Om Unit has invited a total of 15 artists to take part in his latest remix project, Acid Dub Versions III. Some of the names involved maybe familiar, well established, others are newer, emerging talents. All were allowed free reign, in terms of selection and direction, choosing targets across Om Unit’s 3 volume Acid Dub Studies back catalogue. Given this fact, it’s interesting to note that many of the artists have gone for the same track. 

For example Tillander, Piezo and the studio duo of Alter Echo & E3 have all tackled The Chase. By turns transforming the tune into (i) a hypnotic, bionic Nyabinghi grounation – where grumbling, growling electronics surround fluid, organic percussion – (ii) a dystopian Sci-Fi movie theme – constructed from industrial clanking, crashing, urgent banging and a monstrous mechanised boom – or (iii) setting snatches of Rasta and pinched, pinpoints of treated piano in amongst sharp slaps, claps and enormous ricochets.  

Liberation picks up 2 new licks. Krotone has another Rasta intone the title over brutal, broken, dubstep bashment and bottomless subs, while Richard Fearless does his deep, uncompromising, minimal Death In Vegas thing. RS Tangent’s take on Usurper is a spectral soundscape of distant, disembodied voices, laser blasts and spiralling details. Its rhythm consisting of sparse, controlled explosions. Satoshi Tomiie’s interpretation is a dub techno reading. Slow, mediative, shuffling, like a slightly funkier Basic Channel / Rhythm & Sound. Fizzing with flashes of electricity – the 21st Century equivalent of King Tubby’s spring reverb lightning and thunder. A TB-303 simmering, bubbling. 

Some of the fresh versions play along with Acid Dub Studies’ original central concept. Others do away with Roland’s legendary little sliver box completely. Dubrunner’s Ascension makeover is a strident, house tempo’d stepper. An urgent warrior charge, with a wild lysergic workout topping off its pounding. In contrast, Beatrice M.’s rework of Rolling Stock, while still galloping, is sleek, smooth, graceful. Its quickening clip, a warm wow and flutter of fragmented, wah-wah-ed instrumentation, coloured by classy, muted, jazzy keys. 

Bok Bok reconfigure Lost Stories as a bass & bleep party-starter. N1_SOUND add little organ loops and a fine filigree of fidgeting fretwork to Thunderflies’ hurried hand percussion. In its Daniel Avery altered state Altitude layers sonic splashes around synths like righteous, Babylon-busting roots horns. Mind-bending metallic arcs breaking its dark rumbling. 

The set is at it most traditionally skanking on Dabrye’s digi-dub revision of Tapped, while Azu Tiwaline’s shake of the same track is warm and muffled. As heard from within the womb. Missterspoon closes the collection with an ethereal, ambient reimagining of Lonely Cities, which summons images of a icy, windswept alien moon. 

Cut across 6 sides of vinyl, the album amounts to an amazing cross-section of modern bass mutations. Massive in both scope and quality, with every dub corner covered in a super heavyweight stylee. It’s absolutely impossible to select standouts, since all of the remixes are spot-on soundtracks for a wide range of situations and moods.

Acid Dub Versions III can be ordered directly from Om Unit.