Originally constructed from snippets and samples of forgotten `50s rock `n` roll records, Reset, a collaboration between Panda Bear and Sonic Boom, now resides In Dub. Radically reworked by Adrian Sherwood, and members of the extended On-U Sound family, it is now one of the records of the year. A high quality curio, similar in concept, and execution, to Sherwood’s overhaul of Primal Scream’s Kowalski, Echo Dek, and a cracking, kaleidoscopic cross-genre collision that’s a perfect companion to his more recent work with Texans, Spoon, which resulted in the lush Lucifer On The Moon. 

Panda Bear’s trademark barmy Beach Boys harmonies swirl around, surrounded by echoed snares and rimshots. Subjected to dubwise dropouts and wild washes of delay. Seismic subs shaking the soft West Coast psychedelia. Like Brian Wilson sharing his infamous sandbox with Lee “Scratch” Perry. The Upsetter’s Black Ark relocated, reborn in not the Congo, but California. Sherwood’s freaky phasing keeping everything in a state of constant flux. 

On Getting To The Point, flutes flutter, saxophones, and sirens sound. Beats bashing beneath bongos. Everyday is a super slo-mo Grounation rattle. The album at its most spaced out. A big kick drum attempting to collar, reign in some riotous reverb. The ideal score for a stoned late summer picnic, it’s a cheeky half with your chilled glass of wine. Alex White’s melodica lends Livin In The After a kinda country-fied air. Everything’s Been Leading To This features snatches of Spanish guitar, and benefits from belches of Doug Wimbish’s slap bass. Ivan “Celloman” Hussey makes Whirlpool his own. 

In My Body is a stripped back standout, all ripples and cascades, which retains the bulk of its original song. On the uptempo Danger, voice and sax are treated to some strange vibrato, as a serrated ska shuffle is shot in and out, before the track segues into a seriously chopped and screwed second half. Reset In Dub is the least restrained that I’ve heard Mr. Sherwood in a long, long while. Expertly manhandling those faders, he seems to be enjoying giving them a mauling, yet never completely loses the pop. 

Panda Bear & Sonic Boom’s Reset In Dub was issued, digitally, earlier this year. The vinyl drops, on Domino, this coming week.