Dennis Bovell’s prolific and eclectic career encompasses a huge range of music: from dub poetry to lovers rock, to post-punk, to disco, to pop and beyond. His production work encompasses such diverse figures as The Slits, I Roy, Maximum Joy, Fela Kuti, The Pop Group, Janet Kay, Saada Bonaire, Orange Juice, Golden Teacher, Steel Pulse, and more.

This compilation focuses on the period during and immediately after Bovell’s involvement with the Jah Sufferer Sound System, digging deep to find deep cuts and lesser-known versions, mainly from 1976–1980, plus a killer and lesser-heard dub of the iconic 'Silly Games'. Painstakingly restored and remastered at Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin, these decades-old tracks sound pristine and dynamic, sequenced to take the listener on a journey through Bovell’s production and arrangement genius.

The accompanying sleevenotes are a result of a long conversation with Dennis about this period of his life, with track-by-track recollections and fascinating biographical asides. The vinyl and CD versions feature variant artwork, each format utilising a unique photo by Syd Shelton.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Dub Band - Dub Land 
2. Dennis Matumbi - Blood Dem 
3. Dennis Bovell Dub Band - Suffrah Dub (Sufferer Sound Disco 45)
4. Pebbles - Positive Vibrations
5. Cosmic Idren - Compelled
6. Dennis Curtis - Come With Me 
7. Matumbi - Dub Planet
8. African Stone - Run Rasta Run
9. Matumbi - Fire Dub 05:39
10. Errol Campbell - Jah Man
11. Young Lions - Take Dub
12. Dennis Bovell & Janet Kay - Game Of Dubs
13. African Stone - Dub Choice
14. Angelique - Cry 
15. DB At The Controls - Crying

A Mountain Of One enlist UK dub legend Denis Bovell to remix “Custard’s Last Stand”. True to dub music's evolving and technically advanced ethos, Denis' more recent output has been much more experimental and electronically guided than the traditional dub crafted by the original pioneers.

This release is no exception as the producer naturally takes to the strewn-out, long form nature of A Mountain Of One, drawing "Custard's Last Stand" into a psychedelic-prog-dub epic - throwing the entire stems through a vibrating dub delay, allowing huge waves of strings and choir vox to crash onto our ears and pushing to the foreground those buzzing lysergic synth lines that burrow right into our cranium.

Inna typical style we get a vocal and instrumental version; both awash with echo chamber dreaminess and presenting themselves as hi-definition tapestries for the rig. It's an exceptional outing from Bovell, and yet more reasons to love one of the best Balearic-soft-rock bands in recent history. Recommended! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: I've been really feeling Bovell's recent direction. Ditching the traditional tropes of original dub and tuning himself into the mixing board for a fresh take on the echo chamber.

TRACK LISTING

A. Custard's Last Stand (DUBfinity Version)
AA. Custard's Last Stand (DUBfinity Vocal Version)

Since making his recording debut in the early Seventies with legendary British reggae band, Matumbi, Dennis 'Blackbeard' Bovell has repeatedly demonstrated his supreme talent and versatility in a variety of music fields. And yet enormity of his impact upon the UK's music scene over the past five decades has remained largely overlooked.

The DuBMASTER - The Essential Anthology' sets to finally address this injustice by presenting the first serious retrospective of Dennis's output as both a performer and producer.

Charting his career from the Seventies up to the present day, this handsomely packaged double vinyl gatefolded album presents 24 of his most celebrated reggae works - including Janet Kay's seminal lovers rock classic, "Silly Games" - as well as rarities and previously unissued treasures from the vaults.

Compiled by the artist himself, the collection is further enhanced by Dennis's fascinating account of his life in the music business over the past half century, with his words enriched by rare photos.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Much needed anthology of this oft-overlooked, multi-talented national treasure. Quietly responsible for so much magic across UK reggae, lover’s rock, street soul, post-punk and even pop. Focussing on his reggae-based work with vocalists from Janet Kay to Delroy Wilson; it also contains photos and hand-written tales from this fascinatingly enigmatic character.

TRACK LISTING

Vinyl:
LP 1.
Side One
1. Raindrops - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
2. Za-Ion – Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra
3. Blood Ah Go Run – Dennis Bovell As Dennis Matumbi
4. Choose Me – Dennis Bovell As African Stone
5. Row, Row, Row – Dennis Bovell & The 4th St Orchestra
6. Brain Damage - Dennis Bovell
Side Two
1. Chief Inspector - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
2. Dub Master - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
3. Silly Dub - Dennis Bovell
4. Oh Mama Oh Papa - Dennis Bovell
5. Pickin’ Up The Pieces - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
6. Caught You In A Lie - Dennis Bovell

LP 2
Side One
1. Silly Games - Janet Kay
2. A Little Way Different - Errol Dunkley
3. Differentah – Julio ‘Dreadful’ Finn
4. Get Up Stand Up - I Roy
5. Our Tune – Marie Pierre
6. Tom Hark - Captain Morgan & His Merry Men
Side Two
1. African Queen - Errol Campbell
2. Africa Is Our Land - Joshua Moses
3. Take Five - The Young Lions
4. Hooked On You - Delroy Wilson
5. Guide Us, Jah - Johnny Clarke
6. Can't Go Through (With Life) (Dancehall Version) - Marie Pierre

CD1 (The Master):
1. Run Rasta Run - Dennis Bovell As African Stone*
2. Za-Ion - Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra
3. Half Way To Za-Ion (Za-lon Dub) - Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra
4. Come With Me - Dennis Bovell As Dennis Curtis*
5. Run Dem Out - Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra
6. Raindrops - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
7. Eye Water (Raindrops Dub) - Dennis Bovell
8. Blood Ah Go Run / Blood Dem (12" Mix) - Dennis Bovell As Dennis Matumbi*
9. The Grunwick Affair - Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra
10. Choose Me (12" Mix) - Dennis Bovell As African Stone*
11. Row, Row, Row Aka Rowing Down The River (12" Mix) - Dennis Bovell & The 4th Street Orchestra
12. Brain Damage - Dennis Bovell
13. Chief Inspector - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
14. Dub Master - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
15. Pow Wow - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
16. Silly Dub - Dennis Bovell*
17. Oh Mama Oh Papa - Dennis Bovell
18. Pickin' Up The Pieces - Dennis Bovell & The Dub Band
19. Caught You In A Lie - Dennis Bovell*
20. After Tonight (acoustic Version) - Dennis Bovell

CD2 (The Artists):
1. Silly Games - Janet Kay
2. A Little Way Different / Differentah (12" Mix) - Errol Dunkley Featuring Julio ‘Dreadful’ Finn*
3. Jah Man - Errol Campbell*
4. Jah Man Dub - Errol Campbell*
5. Cry – Angelique*
6. Heights - Good Breed*
7. Get Up Stand Up - I Roy*
8. Our Tune - Marie Pierre*
9. Tom Hark (7" Mix) - Captain Morgan & His Merry Men
10. Positive Vibrations - Pebbles
11. African Queen - Errol Campbell*
12. Africa (Is Our Land) - Joshua Moses*
13. Take Five - The Young Lions*
14. Portrait Of You - Gladwin Wright*
15. Hooked On You - Delroy Wilson*
16. Guide Us, Jah (12" Mix) - Johnny Clarke*
17. Nasty - Julio ‘Dreadful’ Finn*
18. Can't Go Through (With Life) (dancehall Version) - Marie Pierre*