Dub Syndicate: The Pounding System (Ambience In Dub) Vinyl LP

Quite possibly the UK’s foremost dub outfit, comprised of the deadly riddims of Lincoln “Style” Scott, formerly of the legendary Roots Radics band, and Anglo dub master & engineer Adrian Sherwood behind the boards. Dub Syndicate rose from the ashes of Creation Rebel, a more traditional roots dub crew responsible for one of the most highly coveted UK dub LPs of all time, and followed a slightly more experimental trajectory influenced by Sherwood’s trailblazing work with Cabaret Voltaire, The Fall, Vivien Goldman and other assorted post-punk & industrial bands. Pounding System is a mesmerizing patchwork of drums, bass, guitar and synth stripped all the way down and distilled to its essence, guided by Sherwood’s masterful hand; alternating between passages of echo-soaked dub and militant, bone dry rhythmic assaults. Check out Style’s merciless drumming bussed out to Sherwood’s rapid-fire delay on “Hi-Fi Gets A Pounding Pts 1 & 2.” Other highlights include “Pounding System,” “Don’t Care About Space Invader Machines,” “Humourless Journalist Works To Rules.” Lovingly made available on vinyl for the first time in 35 years by Sherwood’s own On-U Sound imprint; includes printed insert containing extensive liner notes and code for digital download. Recommended.

• first time on vinyl since 1982
• printed insert
• digital download included
• music label: On-U Sound 2017

reviewed by hannibal chew 11/2017