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BILL LASWELL
ROIR Dub Sessions (ROIR)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
In 1996, Bill Laswell began a series of dub CDs for ROIR, possibly the only label on equal footing with the bassist and producer extraordinare in the cred department. Laswell's only turned in four albums in eight years for the label - Sacred System Dub, Sacred System Chapter Two, Dub Chamber Three and Book of Exit: Dub Chamber 4 - but it's quality that matters, and these are all dub treasures that raised the bar considerably for aspiring artists.
ROIR Dub Sessions collects one track from each of those four albums. I resist calling it a "best of" because there are tracks on each of the albums that you could argue are better than the ones chosen, just as you could argue for these, but what has been created here is a very nicely matched set of four pieces that seem to flow quite well as a whole.
The set begins with the sparse but contemplative "Dread Iternal" from Sacred System Dub. Laswell's bassline in definitely in a spacey, reggae groove, and it carries the track. "Thunupa," the opening track from Sacred System Chapter Two, is far more complex and ornate, tripping into the realms of psychedelia on the plaintive, echoed cries of Graham Haynes' cornet, Nicky Skopelitis' sitar (just in earshot and thoroughly tantalizing) and a snappin' core laid down by Laswell and drummer Style Scott. "Cybotron," from Dub Chamber Three, is co-written by Laswell and another bassist who breathes the same rarified air in the reggae/dub world: Jah Wobble. The bass is so huge and loose on this track I'm thinking they both played the same line, probably full blast. It has an auditorium echo on the bass with much more clarity on the other instruments. Quite powerful. Finally there's "Ethiopia/The Lower Ground," from Book of Exit: Dub Chamber 4. The Ethiopian singer, Ejigayehu "GiGi" Shibabaw, takes a subtle, simple but pretty track and makes it beautiful. It's the breezy half of the track. When the transition comes at the 7 minute mark, Laswell's bass brings on a heavy groove that contrasts with the hypnotic beauty of what sounds like a melodica coming through many layers of reverb, echo and who knows what else. A nice ending for this little tour of the Dub Chamber.
If you haven't got any of those CDs, this is an excellent way to see if they're for you. As the tracks are in chronological order, it also serves as a spiffy little progress report for Mr. Laswell. Me, I'm a fan of the series, so I recommend going after the full CDs, but if it's not in the budget right now, by all means, give this low cost disc a tumble.
© 2004 - DJ Johnson