Artist: Chab
Title: The Dub Sessions
Label: Shinichi Recordings
By: Chloe Harris | 6 March 2003
Tracklist:

• A: Cooler Dub
• B: Original Dub
• C: Electric Dub
• D: Smith And Selway Mix

Chab "The Dub Sessions"

Chab has become quite the household name. With numerous remixes, and a vast amount of his own productions, he’s no stranger to the studio. This 2x12 is packed with loads of different styles, making it accessible to anyone. This first showed up on Anthony Pappa’s Resolution cd for React, and a while back it showed up on Deep Dish’s Global Underground, Moscow. Now it’s out for all of us.

The ‘Cooler Dub’ starts out with techy drums. Claps, and a low bass rumble similar to a more trancy type bassline. Dub sounds fall on top, and weird slabs of metal sounds wash over and strike into the mix. It’s kind of bouncy, with a tone that falls over on top, and changes into stabs. A quick halt at the break, and the tune changes into a super minimal drum pattern, as a high beep sound comes in over the top. The sample comes in, delayed but easier to understand. A low kitty purr sound makes it’s way into the mix, and follows the song into a very spacey and reverbed break. Back into the beats, along with the key stabs, and we find our way out of the song.

On the ‘Original Dub’, we get a heavy dose of tribal drums, shakers, low hits, and then into a groovy bassline. It comes up from underneath as the song picks up momentum. The intro to this song is definitely made for mixing into. It’s nice and long, and can be easily manipulated. A freaky siren sound goes over top; it’s moody and sinister. We go into the break, as a spacey sound pulls up, and gets very trippy. Delays and backward sounds come in, and then a sample goes off, and back into the drums.

The ‘Electric Dub’ was featured on Soundbytes 18. We start off with bouncy bass and beats, as a bark sound creates more percussion. There’s a nice kick, and a bubbly bassline, as the high hats make their way in. The drum beat is very breaky type drum 4/4, and has a very dub feel to it. At a short break, the bassline starts rolling off, as electronic sounds flutter in. The sample comes on, spacey, and percussive. A plane sound rolls over on top of the tune, bringing it a super minimal part. Falling into just a low kick, and strange stabs, a conga hit, and then rolling into an eerie break. Sounds fall and swirl, and then back into the song. The ending is nice to mix into, with layers of the airplane sound, and a very stripped down outro.

Techno producers Smith and Selway are notorius for making hypnotic, driving music, and this remix is no exception. The ‘Smith and Selway’ mix is a fast, techno tribal tune. The drumming is hard, and thick, while a continuous key stab layers over and hits on the beat. The congas come in for added percussion, as the high hats go off their own way. Into a short break, the kick slows down, while everything still pulses and keeps the beat going. A sound comes in over the top; it’s eerie and builds up the tension. We come back into the song very hard, as the song keeps us till the end. If you like it hard and tribal, check this out.

Chab has created his own sound and has crafted it well. Tribal drums and all sorts of percussive rhythms carry this tune. Shinichi once again in top form.