Jah Wobble, well-distinguished in the circles of bass guitar players and modern experimental music, the master of British dub bass, releases the single “Tyson Dub Remix” and delivers deeply personal and sonically rich tribute to his late Staffordshire bull terrier, Tyson. Taken from his forthcoming album “Dub Volume 1” (out July 18 via Dimple Discs), this track marks a significant return to stripped-down, fully self-produced dub music, showcasing Wobble’s enduring vitality as a craftsman and an emotive artist … This is experimental music at its purest and most sincere. The heavy, reverberating basslines that Wobble pioneered in the post-punk crucible of the late ’70s are present in full force—earthy, hypnotic, and unrelenting. There is a delicate warmth here but also a sad feeling, making this song a melancholic, quiet elegy pulsing beneath the surface of the mix. Beautiful melodic loops and motifs, the avant-garde use of the keyboards and the otherworldly basslines evoke a private, soulful meditation and bring the worlds of experimental music and dub closer. The track is minimal but never empty. Wobble’s choice to write, perform, and arrange every aspect of the piece adds a layer of intimacy and immediacy that commercial dub often lacks. “Tyson Dub Remix” is a letter of faith and love to a companion who was clearly much more than just a pet. “Dub Volume 1” promises to be a bold chapter in Wobble’s ongoing musical journey, and “Tyson Dub Remix” is an affecting, quietly powerful creation. It’s a reminder that behind the legendary career lies a human heart that still beats in time with the bass.
♦ 8/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
https://wardle.bandcamp.com/track/tyson-dub-remix
