Music - Part 33 - Peaking Lights

I adore dub.  I don’t claim to be an expert on the genre, but, when I hear a good dub track, I love it.  It doesn’t always have to be a dub version of a reggae track, though we have King Tubby and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry to thank for pioneering the form in the 60s, as long as it emphasises drum, bass and extended echo and reverb.  Now and again, I’m let down by a track claiming to be a ‘dub mix’, but, with Lucifer In Dub there is no danger of that.

Lucifer In Dub is quite simply a triumph.  A dub version of their third album Lucifer, released earlier this year it’s an album that you want to completely chill out to.  Lucifer had some dubbing along with the poppy/krautrock/analogue dance album, but, this version is something else.   In Dub contains 6 dubbed tracks, each one superb.

From the opening bassline of Cosmick Dub the sound quality is superb – far better than Lucifer (was in some places sounded a little flat) -  completely dreamy.  Sumptuous echoed vocals and guitars.  It’s gorgeous.  Mt Heart Dubs 4 U has some of Peaking Lights’ characteristic far eastern sounds mixed with Indra Duni’s vocals circling in and out and around and all over which increase and increase right to the end of the track. 

Indra’s husband, (second member of the group), Aaron Coyes said that whilst they have always loved the challenge of approaching the music they make from a new angle, and although the dub aspect to the music made may be there in structure, this is the first time they have laid it down playing as the engineers.  Beautiful Dub, originally dedicated to their newly born Son, Mikko, is so lovely that’s it’s easy not to fall into an exhaled state of perfectly relaxed coma.

Thunder and storms and police sirens (dubbed of course!) start Live Dub, the later making appearances throughout the track in an On U-Sound style, again the oriental sounding keyboards and maybe even an appearance from the aforementioned Mikko?  Throbbing drums and sampled vocals creating a space-dub type feel.  Oh, and a ringing telephone to end.

If Lucifer was a slinkier, groovier version of previous album, 936, then Lucifer In Dub is the slinkiest grooviest way to better it!  Analogue rhythms and pulses, and, the dubbing is simply wonderful.  Lo Dub High Dub has re-occurring doorbells and more of Mikko, and, an infectious bassline line and percussion throughout.  Indra’s vocals are angel-esque.

And so the album ends with Midnight Dub, more of the same, brilliant just brilliant.  If you’re after modern day dub sounds and aren’t necessarily a fan of reggae, then this is a worthy introduction to the genre.  A short album at around 40 minutes (I would have loved more of the original album tracks re-invented here), but, full of amazing sounds.  It might not be too late to add to that letter to Father Xmas. 

Published on Louder Than War 11/12/12 - http://louderthanwar.com/peaking-lights-lucifer-in-dub-album-review/