Dub Syndicate Overdubbed by Rob Smith

• Words: Derek Beres
• Label: Collision
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

Handing over his latest master files to former Smith & Mighty partner Rob Smith, drummer Style Scott put his newest Dub Syndicate creations into good hands. Since 1982, the man behind Dub Syndicate has been releasing formidable dub, mostly on the experimental and creative juggernaut On-U Records. It’s quickly obvious that Smith is having a great time, as the Capleton-led “Time” is a re-imagined gem, mimicking Smith’s work with Massive Attack. Luciano’s passionate poetics make “One in a Billion” the collection’s prime cut, although that’s not to discredit the lyrical contributions of Gregory Isaacs, Big Youth, or Junior Reid. This is a reggae vocalist’s goldmine tweaked by a master on the hidden side–behind the knobs in the studio, making all those levels and numbers make sense.