Writing About Music is Serious
Aswad - Dub Fire (1982/ Heavy Dub)
Hello internet pals of music. Today we’re logging the old growth space and time forests with one of Britain’s most successful reggae groups. Whatever that means.
Often (ok, always), I wait until the morning to write these when I have such little free time that I’m forced to type and let whatever happens…happen. I feel like it’s a good exercise, but probably only for myself.
What do the people who actually read this want?
Probably to be back in bed.
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I like British reggae because it doesn’t sound like Jamaican reggae. I can hear the cold weather in it, the damp chill that sets into one’s bones. That’s in this song: the squelchy wet bassline, the chatter of the clipped drums. Famed producer Martin Hannett surely was a fan.
It’s also to think of the diaspora, and how two versions of Jamaica played musical penpal, with those on the British side taking those organic roots and electrifying them-like this song does-and in return how that influenced on 80s Jamaican dancehall, along with cheap Japanese electronics.
And obviously that trans-oceanic back and forth continues to drive dancehall, grime, jungle, UK drill…they volley back and forth, just like Detroit and Berlin.
Dude, what day is it? The boss fell asleep for a month, gone to The City of Lost Children. Please don’t strike. Wait, strike. Unionize your power.
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