Step It Up In Dub (EP) (Dubroom Net Label Release)

STEP IT UP IN DUB (EP)
DUBROOM NET LABEL RELEASE

WWW, October 2014 - Hard hitting Steppers riddims form the foundation of this EP featuring seven vocalists in three long and intense Dubwise mixes. Extreme Dub work-outs on the bass, in fact there's a lot of abuse of the effect devices overall in this release. While the vocalists deliver enough lyrical content, sounds of creation and full blown instrument sections add to the undeniable power of the drum and bass lines.

While the three tracks can be played as a single track, for example in a play list or DJ set, listening to the full 16+ minutes will put them in a perspective. This EP is about the power of the bass, which -as a scientific study recently documented- is not just a slogan chanted in the Dance or otherwise, but a reality. The bass as foundational sound? Here is where DUB undisputedly stands at number one. That's reality too!

The second track is very deliberately put in the center of the three-track release. It's about the sound of a much greater power than any man-made bass instrument. It's about a power described in oh so many Rastaman lyrics and that's the power of JAH, audible in the real thunder and lightning. In the first track we'll hear everything about the bass line, in the last track we're rising up the Red Gold and Green banner of Conscious Dub.

The power of the bass, of thunder and lightning, blesseth are those that know themselves to be rooted in JAH.

Of course, with this trinity of Dub track about (Jah) Power you're given a hint to search something about another Ikon of the Power of Jah, Who Himself is a Trinity just like we little people are (body, soul spirit). 

With such a foundation, yes, step it up!

Stepping it up in three different Dubwise mixes, wherein no instrument, voice, slider knob or button is left untouched. Even though everything stays coherent, the hardware was put to enormous work as sometimes no less than seven different effects are used in the same time. 

Stepping it up in three hard-hitting steppers riddims, all with real horns and real this-and-that and original Dubroom bass lines. Visit studio.dubroom.org when you are interested in the more technical or legal aspects of this release, which is -as all Dubroom productions- fully legal and licensed.

TRACK BY TRACK DESCRIPTION:

Jah Rooti - Dub Up Di Bassline

It takes a while before you know what Jah Rooti is talking about, but after about 30 seconds or so you'll get the point more than clear. As the tune continues to develop after the initial start, effects are layered to the extend that it is no longer clear just what effect comes from which source. Not just nice for a little studio research but also for the enjoyment of Dub music. 

Then, everything drops except for the bass and Jah Rooti chanting about the bass line. Filters and reverbs are not spared and when the drums finally drops back in the Dub gets into a yet weirder phase, only to come back with full instruments and singing and lead to the end in yet another segment of full-effect style mixing.

Ras Khaleel - Pray Up In Dub (ft Aiva and Penti)

Definitely the center-piece of this EP, it's length being an indication of it's importance in the story of Step It Up In Dub. True sounds of nature open up, including a massive thunder roll. During this exposition of Jah Power, a melodica and Ras Khaleel lead us to the horns and Penti telling us what to do when we wake up in the morning: chant a psalm. Ras Khaleel enters asking for some positive thoughts while I and I pray as we pray about serious things.

Why does Babylon take our life for granted, killing our brothers and our sisters in a continual war against mankind and it's Creator? It should be about love, no hate should come around as we live this life that our Creator has given us. Once again, here is the message of One Love in Dub.

Excellent backing vocals by Aiva, crucial Horns by the Zion Train massive, intense Dub mixing from the Dubroom's in-house engineer, over six minutes of deep Dub meditation.

ADX - Dub Up Di Banner (ft Soulja and Penti)

Penti opens up giving a short history lesson before ADX continues to describe the current situation. Soulja takes over and calls for more love, honor and respect which is what has to be done in these current times of violence and hatred. Reggae, and especially DUB has spread from Jamaica to the UK to the whole world and has stood at the roots of virtually all electronic musical styles and techniques. 

Where the music is so influential, so should the Message that comes with this Music since ancient days. 

That's why we rise up the Banner of Red Gold and Green.

1. Jah Rooti - Dub Up Di Bassline (4:55) (320Kbps MP3)
2. Ras Khaleel - Pray Up In Dub (ft Aiva and Penti) (6:08) (320Kbps MP3)
3. ADX - Dub Up Di Banner (ft Soulja and Penti) (5:17) (320Kbps MP3)

Please do not re-publish the actual music, because unlike Dubroom releases before 2014, this release is © Messian Dread/Dubroom. Available for free: 128 Kbps/320 Kbps MP3 Files, CD Quality Wave Audio.

CLICK HERE TO BE DIRECTED TO THE DOWNLOAD PAGE

SOME SOURCES:

   

Ras Kitchen and Asante Amen - One Perfect Love Dub/Rastaman Camp Fire Dub (Dubroom Net Label Release)

RAS KITCHEN AND ASANTE AMEN - ONE PERFECT LOVE DUB/RASTAMAN CAMP FIRE DUB
DUBROOM NET LABEL RELEASE

WWW, September 2014 - The second "virtual seven inch" featuring Ras Kitchen has a much deeper Roots and Culture vibe than the first one. Two heavy Roots Dub tracks, each having their very own distinctive vibe and approach. What both track have in common is the superb vocal singing of Asante Amen, Horns from Mad Professor's Ariwa studio and Messian Dread's Dubwise mixing.

Together, the two different tracks show the versatility and wideness of variety possible within Roots Reggae (Dub). In a way, it's also a statement concerning the use of "real instruments" versus programmed music. There is no "versus", there is just one thing: the rhythm of Roots Reggae as a means of communication. Playing and producing is one thing, knowing yourself and Reggae music is quite another.

One track has the (played) drums from Roots Radics drummer Style Scott, the other has a programmed Drum rhythm from Mad Professor's Ariwa studio. One track has a digital filter on the bass, the other track has a virtual analog. One track has a piano and guitar playing just the riddim where all the echo's and other effects do their thing, where the riddim or skank section at the other track features a lot of play with guitar wah's and an organ bubble.

Both tracks feature the vocals of Ras Kitchen and the very, very talented and skilled singer Asante Amen. Both men "happen" to be Rastaman, and a Rastaman comes with reasoning and with a meditation or a message if you will. Food for thought. 

In one track, you'll hear Assante Amen chanting and praying for equal rights and justice which "happens" to be the state of reign when Babylon is finally downstroyed and the Most High rules visible for all mankind. Yes, this is when Righteousness will Cover the Earth as the Book of Life tells us. This fire is blazing in the hearts of all true Rastaman, and if you want to make the parallel between the Rasta Food that Ras Kitchen is cooking and explaining in the track and the reasoning Asante Amen gives as a Rasta Food for thought, you've made the same parallel as Messian Dread when he made this Dub.

In the other track, there is much more a dialogue between Ras Mokko and Asante Amen. Together, they chant down racism and point out to the One Love, the One Perfect Love that enables people of all color to come together. We do not want no division along racial lines and lies, so that we are all equal and there is no one race superior and another inferior. This is what the Rastaman works on on a global scale, this is the message to the world and not just from the two vocalist but equally from the producer of this free release.

When you like the music, consider donating a little bit of money Ras Kitchen and/or purchasing tracks by Asante Amen.

1. Ras Kitchen and Asante Amen - One Perfect Love Dub (3:59)
2. Ras Kitchen and Asante Amen - Rastaman Camp Fire Dub (3:48)

Please do not re-publish the actual music, because unlike Dubroom releases before 2014, this release is © Messian Dread/Dubroom. Available for free: 128 Kbps/320 Kbps MP3 Files, CD Quality Wave Audio.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DOWNLOAD PAGE (128/320 KBPS MP3 OR CD QUALITY WAVE AUDIO)

SOME SOURCES:

   

Messian Dread is NOT on Facebook (Column)

MESSIAN DREAD IS NOT ON FACEBOOK
MESSIAN DREAD COLUMN SEPTEMBER 20 2014

WWW, September 20 2014 - When you Google "Messian Dread facebook", you'll see a link to a Facebook page which says: "Messian Dread Is On Facebook". Well, Messian Dread is NOT On Facebook, and I'm often asked why. Good idea to put that answer in a column. Hopefully one of these days that column will be among the search results so that the right information will come at the right place at Google. 

Yes, there's some profile on Facebook with my name, but it's not my photo. I don't know who that person is on the photo, all I know it's not me. Maybe some funny guy put it there. 

With that out of the way, let me share with you why I am not on Facebook and in fact even would call for en exodus out of that voluntary ghetto inna Cyberspace, as the website should be called in my not so humble opinion. Facebook is everything that the Internet is, and because of that it has become completely unnecessary because it is not everything that the Internet is. Confused? You don't have to be.

I do not know how many times I'm asked why I don't open a Facebook account, if only because "all" websites and "all" contacts have one and even check their accounts daily. Or they are like most people, they just stay logged in and let Facebook record their each and every move on the Internet. Where I live, I see people glued to their mobile Facebook devices as they bump into each other because they're not looking where they walk. Or worse, drive.

In fact, that argument was the only valid one for me.

I imagined myself opening a Facebook account. What would my  account status be? I couild only come up with one. "What Are You Doing Here?" would truly be the only thing I could say and the obvious answer would be "Well, What Are YOU Doing Here?". Indeed. People join facebook because people joined facebook. Like Myspace. People joined Myspace because people joined Myspace.

Facebook is a website on the world wide web, a part of the Internet where there are websites. People can make an account on that website and start to have contact with other people, share messages and all other things publishers do. But wait. You can do that on the Internet anyway. Facebook is just a website. There are millions and millions and millions of websites. Sure, they all have their... Facebook page. Why? Because there are many people on Facebook who are so cyber-illiterate that they do not even know that Facebook is just a website and that there's a bigger Internet out there.

Facebook has gone to the Stock Exchange. It's a company and it's sold to stock holders for billions of dollars. It's a company, so it has a product. That product is (the privacy of) it's users. People who join Facebook sell their privacy for the ability to communicate, where Facebook made billions selling that very same privacy to the ones whose only drive is the Roots Of All Evil: the love for money. 

That's why Messian Dread is NOT on Facebook. Whatever Facebook tells you.

One Love,
Messian Dread

Music For The Roots And Dub Massive (Radio Dubroom 2014 Chapter 8)

MUSIC FOR THE ROOTS AND DUB MASSIVE
RADIO DUBROOM 2014 CHAPTER 8

WWW, September 2014 - One hour and twenty minutes of not just pure niceness, because some of it can only be heard at this podcast and yet other selections are not yet released or released only on vinyl. This is a special selection that you just cannot afford to miss out.

The set starts with a track from the recently released Heavyweight Dubwise Selection LP, followed by a fine track with to-the-point lyrics from the Irie-On-Air Net Label. From the Original Dub Gathering another fine track with ditto Dub, followed by a track that can/could only be downloaded hundred times. This is a track about an upcoming duo-release from the Dubophonic and Dub Key Net Labels. 

The segment that follows contain two tracks from STEPPAS.com's Dub Dynasty and two from Moa Anbessa, recently reviewed in the Dubroom. All tracks with their Dub version, of course. Of course! There's one excellent Dub from the Dub Reservoir Net Label in the segment, too.

The show closes with a Discomix by Horseman and Dillinger, one by Seamus Ikonya which is on You Tube and a Discomix featuring Kojak at the microphone stand. That track has -just like the previous one- a Dub one the recently released Heavyweight Dubwise LP and is currently unreleased. 

Hear it here!

PLAYLIST 

01. Messian Dread - Loving Dubwise (Free Download)
02. Echo & Reverb All-Stars - Tres Caravelas (Free Download)
03. Echo & Reverb All-Stars - Christopher Colonus (Free Download)
04. Fu Step- Holidays (Free Download)
05. Fu Steps - Holidays Dubwise (Free Download)
06. Red Star Martyrs - Roots Rock Rebel (Discomix) (More Info)
07. Moa Anbessa and Prince David - Watch Dem (Vinyl Release)
08. Dubwise (Vinyl Release)
09. Dub Dynasty and Prince David - Evil Fe Bun (Vinyl Pre-Release)
10. Dubwise (Vinyl Pre-Release)
11. Dub Dynasty and Ngoni - We Got Jah (Vinyl Pre-Release)
12. Dubwise (Vinyl Pre-Release)
13. Barbes D and Emanouel - King Of Dub (Free Download)
14. Moa Anbessa and Jules I - Jah Calling (Vinyl Release)
15. Dubwise (Vinyl Release)
16. Horseman and Dillinger - Dangerous and Famous (Discomix) (Free Download)
17. Seamus Ikonya - Babylon System (Unreleased Discomix) (Video)
18. Kojak - Prevail (Unreleased Discomix)

DOWNLOAD PODCAST (128 or 320 KBPS)

Five Ways To Start A Dub And A Final Version (Making Dub With Computers Chapter 31)

MAKING DUB WITH COMPUTERS CHAPTER 31: FIVE WAYS TO START A DUB AND A FINAL VERSION
STUDIO DUBROOM TUTORIAL

WWW, September 18 2014 - You're a selector on a tight budget, whether financially or timely. In any case, you have to browse quickly through the available catalogue of Dub tracks. Or perhaps you're a Dub collector and you're looking for that next addition. Whatever the case, I'm sure you'll agree that when you're looking for or listening to new music, the first let's say 20 seconds are pretty decisive.

That's what we're going to address in this final chapter of the Version Excursion into the basics of Dub mixing.

I've prepared five different ways to start a Dub, using the riddim we've made for this tutorial. All four effect devices are used, just like in the previous chapters. Here they are, with a small explanation:

Variation A:

1. Drum Roll
2. Skanks
3. Bass drops in
4. Drums drop in

When you start with a Drum roll, then cut the Drums to let only the Skanks play, cut the Skanks with echo and start the Bass during the Echo with the Drums entering later, you create a tension. You tend to get impatient to hear the drum and bass. 

This is just one way of doing it. However, it is a rather classic method that you most certainly will hear back in many classic Dub tracks.

Variation B:

1. Drum Roll
2. Bass Drops In
3. Horns Drop In and Out
4. Pucking/Clavinet Drop in and out
5. Skanks Drop In and Out

Starting with a Drum Roll, then cutting the Drums while only the Bass plays and the rest of the instruments are quickly (un)muted at strategic points. 

It creates yet another vibe of tension, as you want to hear the Drum and the Bass.

Variation C:

1. Pucking/Clavinet only Wet through Pre-Aux 4
2. Bass Drum Drops In and Out
3. Bass Drops In
4. Drums Drop In

Running the pucking Guitar and the Clavinet through the Aux 4 Pre out to the Reverb, with the bass drum hitting once or twice before the bass line drops in, is a more spaced-out vibe.

It's not so much to create a tension, it's more a spaced out thing. 

You know...

Variation D:

1. Drum Roll
2. Bass, Skanks, Horns Drop in With Space Echo
3. Skanks are muted directly
4. Horns (un)muted Strategically

Because of the many 16th notes played in the Horn Them, just (un)muting the channel at (no so) random will give an instant Dub vibe that will catch those that love their "Dubbing With Horns".

Know when to (un)mute and you can create special echo's. For more information see the Tutorial at studio.dubroom.org

Variation E:

All channels open Aux 3 (Space Echo)

1. Drum Roll
2. Drum and Bass
3. Skanks (un)muted
4. Horns (un)muted
5. Pucking Guitar and Clavine (un)muted)

The Space Echo is so spacey, that in itself feeding the device by merely (un)muting channels does give a Dub vibe. When you have trained yourself in knowing where to find the strategic places to (un)mute, you're pretty close to creating a reasonable Dub in one take.

Here are the Five Ways To Start A Dub Mix:

CLICK HERE TO READ FURTHER

 

Using EQ With Space Echo And Reverb (Making Dub With Computers Chapter 30)

MAKING DUB WITH COMPUTERS CHAPTER 30: USING EQ WITH SPACE ECHO AND REVERB
STUDIO DUBROOM TUTORIAL

WWW, September 16 2014 - It's often said how in Dub, the mixing board turns into an instrument at the hand of the engineer. Like a keyboard player touches the keys, the guitar player the strings. True, true, true. Pressing the mute buttons, using the sliders, and not just on the mixing board. The effect devices are not safe from the hands of the Dub engineer. 

During my live performances when I dub a band live, it happens that I have to use the PA of the hall. As I count the drops of sweat on the head of the engineer as I'm telling him how I am going to use his mixing board, I hear him think: "there goes my setting". When I continue to tell him how I want the delay and other effects routed back to the mixing board via a channel input, I see him watch the aux-out buttons while in his head he hears the feedback. Yes, the mixing board becomes an instrument.

Where an engineer usually fine-tunes his mix and explodes whenever someone wants to change anything, a Dub engineer continually changes these settings. No, just by (un)muting channels and not just by knowing where to drop what kind of echo and how to transform the echo feed with EQ like we did in the previous chapters. Here's another general guideline: whatever you can change with EQ, change it!

In this next video, it's not just the simple Dub delay with it's EQ and the reverb. Remember, we've added a Space Echo at Aux 3. That's what we're going to use now and we are going to use the EQ settings of the reverb as well. Before you press play, though, just a little bit more info about the "Space Echo".

There are many soft- and hardware devices similar to the Space Echo. Even free VST effects that are perfect to use, but that's for another place. In a way, you can look at the Space echo as a combination of Delay, Reverb and EQ. Where I use a separate EQ with my Dub delay and layer it with reverb from the mixing board, the Space echo does all that in one device. 

Watch as the "decay" (length) buttons and the EQ on the blue devices change. The blue device at top is the Reverb at aux 2, the blue device below the mixing board is the Space Echo. Read the extra information as you watch just how EQ and other things are used:

CLICK HERE TO READ FURTHER

 

Digital Dignity: Half a Gigabyte of High Quality Free Licensed (DUB) Reggae Samples In a New Studio Dubroom Feature

DIGITAL DIGNITY: HALF A GIGABYTE OF FREE LICENSED HI-Q (DUB) REGGAE SAMPLES AND LOOPS IN A NEW STUDIO FEATURE
STUDIO DUBROOM NEWS

WWW, September 2014 - Attention (DUB) Reggae producers and other visitors/users of Studio Dubroom: a brand new feature in the studio will provide you with over 560 Mb of free, legal, fully licensed high quality (DUB) Reggae Samples and Loops. We're talking drums, bass, guitars, horns, vocals, Dub effects and everything else you can think of in the field of the production of (DUB) Reggae Music.

It's called "Digital Dignity" and for a reason. There are too many online (DUB) Reggae artists that make use of jingles, loops and samples from well known or lesser known albums. For non-commercial productions that's quite a common practice but it will not lead you as a producer to the ability to release your music commercially. It's a common practice, but it doesn't really do anything else but make people think of the original.

Yes, it is better to get some dignity in your productions by getting some dignity for yourself: over half a gig of that material is waiting for you in our brand new Loopmasters (DUB) Reggae portal.

So what did we do and what can you do?

First, we've gathered all thirty (DUB) Reggae products that come with a demo file from the Sample Boutique and -second- created a page for each release. From that page you can directly download the Demo file attached to the product. You'll have to be registered and logged in to the Loop Masters website, but since that is a free thing and can even provide you with more goodies, registration at Loop Masters will not hurt you at all.

We are talking about samples and loops by Ariwa studio, Jesse "Dubmatix" King, the heavyweight champions at Drum Drops, and a lot more. A large part has authentic vocal loops and samples, but you can find some nice horns and other material.

Read the introduction page and start downloading. When you have a reasonable fast Internet connection, about 15 minutes of your time will deliver you a very valuable addition to your Sound library.

This is not a collaboration between Loop Masters and the Dubroom, this is the sole decision of the Dubroom and it is done out of a genuine appreciation with the good quality, service and prices at the Sample Boutique. 

CLICK HERE VISIT THE PORTAL