Digitaldubs (View Discography)

Release Info

A band that calls itself Digitaldubs is inviting certain expectations, chief among them an antiseptic, computer-generated sound. But this Brazilian reggae ensemble confounds those expectations along with several others. Much of the material on this excellent album can only be described as traditional roots reggae: the bustling steppers rhythm ridden by guest chatter Ranking Joe on "Fyah Bun Dem" is absolutely classic, as is the heavyweight one-drop structure of the sufferer's anthem "War and Crime," featuring Brazilian singer Dada Yute. Local instrumentation sneaks its way into the arrangements on tracks like "Jah Me Guia I" (featuring a brilliant singjay turn from Jeru Banto) and "Your Love Is Overdub" (featuring vocals from Aswad frontman Brinsley Forde), and there are times when Jamaican and Brazilian influences blend completely seamlessly, as on the unabashedly horticultural "Liga Legalize." The strongest track on a consistently fine album is "Sigue Tu Instinto," on which Tiano Bless croons soulfully over an elephantine one-drop beat and sinuous horn chart. This is not just a great international reggae album, but one of the best reggae albums of the last five years, period. ~ Rick Anderson

Tracks

1. Transe Amazônico (Abrindo os Caminhos)
2. Fyah Bun Dem
3. Bandido de Gravata
5. Kaliman Dreams
6. Jah Me Guia I
7. War and Crime
8. Dub Echoes Theme
9. Your Love Is Overdub
10. Liga Legalize
11. Upbeat Vibes
12. Sigue Tu Instinto
13. Justice and Equality