Martin Dawson – Dub Freedom review

The multi-faceted proprietor of all things deep, Martin Dawson goes back to his deep house roots and settles into the groove on his latest release on Also Ran. His debut album from last year explored a wide variety of styles and now he expands his sound even further by adding a new dubby feel to his current crop of productions.

Over the last few years we have seen Dawson developing his sound in a number of different projects. As King Roc, he established his name for having an astute ear for reinterpreting music from all ends of the spectrum. On his debut album under the same moniker, last year’s Chapters, just like his preceding four EPs on Mutual Society, displayed that kind of diversity in one artist album. Dealing with trip-hop, ambient and chill out, Dawson made an album that strayed far from the ultra deep stylings of his Two Armadillos collaboration with Secretsundaze guru Giles Smith. Now, under his real name of Martin Dawson, we see him turning back to deep, infectious house.

Lead track “Dub Freedom” flies straight out of the blocks into driving, dubby, deep house designed squarely for the dancefloor. Organ keys lift up the tempo that is given added attention by the inclusion of some tight, high end percussion. The chunky beat and bodied bass pushes forward only lying down to temporarily allow atmospheric breakdowns infiltrate the mix. “Elephant” is more laid back, taking on more of a contented old school vibe. A simple bassline creates the backbone as warm synths and light guitars wash over the top to create the track’s real hook. Finishing with “Jamaica,” Dawson delves into ethnic territory whilst still keeping dub at the focus.

Review: Tom Jones