Sub Dub

May 30 - June 6, 1 9 9 6

*** Sub Dub

SUB DUB

(Instinct)

Ambient's ascendancy is the logical evolution of rave culture -- a crowd who can't dance forever but sure as hell want to. Ambient's "chill room" atmospherics are the perfect sedative for cranked trippers. Sub Dub's first full-length release is equally concerned with atmosphere and groove. The disc's most intoxicating pieces are seven- and eight-minute sound collages exploring sonic territory as wide-ranging as reggae, jazz, and world music. "Drifting" opens with a mixture of white noise, liquidy keyboard washes, and reverb-drenched percussion. As the piece progresses, a meditative reggae pulse slowly evolves out of the primal stew. Snares, like gunshots in a New York City subway, echo forever. The tune climaxes as bass, percussion, and keyboards are pushed into a swirl of sound.

The jazz-influenced "Ambrosia" begins with a mournful sax solo that would feel at home in a David Lynch diner if it weren't for the funky drum accompaniment. Percussion, a dancy bass line, and soothing vocals create scenes from a dreamy hole-in-the-wall club. Sub Dub succeed in stretching the boundaries of ambient, sewing together patches of musical influence into a cohesive and coherent whole.

-- Jonathan Follett