Full Time Dub

 

A few days ago, Swiss sound artists Dub Spencer & Trance Hill released a new single. Here, too, they combine instrumental psychedelic dub reggae with rock and trance influences. The basic sound is carried by guitar, bass and drums and embellished with synth sounds.

I first became aware of this band when they released The Clashification Of Dub in 2011, adding a new dimension to the songs of The Clash.

Just how extraordinary their ideas are became clear in 2016 when they took the spoken word performances of William S. Burroughs, one of the last great poets of the Beat Generation, as their basis and gave them a reggae twist. His deep, nasal voice would have been a great fit for many Jamaican reggae productions (and not just because he knew a lot about drugs).

The World Is Dub Enough

These days I listen a lot to dub and reggae. It's this kind of music to slow down and relax. One of my favorite bands playing dub is located in Switzerland and is maybe known by their crazy dub versions of songs by The Clash. I follow their career for years but never get a chance to see them live. Anyway, this is not the time to complain - it's time to play their music. This one is a classic for them. Deep bass added with a lot of echo and some superb accents on organ and guitar.



As said, the were known by their versions of classic tunes they surprised with their last years record. It's called Burroughs in DUB and features Burroughs himself talking over a dub motive. For those who don't him, he was the godfather of the so called beat generation. In his early years he got addicted to drugs and was out in South America in search of a drug called yaga. Then he turned to Europe and Morocco where he completed his well known works Naked Lunch and Junkie. In the late 60s/early 70s he got in contact with new artists like Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, Dennis Hopper and Patti Smith in  New York. This song is based on Burroughs' tour as spoken performance artist in the mid 90s.