Joe Armon-Jones / One Way Traffic Dub / Aquarii Records

Singled out from Joe Armon-Jones’ recent album, The All Quiet (Part II), the track One Way Traffic now gets an awesome dub, where the original’s super mellow, mediative jazz-funk is echoed / filtered to fuck. Retaining the lovely, lithe bass-line, while shattering the snares in fizz and delay. The resulting debris is twisted inside out, and sugared by serrated snippets of Yazmin Lacey’s angelic, soulful vocal. The edges of Joe’s keys squeezed as if opening doors to different dimensions. 

Akim Bamboo / Yahoo Boys / Dub Shed

The latest lathe cut 7 from Toronto collective Local Dish, puts 2 tunes from Akim Bamboo out on their label, Dub Shed. Both sides are characterised by wonderful washes of reverb-rinsed flute. Instruments handmade by the artist. This lends the productions a Lo-Fi / grainy feel, making them easily mistaken for some late `60s, early `70s roots find. 

Despite its stuttered drum machine shuffle, Saint Nick has a very organic vibe. Ringing keys skank, its big, distorted B-line bellows, and its groove is a close relative to Elijah Minnelli’s cool Cumbia concoctions. Yahoo Boys adds piano, while scratchy guitar helps keep more “trad” reggae riddim time. 

This was yet another righteous Dubwise Vinyl recommendation.

Mohinder Kaur Bhamra / Mainu Apne Pyar Wich (Mystic Jungle Remix) / Naya Beat Records

Naya Beat Records are about to reissue Mohinder Kaur Bhamra’s 1982 album, Punjabi Disco, where a Roland SH-1000 synth and CR-8000 CompuRhythm drum machine mix with Punjabi folk melodies. The double LP package contains 10 tracks and 7 remixes, and one of the standouts is Mystic Jungle’s dub of Mainu Apne Pyar Wich. The Naples-based producer, the chap behind Periodica Records, transforming the tune into an Egyptian Reggae-esque pop skank, with syn-drums, a snaking guitar melody, echoed snares and vocals.

Fish & Goat At The Controls / No Man Curse Dub Version / Partial Records

Originally recorded in 1994, but only ever available as a personally handed out dubplate, No Man Curse Dub Version is the work of Fish & Goat At The Controls, aka Anthony Cummins and Adam Holden. The former is “Goat” and the latter once also made house for Boy’s Own’s Jus’ Trax as a member of Men With Sticks.  

The track in question is a serene musical meditation. A sonic kissing cousin to Rootsman and Alpha & Omega. Deadly, deep subs shake sonar blips, snatches of melodica and sharp fragments of fractured piano. Snares are filtered, constantly flickering, while a moody synth strikes up a far east melody. The results like Augustus Pablo meets Dr. Who. 

Previously comped by Bristol’s Reggae Archive Records – where it sat alongside the Andrew Weatherall favourite School Of Fish Dub, this new reissue is coming care of Leeds roots institution, Partial Records. 

Gold Suite / Analog Swell / Citizens Of Vice

Bali-based duo Gold Suite have a new EP forthcoming on Citizens Of Vice. The package contains 2 originals and 2 remixes, one of which, from Sheffield’s Yarni is subtitled “You Asked For Dub”. In line with the remit he sends heavily reverb-ed, Robin Guthrie-esque guitars into whirlpools of disorientating spirals. Shuffling, barely moving, to rumbling bass and a slow, slow beat, the edges are rough, raw, distorted with feedback, yet the overall effect is still sublimely serene. 

Iko Chérie / Ghosted Ghosters of the Holy G / Pingipung

This is another top tip from Tom Dubwise. 

French musician Marie Merlet, who regularly collaborates in the orbits of Stereolab and The Raincoats, while recording solo as Iko Chérie, has released a single from her forthcoming album, Soft Centre. Ghosted Ghosters Of The Holy G opens with an intro of spooky winds, rattles and an answerphone message, before disappearing off into tropical climes. Her falsetto vocal fairly floating, surrounded by tremolo’d twang and melodica washes, on a rhythm like a lapping tide. The production following in the footsteps of the brilliant Brenda Ray’s leftfield lovers rock. 

On the flip of the 45, fellow countrymen, Parisian duo, Froid Dub announce themselves with a big, buzzing bass drop. Their remix slowing everything down, and fracturing it, fizzing, through delay. They stretch out the melodica, and the song takes the seriously stoned shape of an elegantly wasted morning after reprise. The music now more resembling that of One Dove. 

N1_Sound & Ras Yunchie  / Inna DJ Style / Spiritual World

Veteran, Toronto-based, reggae emcee Ras Yunchie releases his debut solo LP via local imprint Spiritual World. The record is a collaboration with label mate N1_Sound. Yunchie’s playful DJ delivery draws on both `80s dancehall and `90s ragga. Switching between chant, gruff growl and fragile falsetto. N1_Sound’s backing uses minimal drum programming and soft, sparse keys to create a bass heavy space, somewhere in between roots rock dub and polished street soul. 

The Duppy Gun-esque Straight To The Top is the album at its most abstract, experimental – stuffed with spinning, speeding tape effects and sonic bubbles – but generally the music is mellow and mediative. Try adding icy, Sci-Fi synths and treated rhythm guitar licks, while Show Them How boasts gentle, rave reprised bleeps and percussion puckered with echo. 

Transient Vessels / Another Day / Moon Garden

Yet more modern Canadian roots mutations come care of Transient Vessels, on Moon Garden. This might not be quite “reggae” but its preoccupation with bass means it’s most definitely “dub”. Another Day is the standout on this limited 7, hitting as it does like slightly more “pop”, less minimal take on Om Unit’s Acid Dub Studies. A TB-303 gently gurgling away beneath a delicately delayed drum track. Pinpoints of pretty keys on top.