New releases last two weeks: Reggae

Review: Polish record label Moonshine Recordings top up their ongoing crock of electronic dub come dub techno with a fresh one from mainstays Another Channel, whose name implies we actually had the ability to pick up the remote control and tune into any other dub station other than the Basic channel One all along. Teaming up with Prince Morella and Marina P on 'Nameless Woman' and 'Find A Way', Another Channel follow the tape-hissed early dub techno recipe to a T, shirking any residual desire to over-embellish for a neat pair of pure, squinty horizontal gaze-offs, with both singers riding the same instrumention. The instrumental 'Version Of Love' provides a versioned listen, highlighting the track's bulbous bubbles and highpassed vocal dancings-in-the-distance.

Review: Beatconductor's Dub Spectrum EP takes listeners on a journey through Jamaica with seven tracks of dubbed-out pop covers. The EP features creative mash-ups such as The Wailers providing instrumental backing for Adele, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera, and Duran Duran, offering a fresh perspective on familiar tunes. Additionally, Amy Winehouse and The Pretenders unite to form a ska supergroup, showcasing Beatconductor's innovative approach to blending genres. Beatconductor's skillful reinterpretations breathe new life into classic tracks, infusing them with reggae and ska influences while maintaining their original essence.

Review: Steve O'Sullivan recently launched the Blue Channel project as a kind of sonic companion to his similarly minded dub techno work as Blue Train, in the process paying tribute to Berlin's masters of the extended dubbed-out groove, Basic Channel. This is the second EP in an ongoing series and begins with a fresh 'Bluetrain Special Edition Dub' of 'Complete With U', a track featured (in its original mix form) on the previous EP. This take is more percussively propulsive and addictive - thanks to a locked-in dub house style groove - with warmer synth sounds and echoing vocalisations. It's basically a hat-tip to classic Rhythm & Sound singles of old, albeit with drums that more neatly fit into a wider variety of DJ sets. Over on side B, 'Traveller' is a fine slab of pitched-down vocal digi-dub with added ambient dub sonics.