seven

my first exposure to dub label was funckarama "parts" cd - the disk that I have been listening to on and off for past few months, and something I grew to like more and more as the time passed. most of the names on this compilation would be familiar to those that have been following dub's vinyl section for past few years (since most of the tracks were taken off previous releases).

this compilation is very representative of dub's style; full of crunchy heavy percussion and yet with nice melodic presence. it is interesting to see how the bands on the label are confined within the same genre and yet at the same time manage to come up with all those different interpretations for it. take quench, for instance. complex broken haywire beats that range from heavy hollow percussion to fuzzy layered beats sprinkeled with metallic percussio splinters. and yet, there's always gentle keys, adding another dimension to the music. and, of course, there's funckarama that truly stands out with its "pullup + 5v." the track features amazing balance of very complex and well thought-out percussion and beautifully crafted keys. it is almost cinematic in the way it changes pace, altering its tempo and mood, mesmerizing the listener. funckarama also contributes another track "wiert," and an outstanding remix of "fog" (one of my favorite tracks off "parts") done by l'usine. this version of "fog" fragile and full of delicate melancholy, at the same time keeping the initial heaviness of the track.

"bitch" by caspagon is yet another side of dub - simpler beats with very catchy melancholic melody. small noisy screeches, gentle keys, and a balance between almost techno appeal and tough broken idm. autophonic contributes two tracks as well; truly beautiful organic melody of "seclusion" outlined by heavy simple beats and cut-up atonal noises is followed by "vicious circles" closing this disk. a few other contributions that definitely deserve mentioning include phako, leekon, syndrom, eog, and swap.

this compilation starts out slowly, but a few tracks later it really picks up, and towards the end you are almost overwhelmed by the sheer amount of outstanding tracks. and even the compositions that by themselves might have been a bit too dry, shine on their own here, contrasted by diverse sound of their peers. if you are not familiar with dub, this compilation will be a perfect introduction that should send many on a shopping spree.