JACIN-Original Dub Sound : DUBWILD (review)

About two weeks ago, I got a box in the mail.
I was expecting this box, from a very talented brethren living in France originally
from the Ivory Coast.
His name is JACIN, and we've had our share of musical collabs. In the box was a
stack of CDs with a roaring lion pon the cover, with the letters DUBWILD on top.
I anxiously took out the CD and put in in my walkman.
Those who know me from musical works and forum postings know that I have a bias for older, vintage reggae, while I have much respect for the digidub sounds coming from Europe. Indeed, I've voiced many digidub plates.
With this CD, I was pleasantly surprised. A perfect balance of digidub, with a warm organic feel and true to the roots sound. The CD starts off with a vocalist from Los Angeles (shameless plug ! ) doing a reggae rendition of the Exodus story. The next song called 'Better Days' is a rootsy instrumental stepper with Jacin's signature melodica sound. Track 3, called 'Line Them Up' features another vocalist called Murray Man hailing from the U.K., bringing conscious lyrics with a rich, baritone voice very much like Luciano the MessenJah.
'Grand Dance' is a slow stepper with a beautiful string arrangement that makes one think of angels in Zion doing an ethereal waltz.
'Pirates' is one of the more digitalized songs on the CD, but still has a break in the middle where the reverbed bass and drum has a very trancelike effect.
Jacin's classic 'Forever Strong' ends the CD on an upbeat stepper with dramatic horn synths to match the bassline.
Overall, the CD feels like a slightly more digital version of Augustus P's 'East of the River Nile'. That being said, this CD should be a classic in every dubheads collection for those who still buy CDs.
If I had any complaint, it would only be two small things : most of the songs are the same tempo, so perhaps there could've been more variation there. Then again, those who love steppers will not be disappointed. The other thing, I would've liked to hear even more of Jacin's melodica to give the CD even more of that classic Augustus vibe, even though the melodica is present, it could've been heard on two or three more songs. Then again, Jacin wasn't aiming for a completely melodica CD. What he accomplished is a wonderful balance of digital and roots, without one overbearing the other. Jacin's CD (Dubwild) is available online at :
Dub vendor (UK) : Original Dub Sound Presents - Dubwild Original Dub Sound CD
Blakamix (UK) : Dub Wild - ORIGINAL DUB SOUND Blakamixshop.co.uk
Jacin sound (FR) : Jacin Sound Shop

...and soon, Ernie B's distribution ! (US)

[Jah Billah]

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