but his debut album makes the place sound and feel like a sun scorched Jamaican township. Incredibly, the album was written when he was between the ages of just 8 and 13 and only recently discovered by Dubquake Records' artistic director Rico. The only giveaway is the youthfulness of the vocalist, who has been a part of the Goldmaster Allstars before he hit double figures. Mixing up ska, dub and reggae with unfathomable emotion and storytelling skills, "From Mi Born" is an instant UK classic.

Review: Dubquake Records have got a hefty one on their hands here: O.B.F's 'Fufu Lala' is a seriously dangerous tune with great vocal work from featured artists Charlie P and Aza Lineage. The French sound system crew really step it up here and push dub in new directions with a heavy cross pollinated sound that takes in roots, grime and dancehall before spitting out the freshness. The Charlie P tracks are super personal works that are a precursor, so we hear, to a big new mixtape project. They find him taking aim at influentual music industry cats who are largely self serving, while some sweet remixes take care of the flip side.

Review: Iration Steppas are Monte cold dub legends from the North of England. They have been there since day dot and are still at the heart father scene. This EP shows why they are so well-loved as it is a long-awaited re-release of one of the group's five vital UK dub cuts that blew up and revolutionised the scene back in the 90s when they were first put out. Each one comes on its own 12" and has been freshly remastered for the occasion. 'Reminiscence' is an earth-shattering jam with fresh flute leads and clean digi-dub production over some heavy bass.

Review: Some fairly iconic roots and rubadub tracks from days gone by get fresh licks of paint here with this coming together of Thompson Sound and Dubquake Records. This is the second in a collaborative series of EPs and it features a fresh version of Sensimelia by a young Barrington Levy. The original was a real gem back in the '80s and like many hits of the time was recorded at the legendary Channel One studios. Further tunes 'The Herbs' and 'Green Dub' close out this ode to the cannabis flower and its therapeutic virtues. Word.

Review: Fresh from reissuing a swathe of vintage Iration Steppas singles from the mid 1990s, Dubquake Records has decided to get French trio O.B.F - founders of one of the best-loved reggae sounds in France - to update Linval Thompson's 1980 classic 'Curfew', with the man himself re-recording his vocals especially for the release. They start with 'What a Curfew', a lolloping, sub-heavy roots revision laden with bleeping lead lines, elongated organ motifs, dub-wise effects and Thompson's super-sweet vocals. 'Curfew Drop' is a stripped-back vocal revision with additional vocals from ragga MC and 'dub poet' Nazamba, while 'Cufew Dub' is a pleasingly weighty, stripped back and spaced out instrumental 'version'.