Jahno Present Dubbin The Cave

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From its opening spoof “in flight” announcement, you’ll know what to expect from Jahno’s debut album. Dubbin The Cave is uplifting dub that sounds like it was produced… in a cave! But while there is little here you won’t have heard in some form before, the execution of all sixteen tracks cannot fail to impress.

A self confessed King Tubby acolyte, Jahno prides himself on mixing everything live. Yet despite this avowed purism, the overall sound of Dubbin The Cave treads the middle ground between the earliest dub and ear-bashing Iration Steppers techniques of today. At times a Channel One influence comes to the fore, at other moments the mood is more Shaka. And although there is an archetypal, organic feel to the arrangements, this is not a record that goes out of its way to hide modern elements to the production, so cannot be described as a “seventies retro” release. Hammond-like organs give way to undulating digi dub synths, hand drums interact with mechanical steppers beats and echoing rimshots. Scratchy guiros feature particularly strongly, while ambient ghostly voices chime in from time to time.

Occasionally Jahno leaves his comfort zone, adding some dancehall deejay chat (on 'Champion Bobela' and 'Dub Too Greedy') but he tends towards traditional dub staples as foundations. 'Jahno In Fine Style' is a clavi-heavy take on 'You Are My Angel', 'Dub Problem' is based on 'Problems', 'Sufferin Dub' does over Glen Brown’s 'Youth Man/Green Bay', while 'Wonderin Lion Mental Disease Version' is Phil Pratt’s 'Strange Things'. He clearly likes hip hop too – Jackie Mittoo update 'Drum Song Special' features a sung vocal from Cypress Hill’s 'Hits From The Bong', while 'Ovaseas Dub', a nod to Marley’s 'Sun Is Shining', uses a sample from 'Woo-Ha' by Busta Rhymes.

Neither sparse nor stomach churning, Dubbin The Cave is faultlessly produced, pleasantly busy dub that’s both deep in the past and planted firmly in the present. If you’re unconvinced by the B side as stand alone artform, this record will do little to change your mind, but if dub’s your thing, get ready for a pleasant flight…